Edward II of England, the Clever Handed

[BigDestiny]

...or how three Queens beat two Kings.

Chapter One: The Gascon

King Edward I installed Piers Gaveston into the household of his son to provide the Prince of Wales with an intelligent and dynamic example of character, and in that it worked far better than the old king could have ever expected.

The Prince, also named Edward, lacked interest in most of the business of kingship, but Piers was more than just chivalrous. He taught the Prince how to manipulate the people around him to get what he wanted.* He also, according to Queen Isabella's later diaries, introduced the Prince to sex between men at this time.

The younger Edward was raised with an appreciation of Welsh culture which Piers encouraged, telling the Prince that Western France (which included Edward's former patrimonies of Normandy and Anjou) were far closer to the Welsh and original inhabitants of England than they'd ever been to Paris. Prince Edward came to be persuaded that this could be a useful tool on the continent.

The lessons in diplomacy came in very handy in dealing with both king and court. King Edward's treasurer came into conflict with both the country's nobles and the Prince's household. While Prince Edward inherited his father's hot temper, he'd picked up enough from his shadow the Gascon that he didn't think it would accomplish anything to confront the King over it.

With the Prince's approval, Piers undertook secret visits to the opponents of the Treasurer. These were both to gather evidence of wrongdoing, and to gather support for Prince Edward among England's aristocracy. There were some who wondered what the Prince was going to do with that support, but nothing was said. At the time, a visit from the Prince's charming, supportive Gascon was seen as a sign that at least someone in the Royal family cared for what was happening South of the border with Scotland.

*and here we have the POD. While Piers Gaveston is still his fully competent self, he's not so foolish as to believe that a king can prosper without support.

 

[BigDestiny]

Chapter Two: Dealing with Scotland

Old King Edward, the hammer of the Scots, was laying siege to Scotland as usual when he died. While the story that he demanded that his son bring his bones along during the invasion is apocryphal, he did demand that his son continue on. The Prince tellingly, only promised that he would 'deale' with Scotland.

The new king, in fact, had no intention of continuing the war. His treasury was empty and in any case he preferred to get what he wanted through guile than the fighting that had netted him so little. Edward took his court to Edinburgh, and summoned Robert the Bruce and his lords to parlay. The Scots were understandably suspicious of the English king's motives, and were shocked to find that as long as certain conditions were met, Edward was willing to completely remove the English presence from Scotland.

Some restrictions were obvious, though still implemented grudgingly. No border raids, Edward's medieval overlordship remaining as a final court of appeal, if not a direct control. The Stone of Scone was returned, in exchange for a ransom that covered some of England's expenses. And most importantly, public support for Robert the Bruce and permanently rejecting the Balliol cause.

Robert the Bruce had always been willing to trade English support for power in Scotland, at least temporarily, and accepted the terms. He and the Scottish lords were invited to London for Edward's coronation (which would, of course, bring in more money), and the Scots were gratified to be treated as equals rather than underlings.

The English however, were aware that Robert had a history of breaking his word, and while Edward was dealing with the King of Scots he dispatched his Gascon to entertain the Scottish aristocracy. Piers reminded the lords that the new King Edward cared much more about them that his father had. And that if they ever needed help, their overlord could be counted on to provide it. And Piers could be counted on to discretely deliver whatever private correspondence they needed to send to the King of England.

 

[BigDestiny]

Chapter Three: the French Progress

With the situation in Scotland stabilized, Edward prepared for his journey to France to finally go through with his wedding to Isabella, daughter of the French King. Edward was going with the best lawyers in the kingdom but without his partner. Piers Gaveston was named Lord Protector, and would be acting as regent while the King was away. The Lords were surprised that Edward wasn't choosing one of his brothers, but he told them he needed someone neutral to make sure they were heard while he was gone. Not to mention that although there was no full scale revolt in Scotland, Gaveston was called up to deal with Scottish vassals 7 times in Coronation Year alone.

In France, Edward was leaving negotiations for his territories there to his lawyers. Phillip the Fair was annoyed, and at first refused to deal with them. But Edward feigned sickness and in the end, Phillip gave in. While Edward was 'recovering', he summoned Isabella to his bedside. He told her stories of his ancestor, Eleanor of Aquitaine and how ancient French kings had taken his family's land, including their patrimony of Normandy.

Piers Gaveston had heard how clever Isabella was, and knew she would see these stories as what they were: the prize for helping her new husband out maneuvering her father. Isabella wasn't willing to cut her father's kingdom in half (yet), but promised to do all she could to get Aquitaine back for him. Edward's lawyers had, in fact, been arguing that the Duke of Aquitaine could hardly give homage for territory he didn't possess, so when Isabella came to Phillip asking for Aquitaine as well, the French King knew where the request was coming from. He was furious now, and threatened to end the engagement altogether. Phillip's own lawyers warned against that and in the end a compromise was reached. While most of Eleanor's former lands would remain French, Aquitaine proper would be given back to Edward as its Duke.

Edward quickly married Isabella before Phillip could change his mind, and after a very vague homage oath proceeded to Aquitaine. Edward installed new governors willing to pay for mostly autonomous control over his lands. Most importantly, the business of the duchy had to be run in old Occitan, rather than French or Latin as Edward was well aware from his experiences in Wales how language could divide a people.

 

[BigDestiny]

Chapter Four: the Coronation of their Majesties, the King and Queen

The English royal party finally arrived in London, finding that Isabella's uncles had already arrived for her Coronation. Edward made them wait however, as his reunion with Gaveston would not be delayed. Isabella was installed in her chambers, which were filled with toys, but also games and books such as Edward had learned from when he was Prince of Wales. Her household was also Edward's old staff, with orders to treat the Queen with the same deference that they would give the King. Isabella was delighted.

The Coronation took place at the end of the week, a lavish ceremony attended by British, Irish, and Continental nobles. A new crown was made for Isabella, and Gaveston hosted the Coronation as Earl of Cornwall. Gaveston filled London with wildflowers from around the British Isles and Aquitaine, and charmed the new Queen by presenting her with bouquets and telling her about the lands the blossoms came from. Edward and Isabella amused themselves by making wreaths and contrasting them with a succession of Isabella's jewelry. But Cornwall seemed distracted, and while it was normally Piers who cajoled the King to do things, that night it was Edward calming his Gascon. Isabella noticed as everyone did, and had everything explained to her. She passed the rest of the feast in excited expectation.

Gaveston finally did what the King had been waiting for: he arrested the Treasurer. The English present cheered as Gaveston read out the charges. Edward asked his guests if anyone would speak out in the Treasurer's defense. There was none who would. To everyone's surprise though, the King turned to the Queen and asked for her judgement. Isabella told him that though the Treasurer was guilty, she was too unfamiliar with English law to determine his punishment. Edward had the man thrown in prison and announced that Isabella herself would receive the Treasurer's confiscated land. The assembled guests roared their approval. Isabella retired to her chambers and wrote to her father that she was the happiest wife in Christendom. Edward retired to his chambers with the Earl of Cornwall.

 

[BigDestiny]

Chapter Five: the Ordinances of 1312

While Edward II's nobles originally appreciated having Piers Gaveston as a secret door to the King, once he succeeded to the throne some of them felt the Gascon was no longer needed. The barons considered themselves the King's natural councilors and there were those who felt that Piers was usurping their role.

By the time the Queen was older and pregnant with the future Edward III, some of the lords joined together to issue complaints about the King's government. Calling themselves the Lord Ordainers, they pointed to the fact that unless they were speaking of the English navy, which had become a special interest of Edward's, it was Gaveston who asked all the questions, and finally decided whether something should be done or not. There were even concerns about Roger Mortimer, who had been Gaveston's ward and was now part of the Queen's household. The implication was that the King had passed the duty of continuing the royal line onto a subject.

A furious Edward summoned the full Parliament, including Scottish and Aquitainian lords, to answer the charges. The Queen and Gaveston attended together as a show of unity, and when the Ordinances were read there was a loud outcry at the attack on the Queen. The head of the Ordainers, the Earl of Warwick, was shouted down when he tried to speak and eventually the Ordainers had to withdraw those complaints.

Gaveston spoke in his defense, insisting that his only wish as a part of the King's household was to be a good servant to the King and his Lords. If he was the King's 'prime' minister, then if anything he was honour bound to be even more attentive to the needs of the barons. Gaveston challenged his critics to tell him how their needs had not been met, implying that what the Ordainers wanted was, in fact, more access to the King than their fellow nobles had. There was a dull murmur throughout the room as that sunk in. Roger Mortimer, as Third Baron Mortimer, called on parliament to denounce the Lord Ordainers and they were forced to pay huge penalties for their impudence.

Warwick vowed revenge on Mortimer, Gaveston, and their allies among the King's barons. An impass lasted until three weeks after the birth of the heir to the throne. The King, through Gaveston, ordered Warwick to proceed to Windsor Castle to see the prince that 'the King and Queen alone hade produced'. It was a challenge that could not be ignored. An angry Warwick paid homage as ordered and the Queen, already known for her diplomacy, asked if she might speak to Warwick privately about ending this strife. The King allowed it, and the Queen retired with Warwick.

It is not known what was said as even the Queen's diaries do not mention it, but a loud scream was heard from her chambers. Her household burst in to find a weeping, hysterical Queen on the floor with a confused Warwick attempting to pull her to her feet. She hurried behind Mortimer and told him Warwick had threatened all influences on the King who were not English, including her. A shocked Warwick denied it and it seemed to her staff that he was sincere, but a furious Mortimer rushed forward and cut him down on the spot.

There were those, especially among the former Ordainers who doubted the Earl's guilt. But none spoke of it, as the idea of the sweet, girlish Queen having a man killed seemed impossible. Edward certainly believed the Queen; he made Mortimer the new Earl of Warwick. The old Earl's head was put on a pike in front of the Palace of Westminster and no one else ever issued Ordinances against Gaveston and the Queen.

 

[BigDestiny]

Chapter Six: French Succession

On the 20th of November, 1316, the infant King John the Posthumous died. Queen Isabella was in France on the Earl of Cornwall's recommendation, tending to her sister-in-law Clementia following John's birth only days earlier. John's death meant that the succession to the thrones of France and Navarre was no longer clear. John's heir was his slightly older sister Joan, but John's uncle was maneuvering himself to be crowned instead. Isabella was there to protect her interests as both a Princess of France and as Queen of England.

Isabella had already argued with her brother when he tried to convince her to swear fealty to him for Aquitaine in her husband's stead. Isabella claimed support for Joan, and angrily reminded him that if a woman was not fit to rule France, a woman was hardly fit to tell the King of England who should. She withdrew to Reims with her niece and Joan's closest supporters.

Of course, Isabella's support was completely transferable depending on who was willing to give England the best deal. Joan had the advantage of being young and impressionable, so if Isabella's brother wanted to be king, it would require a lot of concessions. And as the only child of Phillip the Fair with an heir male, Isabella had other options as well.

Isabella made sure that her brother wasn't able to get to Joan's other supporters, so Phillip the Tall was forced to negotiate with her. Isabella wrote several letters, addressed to the King but meant for Gaveston with whom she had an excellent working relationship. A deal was brokered where Phillip became King of France, while Joan succeeded to Navarre. In exchange, Phillip restored Edward II as Duke of Normandy and recognized Isabella's son's place in the French line of succession. Edward came in person to pay homage for his French duchies and returned to England only after he had replaced the Norman leadership and collected a bit of coin there and in Aquitaine.

The new King Phillip wasn't happy with how much of France he had handed over to his sister, despite the fact that it had been the most expedient solution. Isabella returned home aware that holding on to Normandy and Aquitaine would be much harder than getting them.

 

[BigDestiny]

Chapter Seven: Balliol Again

It didn't take long for the King of France to start undermining Edward and Isabella. In 1318, the son of John Balliol invaded Scotland with the support of some disinherited Scottish nobles, and not so secretly financed by France.

Piers Gaveston had received advanced notice of the invasion through his continued 'back passage' discussions with the Lords. The Scots were annoyed at being manipulated by the French, and Gaveston received grudging respect when he assured them that France would not unseat their government. Proceeding, however, was tricky business as the Auld Alliance had never been formally ended. Anything that looked remotely like an English invasion of Scotland would be denounced by the French King, which could put Normandy and Aquitaine in danger. So unofficially, the real assistance to Robert the Bruce came in the form of mercenaries paid for by English money, armed with English weapons.

This worked for a while, but it looked suspicious that Scotland's self described overlord wasn't coming to her aid. The solution, provided by Edward, was typical of his interests. Advisors came North to help coordinate with the Scots, while the English navy set out to prevent French reinforcements and protect key Scottish ports without officially setting foot in Scotland. As the Balliol attack flamed out, there was growing concern in Paris that England was about to wiggle out of the trap that had been laid for her. A pretext was created where ships taking on supplies and off loading sailors for leave were accused of landing soldiers to invade Scotland and end the independence that England had 'signed treaty for her continuance'.

Phillip demanded that the English withdraw from Scotland and appear before him to mediate the situation. Edward had seen this trick played on his father and refused, denying that he had ulterior plans for his vassals. Phillip declared Edward's French lands forfeit and declared war on England. Edward again insisted on his country's innocence, and called on the Pope to denounce the slanders laid against him. With Gaveston remaining in London as Regent again, Edward took a real army to Edinburgh to help mop up the last of the Balliol resistance. Mortimer had already taken the fleet to France to organize the armies in Normandy and Aquitaine, and from there, Isabella rode to Avignon to obtain Pope John XXII's assistance.

 

[BigDestiny]

Chapter Eight: the Ships War

The attack on Scotland took very little time to mop up, but what became known as the Ships War went on for several years. Long enough that the English Nobles started to object to the money being spent on the defense of Normandy and Aquitaine. It became harder and harder to get financing for the war until ironically it was mostly being funded by the grateful Scots.

The Pope had flat out refused Isabella's plea for assistance, but her handling of her brother's succession had been so deft that her niece gladly rushed Navarre's assistance in Aquitaine's defense. This kept that front at a stalemate, and in fact the King's uncle Charles of Valois was killed trying to break it. The situation in Normandy was more delicate. The great Norman castles held, but French troops ravaged the land. Minstrels throughout English territory told of the savagery of France's king in comparison to Edward II, which was a clever bit of propaganda but did little to advance the English cause.

In the middle of this, Phillip the Tall (who had acquired the moniker Phillip the Despoiler) died. On the surface, it appeared that nothing had changed but like his brothers Phillip didn't have a male heir. With another disputed succession looming, Isabella attempted the role of kingmaker again, this time hopefully making a king willing to end the war with England. There weren't many in the French court who wanted the war stopped though. The heir to the English throne was worryingly high up in the French Succession as well, and it was thought that disinheriting the boy in exchange for the return of a smaller Normandy and Aquitaine was in everyone's best interests. Everyone but the English of course.

Isabella sent word to the Pope again, playing to that fear of an English king on the French throne. She reminded him that his support of the war was based on a violation of the Commandment against false witness, and that even if she lost Normandy and Aquitaine, she would still gain France through God's justice. And when that happened, whoever supported that false witness would face the King's justice. A shocked John XXII threatened Isabella with excommunication, but she calmly replied that 'no one willing to slander (her) noble lord could ever be counted as a servant of God.' The looming threat of an English antipope worked, and John XXII wrote to Isabella's brother Charles, the papal choice for king. The pope agreed to public support him if Charles was willing to publicly clear Edward's name.

 

[kasumigenx]

My idea is for one of the sons of Philip IV to marry Joan of Bar...I know that is late in the POD..that might guarantee peace between the two countries..

 

[BigDestiny]

My idea is for one of the sons of Philip IV to marry Joan of Bar...I know that is late in the POD..that might guarantee peace between the two countries..

That's a really interesting idea. I would think that in this timeline her divorce would have gone through. Charles is the only one left alive at this point, and he is single. I'll have to go over what I can on Charles, and see if it's possible to work out a deal. Because right now, he's not in a mood to listen even to the Pope.

Glad to see you're enjoying the story.

 

[kasumigenx]

That's a really interesting idea. I would think that in this timeline her divorce would have gone through. Charles is the only one left alive at this point, and he is single. I'll have to go over what I can on Charles, and see if it's possible to work out a deal. Because right now, he's not in a mood to listen even to the Pope.

Glad to see you're enjoying the story.

Her marriage with the Count of Surrey could be annulled so that she can marry Charles, that is my suggestion..

 

[BigDestiny]

Chapter Nine: Of She-wolves and Emperors

Charles the Fair wasn't pleased to receive the Pope's letter. He'd mostly consolidated his position as King of France, and didn't feel that he needed Isabella's dubious help. His supporters were in agreement, pleading with him not to trust this 'English She-wolf who playes at being a Princess of France'.

This was before Edward and Piers sprung their trap though. For over a decade, the British lords had been encouraged to do the governance of their territories in the local languages. The Crown had been aiding this Celtic pride by weeding French words out of English, and blending the other local languages into something that could be understood in Ireland or Brittany. Edward sent Criers throughout the British Isles and all of France, denouncing Charles' advisors (but not the King himself) for interfering in Scottish independence, trying to replace the local leaders with French tyrants, and perjuring a king of Britons in defiance of the Pope. And they did it in the old language, which the peasants in Western France still spoke.

The Royal indignation worked. Brittany rose against its nobles, and Ireland flooded the Continent with volunteers for the army. Flanders, already in rebellion, threw their support behind the English. France was suddenly in danger of being split in half. Isabella wrote to her brother offering a new peace settlement, and the hand of her favorite niece Joan of Bar (who had recently had her marriage annulled by John XXII) in exchange for Edward having control in the west, and the younger Edward confirmed as Charles' heir. Isabella reminded her brother that thus far he hadn't been pulled into public criticism, but if he refused to clear her husband's name, she would be forced to denounce him as well. Isabella also implied that she had convinced the Pope to name the English William Occam as his successor as Pope, though this was unlikely.

Charles, having lost control of his Pope and most of his country, had few options left to him until he received a shocking offer. The Holy Roman Emperor, who didn't want England and France united under a single monarch, offered his assistance to regain Charles' kingdom. Including the whole of Edward's vassal states. And together they could return a Pope favorable to both their interests to the city of Rome.

 

[Kiwigun]

Honesty this is quite interesting, Isabella is quite a badass in how she play the game.
Really wish this would be our OTL, imagine the size of UK plus the drama/glory of keeping it. Actually wonder how it would defended in WW2

 

[aegis03florin]

Actually wonder how it would defended in WW2

with thousands of butterflies

 

[candycosmonaut]

very interesting and well written ...

 

[BigDestiny]

I'm glad everyone is enjoying the storyline.

Honesty this is quite interesting, Isabella is quite a badass in how she play the game.
Really wish this would be our OTL, imagine the size of UK plus the drama/glory of keeping it. Actually wonder how it would defended in WW2

You're in luck. You don't have to wait until WWII; war with Germany is coming next chapter.

 

[Anarch King of Dipsodes]

Chapter Seven: Balliol Again...

Anything that looked remotely like English troops entering Scotland could be used as an excuse to seize Aquitainian and Norman lands by the French King... A pretext was created where ships taking on supplies and off loading sailors for leave were accused of landing soldiers to invade Scotland and end the independence that England had 'signed treaty for her continuance'. France declared war on England...

Inasmuch as England is Scotland's suzerain, and King Robert of Scotland would have requested English aid against invasion, such an action by France would be grotesque overreaching. This is the Middle Ages, and a king can make war as he pleases, but "a decent respect for the opinions of mankind" still constrains. There is nothing making France the guarantor of Scots independence. It is utter presumption for France to declare war on England because England is helping their ally. the King of Scotland, against rebels (who are incited by France).

 

[BigDestiny]

Inasmuch as England is Scotland's suzerain, and King Robert of Scotland would have requested English aid against invasion, such an action by France would be grotesque overreaching. This is the Middle Ages, and a king can make war as he pleases, but "a decent respect for the opinions of mankind" still constrains. There is nothing making France the guarantor of Scots independence. It is utter presumption for France to declare war on England because England is helping their ally. the King of Scotland, against rebels (who are incited by France).

You're totally right. That's why France is up the Seine without a paddle. But for the last several years, France has been watching Edward consolidate his control in Normandy and Aquitaine. It's sort of where Germany was before WWI. Attacking Russia was a bad idea, but the odds were getting worse as time went on.

 

[Jammy]

This is good, i'm enjoying it a lot.

You write it really well.

 

[BigDestiny]

Chapter 10: the Great War

Edward's spies in the French court knew almost immediately that Charles had allied himself with the Holy Roman Emperor. The Empire wouldn't have an army of full strength available for several weeks, but England needed to act before that happened.

Edward was at the Five Ports, overseeing three great ships with a design that eventually evolved into the caravels created later in the century. Edward ordered four more ships, and started buying ships from Portugal and Bremen (which like the rest of the Hanseatic League, refused to declare war on England). The three completed ships set sail to Avignon to retrieve the Queen and the Pope, who were returning the Papal Court to Rome.

The English had barricaded the border with France as best as possible. Although Maine, Touraine, and Anjou hadn't revolted against the French King, they had ended up behind the barricade and the French army there was bottled up in Angers by soldiers from Brittany. Despite this, the Imperial forces already mobilized were going to join up with France in the North and invade Normandy. In Rouen, Roger Mortimer readied the defense. Piers Gaveston had asked Scotland for local leaders to act as lieutenants, as they had more experience dealing with the untrained volunteers that had come over. The Scots arrived, led by the Scottish king himself. At Mortimer's surprise, Robert the Bruce said that King Edward had kept all the promises he'd made to Scotland, and Scotland would see his promises in France kept as well. Despite his crippling illness, which would result in his death less than four years later, the Bruce rode at the head of the British army and turned back the French and Imperial attack.

On the Mediterranean, the fleet carrying the Papal Court headed for Rome. The Holy Roman Emperor had installed an Antipope, and the fleet was there to help depose him. The new ships were fast and sturdy with a full compliment of long range bow men, while the Empire hadn't had to fight a naval battle in over a century. The fight ended in a decisive victory for the Britons, the Imperial flagship actually being cut in half by one of the great ships, which sustained only light damage. By the time the Pope entered Rome, his message had reached most of Europe: Charles of France had been excommunicated and deposed, joining the Emperor who was already under interdict. The people of France were under no obligation to obey either of them.

Isabella wasn't in Rome. She had made the risky trip to Paris, now the center of an uprising resulting from the Pope's edict and the defeat in Normandy. She was allowed to enter her brother's castle with a handful of her priests, including William Occam. Charles was angry at first, but was shocked to hear that she'd come to get him to repent. He was convinced that she really believed that he'd put his soul in peril. She asked him to step down in favour of her son, marry Joan of Bar, and retire quietly somewhere. This time he agreed.

Isabella ordered the Royal French standard lowered and the new British standard raised. It had been a silver Celtic cross on a green background, but she'd added a tressure of silver fleur-de-lis. A great cheer went up from the crowd, but Isabella was still worried. She knew that barring some clever manipulation, they would be fighting a war with the whole of the Holy Roman Empire.