tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19545049.post9211327718356608881..comments2024-03-14T05:56:44.390+00:00Comments on Edward II: Some letters of 1321, and their consequencesKathryn Warnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00397714441908100576noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19545049.post-39609281408678043922007-01-20T16:01:00.000+00:002007-01-20T16:01:00.000+00:00That's a very perceptive comment, Carla - I think ...That's a very perceptive comment, Carla - I think you're absolutely right. After all, Hugh's ability to deprive women of their lands, imprison them till they signed lands over to him, and to use all kinds of legal, quasi-legal and illegal methods to achieve all this, does prove that he could get away with anything he wanted - because he was the king's favourite and therefore immensely powerful and untouchable. But for everyone to see that his lands had been attacked and he hadn't been able to defend them - yes, he'd definitely see that as weakness. I wonder if his appalling behaviour from 1322 onwards was at least in part a reaction to this perceived humiliation? Not that that excuses it, of course, but people's motives are always fascinating.Kathryn Warnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00397714441908100576noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19545049.post-33052350244479160932007-01-20T15:31:00.000+00:002007-01-20T15:31:00.000+00:00"Depriving your sister-in-law of a big part of her..."Depriving your sister-in-law of a big part of her inheritance was OK, apparently, but having your castles attacked was a 'shame'!"<br /><br />Does that reflect the importance of being seen to have power, do you think? So doing your sister-in-law out of her inheritance demonstrated you were powerful, having your castle attacked demonstrated you were powerless, or at least less powerful than the attackers. So it was a source of shame because it showed your weakness. Is that plausible?Carlahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11901028520813891575noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19545049.post-88990587899269114772007-01-19T09:58:00.000+00:002007-01-19T09:58:00.000+00:00Very true, Gabriele - I like how he just casually ...Very true, Gabriele - I like how he just casually drops in <i>we will send some of the king’s men and our own</i>, as if it's nothing. And that's a great insight about the 'shame' of suffering an attack - I hadn't thought of it like that. Depriving your sister-in-law of a big part of her inheritance was OK, apparently, but having your castles attacked was a 'shame'! :)<br /><br />Susan: yep, those management books sell in piles over here, too. I'd love to see 'Hugh Despenser's Guide to Management'!<br /><br />I know, how do you 'subtly' take hostages?! "You are cordially invited to Lord Despenser's castle-warming at Bristol", then when you get there, it's "ha-ha, fooled you, welcome to the dungeon!" or something?Kathryn Warnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00397714441908100576noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19545049.post-19367917616968981232007-01-19T00:18:00.000+00:002007-01-19T00:18:00.000+00:00Oh, and obtaining those hostages in the most subtl...Oh, and obtaining those hostages in the most subtle manner possible--that's a classic too. "Mama, where'd Papa go?" "Sir Hugh took him hostage, but don't worry, he's being subtle about it."<br /><br />Do they have those books on management techinques in Europe that they do in the US? You know, <i>Who Moved My Cheese</i> and the like? I feel a blog post coming on with Hugh teaching a management class . . .Susan Higginbothamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13517907583894026599noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19545049.post-14207780044167297362007-01-18T22:02:00.000+00:002007-01-18T22:02:00.000+00:00I think he's tired of having to write so many lett...I think he's tired of having to write so many letters because Inge sent him so many and asked all sort of questions. <i>...we will send no further instructions about it until we have need to write <i>in answer</i> to your letters...</i><br /><br />What I find interesting are the referals to 'shame' resp. 'honour' in context of finding his places under attack by enemies. It's such a wonderfully <i>Mediaeval</i> attitude - it's ok to snatch possessions of your female relations, execute a few people and all that, but suffering an attack was a 'shame'. <br /><br />Another interesting point is that Despenser can call upon the king's men to man his castles. No wonder some people didn't like him. :)Gabriele Campbellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17205770868139083575noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19545049.post-86234493260697159132007-01-18T16:41:00.000+00:002007-01-18T16:41:00.000+00:00I know, poor man! That's my favourite line from t...I know, poor man! That's my favourite line from the letters, too. Wonder how Inge felt when he read the line "We reprove you sharply"? At least Hugh was honest - "I want to be rich"!Kathryn Warnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00397714441908100576noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-19545049.post-85236193575637227282007-01-18T14:39:00.000+00:002007-01-18T14:39:00.000+00:00I love the line about him having sent so many lett...I love the line about him having sent so many letters that he was "quite tired of it." Inge was probably equally tired of it--he must have hated the sight of Hugh's messenger riding up!Susan Higginbothamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13517907583894026599noreply@blogger.com