As I'm sure a lot of people did, I got quite a few books for Christmas, and am making my way through them. I'm currently reading Sarah Gristwood's 'The Tudors in Love'. I've read a few of her books, and really enjoyed 'Game of Queens'. The start of 'The Tudors in Love' sets the scene over a few chapters about the history of 'courtly love'. We are taken back to the time of Eleanor of Aquitaine and her daughter Marie of Champagne. It's not long before we arrive at the court of Edward II and his Queen, Isabella. And this is where I start to question what has come before, and what will come after. Because Gristwood, while acknowledging the age difference between Edward and Isabella - he was 23, she was 12, she resorts to using those old myths, and one in particular - that Edward gave everything that belonged to Isabella to Piers. Not much courtly love for Isabella then. Gristwood says Edward gave Piers the 'position and property' that belonged to Isabella. From this, I suppose it to be the so called 'wedding presents'. This is a myth that has persisted for many years - but can be found in no contemporary account. Kathryn Warner, in her excellent Edward II blog, traces it back as far as the 'historian' Agnes Strickland in her series 'Lives of the Queens of England', written between 1840 to 1849. Previously Strickland had written historical romances and poetry. Aged about 12, I used to read her series on the Queen's of England in the reference library on Saturday afternoons, and devoured every bit, and believed it all. Then I grew up and realised what she was writing was not 100% true - quite often no-where near it! Unfortunately, some of these embellishments have 'stuck' in historical writing and been repeated. Strickland lists the gifts given to Edward from his new father-in-law Phillip - not wedding gifts, but gifts. Then adds Edward 'immediately' gives the gifts to Piers, whose love of finery was 'insatiable'. I daresay it was, knowing Piers 😃 Strickland goes on to say it was all calculated and designed to humiliate the young Queen - giving Piers the jewels of her descendants. Strickland quotes Matthew of Westminster as her main source, before adding her own embellishments. It seems Matthew of Westminster never really existed, but was a collection written by several monks. Kathryn Warner in her post here - Edward II Myths - thinks the myth all started with the Annales Paulini. It was reported that King Philip gave Edward
a ring of his kingdom, the most beautiful bed (or couch) ever seen, select war-horses, and many other extravagant gifts. All of which the king of England straight away sent to Piers
Doesn't quite fit the bill of Piers taking control of all Isabella's jewels as an infatuated Edward looks on and is thinking what a great way to humiliate his 12 year old wife. Edward sent the gifts to Piers, not gave them. Piers, with the backing of the nobles, had acted as Regent while Edward was away marrying Isabella. Who better to take charge of the gifts and keep them safe? Edward clearly hadn't trusted anyone else to act as Regent while he was away - but he did trust Piers.
It's such a shame that in a history book published in 2021, continues to propagate this myth. And even worse, the story of the 'red hot poker' is mentioned further on! Piers Gaveston had no need to take 'the position and property' of Isabella. She was 12 years old, she was no threat to his position, and he had riches of his own. Humiliating and provoking a 12 year old girl was not on Edward and Pier's 'to do' list - there was no need to.
