Kathryn Warner: The Mysterious Fate of Edward II

Edward II’s death by red-hot poker at Berkeley Castle in 1327, a few months after Roger Mortimer of Wigmore played a vital role in his abdication, is one of the most famously lurid tales of English history. For centuries, people rarely questioned the notion that Edward died at Berkeley, but since the discovery of two remarkable letters, an alternative narrative has presented itself: that the former king escaped from captivity and ended up in an Italian hermitage. In 1329/30, it is beyond doubt that a number of influential people, including Edward’s half-brother the earl of Kent, the archbishop of York, and the bishop of London, believed that he was alive and tried to free him. This talk presents the evidence that Edward II did die in 1327 and the evidence that he did not, and reveals that the ultimate fate of this most unsuccessful of kings is far more intriguing than usually supposed.
Kathryn Warner grew up in the Lake District, and holds two degrees in medieval history from the University of Manchester. She is the author of many books on fourteenth-century history, including biographies of Edward II, Isabella of France, Hugh Despenser the Younger and Philippa of Hainault.