Since the 900s, there have been 16 monarchs in British history who have been deposed--give or take (this number can be argued). Deposed in this instance means being removed from office suddenly and forcefully. While most of these stories are dramatic and entertaining in their own right, one of the most notable instances is that of King Edward II, who was deposed by his own wife and her supposed lover. Today, January 20th, marks the 694th anniversary of King Edward II's removal from the throne.
From the beginning of his reign, Edward II made terribly rash choices, allowed his passions to drive him towards selecting extreme favorites within his court, and isolated himself from the rest of the country...even making an enemy of his own wife. These impulses came back to haunt him later, but not until he'd already put in 20 years as a poor ruler.
Let's check out the stats:
Unfortunately for Edward, he didn't know that hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.
Separated from her children; banned from her own households; removed of all her wealth, possessions, and servants; cuckolded openly for the dozenth time; and then sent to France to negotiate on her JAILOR'S behalf (LOL like come on, what did you expect Edward?), Queen Isabella instead gathered an army with the other lords Edward II had banished over the years and launched an invasion that led to the deposition of her own husband. Thus, handing off the crown to her firstborn son, Edward III, who she managed as Queen Regent until he came of age.
They say Isabella was a "she-wolf" and not the greatest of people, even after she set her son up on the throne in her husband's place, but you can't not give her credit for this maneuver.
This particular time in history is so fascinating to me, which is why I wrote my historical fiction novel, ALL THE GOLD IN ABBOTSFORD, during this time period and with these events as the backdrop.
A tyrannical and impulsive king has caused unrest across the country. His foolish mistakes have deprived Stephen Warde, captain of the garrison, of the only family he had left—his father. Now, a dozen years later, Stephen returns from war to the little town of Abbotsford to find that corruption has seeped far beyond the crown and into the very heart of his home. The local abbey is in ruins, town officials are stealing from the citizens, someone is circulating false gold around the town, and the country is on the brink of civil war. Refusing to stand for any more injustice, Stephen partners with the local abbot to form a plan that will end the corruption and offer aid to the rebel forces who plan to invade the country and overthrow the king. But Stephen also fosters a third objective that transcends all the rest: winning the love and loyalty of his wife, Elena, who despises him. But God has a way of playing cruel tricks on the hearts of men, and it just so happens that Elena's brother is the very worst of those corrupt officials whom Stephen has sworn to bring down. As theft and murder come to a head, so, too, does an imperfect love story of this guarded man with a complicated past and his headstrong wife who's already sacrificed too much. Will Stephen bring peace back to Abbotsford and earn Elena's love? Or will fate intervene, forcing them both to make a choice?
The novel's prologue takes us back to the Battle of Bannockburn--one of King Edward II's most humiliating defeats--where our main character, Stephen Warde, lost his father. Twelve years later, Stephen has returned to his hometown of Abbotsford. By then, the king's governance has grown so out of control that the entire country waits with bated breath to see what will become of him. But Stephen knows the queen's invasion is coming and thinks he can use it to his advantage to obtain some of his other goals having to do directly with his town...and his marriage.
In Chapter 1, we learn about the goals Stephen has in mind as he partners with the local abbot, Anselm, to form a plan:
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