King Piers?

 May 6th 2023 saw the Coronation of King Charles III.  For many people, including myself, the Coronation was the first one I'd ever seen.  Naturally, it led back to thinking about previous coronations - not least, Edward II.   The Coronation chair, covered in graffiti, was built by Edward Ist, his father.  It wasn't built for Coronation purposes though.  Edward Ist had it built to house the Stone of Scone, which he took from Scotland in 1296.  In 1300, he ordered a magnificent chair to be built to enclose the precious stone.  However, it wasn't until Henry IV used it in 1399 that it was used  for Coronations.

Edward II's Coronation caused controversy - and it was down to Piers Gaveston - Earl of Cornwall.  Even being the Earl of Cornwall was controversial.  At the time Piers was given the title, there was jealousy amongst the nobility.  Then followed Piers' marriage to the king's niece, Margaret de Clare, and Piers was left as Regent when Edward went to France to bring back his bride, the 12 year old Isabella.  So who better to take the lead role in the Coronation?  I get the feeling that if Edward could have crowned Piers, he would have!  The Chroniclers were in shock at the elevation of Piers.  The Vita Edwardi Secundi wrote 'What an astonishing thing, he who was lately an exile and outcast from England has now been made governor and keeper of the same land'.   The chronicler went on to call Piers a 'second king', whilst another chronicler, the St Paul's annalist said there 'were two king reigning,.....one in name and the other in deed'.

The date set was February 18th 1308.  However, it was delayed until February 25th,  allegedly because the Archbishop of Canterbury was not in the country to perform the crowning.  However, according to the Annales Paulini, it was delayed because of Piers Gaveston.  The English and French nobility were furious that Edward wanted Piers to play an important role in the Coronation - and they were jealous and outraged.  Edward would not give way - he would not give in to demands that Piers be banished from the Coronation.  Edward no doubt expected the nobility to be as charmed as he was by Piers at some point in the future.  Piers dressed in royal purple and wore numerous pearls for the Coronation, and one chronicler says he looked magnificent, 'like the God Mars'.  And no, it wasn't written by Edward!

Piers played 3 major parts in the Coronation.  Thomas of Lancaster, the King's cousin, carried the sword Curtana into Westminster Abbey.  The sword stood for mercy and justice, and it was Piers who took it from Thomas and carried it.  He also carried the crown of St Edward for the King to be crowned, and then finally attached the spur to the left foot of Edward after the Earl of Pembroke placed a boot upon it.  All these were highly honoured roles in the ceremony and jealousy guarded by the nobles.  They were furious Piers had been at the heart of the Coronation ceremony.  And they were even more appalled at the behaviour of Edward and Piers at the Coronation banquet.  But that's a post for another day.

Sources - Piers Gaveston, JS Hamilton, Edward II, Seymour Phillips