Piers Gaveston

The devil and his temptation, LOL! Hmm, I really dislike the idea of Piers being presented as a masculine tart and reducing people to the general line "it's all about sex". It's not written by Sandra Brown, is it?

Okay - recast Sid James as Edward II!

Melisende wrote:

Okay - recast Sid James as Edward II!

EXACTLY! substitute the crown with a pork pie hat!

elflady wrote:

The devil and his temptation, LOL! Hmm, I really dislike the idea of Piers being presented as a masculine tart and reducing people to the general line "it's all about sex". It's not written by Sandra Brown, is it?

who is Sandra brown? Or shouldn't I ask? It's written by 'Brandon Purdey' - think that's how you spell it.

My Hamilton bio of Piers arrived today!

It was a joke! She's an author of bodice-rippers and worse.

Apologize for asking, but what do you mean, how we spell it?

Glad to hear your book has arrived so fast. Happy reading! Usually, when I order something on the net, it takes weeks. Duh, I'm too far away, I suppose.

The author's called Brandy Purdy - not the easiest name to spell!

Wow, Anejre, the book arrived really fast - happy reading, and would love to hear your thoughts on it!

Thanks elflady! I'm afraid I don't know about her boddice-rippers! and Whenever I say excuse spelling/however you spell it, etc, it means 'I'll attempt the spelling but it's probably wrong'.

Alianore wrote:

The author's called Brandy Purdy - not the easiest name to spell!

Wow, Anejre, the book arrived really fast - happy reading, and would love to hear your thoughts on it!

I'm going to curl up with Piers this afternoon I'm already impressed with the way Hamilton has argued about 'personalities in history' - when I did my degree in the 80's, history methodology seemed to be turning away from 'personality history' and was all socio-economic. Hamilton wrote his book in 1988, so he's obviously aware of the trend and setting about reversing it!

Please post a review once you've finished with him ..!

I certainly will Melisend! So far, so good - have been reading about the history of the Gaveston family - in great detail.

Am torn between reading 2 books - obviously, he Gaveston bio, and now Susan Higginbottom's 'The Traitor's wife', which I'm really enjoying! I'm dividing my time between them both.

The second chapter of the Gaveston bio deals with the accusations of Piers abuse of patronage. Once again, it's very detailed - and quite thrilling to think all this info has survived! Hamilton goes to great lengths to prove that the accusations that Piers flooded England with all his Gascon cronies is a myth. He analyses Piers' household and is able to identify how many English, Gasccon and 'others' there were - and proves that by far the majority of Piers' household was English.

As for the lands and titles Piers was granted - it seems he never exploited his position to get his full revenues or took much interest in the day to day running of his estates.

I really like Susan HIgginbottom's portrayal of Edward and Piers in her novel - it's very sympatheticly and sesnitively handled.

Anejre wrote:

I really like Susan HIgginbottom's portrayal of Edward and Piers in her novel - it's very sympatheticly and sesnitively handled.

Thank you! (I was sorry to have to leave Piers so early in the novel.)

ah, so I take it 'boswell' and Susan Higginbotham are one and the same? Phew - good job you're not Brandon Purdy! Apologies for mispelling your name here earlier.

I'm really enjoying your book - I'm itching to find out if Eleanor and Edward II 'get together', but have forced myself not to cheat! Plus, I'm waiting for her re-action when she finds out the truth about the King and Hugh. I love the way Eleanor keeps remembering Piers. It's a very difficult book to put down, once I get engrossed in it! Congratulations on an excellent novel!

And I did manage to finish the chapter on Gaveston in Hamilton's book, despite being hooked on Susan's:)

Hamilton proves his case that Piers was a successful mlitary and administrator in Ireland, and he seems to have curbed his excessess in Ireland. Of course, it could be that in Ireland he faced no bias and could get on with his business without criticism.

It's a pity Edward II recalled Gaveston from Ireland when he did--Gaveston was certainly doing a good job there!

Well, Ed just couldn't do without him - and how could blame him? Didn't read too much of the Gaveston bio last night - too busy reading 'The Traitor's Wife'. And got to the part I wanted!

Reading the description of Despencer's death in 'The Traitor's Wife', makes me relieved Piers escaped with being run through with a sword and beheaded.

why Scarborough castle and not Warwick?

High a top the cliff overlooking the city of Scarborough along the North Sea in England stands Scarborough Castle.

This lofty location has been used since the times of the Romans, first as a signal station for passing ships, and later as defense for the harbor and city below.

Scarborough Castle dates from the 12th century. It was severely damaged during the English Civil War but remained usable long after as a prison and then a military barracks right up until the end of World War I. Scarborough Castle is still home to a 14th century spirit.

As Richard Jones tells the story.......

"Piers Gaveston, the son of a Gascon knight, was the childhood friend and later “favorite” of the capricious, though ill-fated, King Edward II. An arrogant and boastful man, Gaveston succeeded in turning most of England’s nobility into implacable enemies. Their hatred was compounded when Edward appointed Gaveston as his regent when he crossed the English Channel to marry Isabella of France in January 1308. When, at Edward’s subsequent coronation, Gaveston was given the honor of carrying the crown of England, the barons were stung into action.

Under the leadership of Edward’s powerful cousin, Thomas of Lancaster, they demanded that Gaveston should be exiled. Edward refused, and Gaveston’s power and influence continued to grow unabated. He delighted in unhorsing aristocratic opponents at tournaments and reveled in heaping insult upon injury by giving them nicknames such as “le chien noir” (the Black Dog) for the Earl of Warwick, and the Old Hog for another adversary, Thomas of Lancaster.

Eventually the barons could take no more. In 1312, they revolted against Edward, forcing him to flee to York where he set about raising an army, while Gaveston headed for Scarborough and took refuge behind the walls of the castle. The barons promptly laid siege to Scarborough Castle and, having taken Gaveston prisoner, headed south with their quarry, resting that night at Deddington Castle near Banbury. Next morning Gaveston was told to dress and go down to the courtyard, where he was met by a group of armed men. “You know me,” growled the leader, “I am the Black Dog.” Mounting Gaveston on a mule, they took him in mock procession to the Earl of Warwick’s castle, where Thomas of Lancaster and an assembly of barons sentenced him to death. Gaveston was beheaded in June 1312. It is, however, to Scarborough Castle that his headless specter chooses to return, and where it attempts to lure unsuspecting visitors over the battlements to an ignoble death."

Maybe Piers's ghost thought that Scarborough had a better view!

But can you honestly imagine him appearing without his head? he'd be too vain!

Maybe he's holding it in his hands, like a true and serious ghost

ah yes, elflady - and that would fit in with his sense of fun! I'm sure he'd still be immaculate though

That goes without saying... oh, and let's not forget the jewels. We still have to look smashing and show those wild boars the meaning of the word elegance!