On the same point …

… as our previous post: There is a further similarity between Edward II and Edward V and a difference between them: The similarity is that Richard Lord Talbot married Elizabeth Comyn in secret, Lady Eleanor being their great-great-granddaughter. The difference is that Richard III and Edward V both have mtDNA lines found by John Ashdown-Hill… Continue reading On the same point …

A circumstantial but viable clue to the eventual death of Edward II….

In a way the mystery of Edward II is not unlike that of the Princes in the Tower (see here). In both cases supposed royal murders have turned out to be untrue and the victims have escaped to the Continent. Also in both cases the murder aspect has been unchallenged until relatively recently, with all the old… Continue reading A circumstantial but viable clue to the eventual death of Edward II….

Hugh Despenser the Younger

So here we have one of Kathryn Warner‘s earlier books. It describes the life and career of Edward II’s third and final favourite – his marriage to Eleanor de Clare, his lawless activitities but also the degree to which they were exaggerated, leading to his “trial” and execution. We can recommend it highly as part… Continue reading Hugh Despenser the Younger

An Abbey in Dublin Unearthed

Excavations in Dublin city centre have uncovered the remains of what was once one of Ireland’s most important medieval monasteries. St Mary’s was a House of Benedictines, followed by Savignac monks and then Cistercians, and it was exceedingly wealthy, with the added bonus of being permitted to claim goods from shipwrecks. At times, it was… Continue reading An Abbey in Dublin Unearthed