Invasion of England (1326)
Isabella and Mortimer's campaign | |||||||
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Isabella's Campaign (green) and the Royalist retreat (brown) | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
Royalists |
Supported by: County of Hainaut[1] | ||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
Earl of Norfolk Earl of Kent | |||||||
Strength | |||||||
Unknown | 1,500 (invasion)[1] | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
Unknown | Unknown |
The invasion of England in 1326 by the country's queen, Isabella of France, and her lover, Roger Mortimer, led to the capture and executions of Hugh Despenser the Younger and Hugh Despenser the Elder and the abdication of Isabella's husband, King Edward II. It brought an end to the insurrection and civil war.[2][3]
Background
In 1325
Isabella was ordered to return to England after homage was paid to Charles, but refused to do so in January 1326 unless Hugh Despenser was exiled. Edward refused this, and then ordered Charles to make her return; he refused in turn, and in return Edward cut off all financial supplies to Isabella.[3] Isabella turned to Charles for aid but he demurred, only allowing her an occupancy in his palace. This, however, did not last long when word arrived that Pope John XXII had spoken out against Isabella; Charles swiftly ordered her away, and would not speak to her again for a long time.[12] Mortimer's supporters in England started to send him victuals, armour and other aid by March 1326,[13] which Edward tried to stop, and also ordered his ports to be on the lookout for spies entering the kingdom.[14] The authority of the Despenser regime suffered an increasing amount of rebellious acts including the audacious killing of the Baron of the Exchequer, Roger de Beler by Eustace Folville, Roger la Zouch and their gang.
Without French support, Isabella and Mortimer left Paris in the summer of 1326, taking Prince Edward with them, and travelled north-east into Holy Roman Empire territory to William I, Count of Hainaut.[12][15] As Joan had suggested the previous year, Isabella betrothed Prince Edward to Philippa, the daughter of the Count, in exchange for a substantial dowry[16] She then used this money to raise a mercenary army, scouring Brabant for men, which were added to a small force of Hainaut troops.[17] William also provided eight men-of-war ships and various smaller vessels as part of the marriage arrangements. Although Edward now feared an invasion, secrecy remained key, and Isabella convinced William to detain envoys from Edward.[17] Isabella also appears to have made a secret agreement with the Scots for the duration of the forthcoming campaign.[18]
Invasion
After a short period of confusion during which they attempted to work out where they had landed, Isabella moved quickly inland, dressed in her widow's clothes. A number of her key supporters immediately joined her, perhaps having been forewarned of her arrival, including the
By 27 September, word of the invasion had reached the King and the Despensers in London. Edward issued orders to local sheriffs, including Richard de Perrers the High Sheriff of Essex, to mobilise opposition to Isabella and Mortimer, but with little confidence that they would be acted upon as he suspected that Perrers detested the Despensers.[19] London itself was becoming unsafe due to local unrest and Edward made plans to leave. Isabella struck west again, reaching Oxford on 2 October where she was "greeted as a saviour"—Adam Orleton, the bishop of Hereford, emerged from hiding to give a lecture to the university on the evils of the Despensers.[20] Edward fled London on the same day, heading west toward Wales. Isabella and Mortimer now had an effective alliance with the Lancastrian opposition to Edward, bringing all of his opponents into a single coalition.[2]
Isabella now marched south towards London, pausing at
With Bristol secure, Isabella moved her base of operations up to the border town of Hereford, from where she ordered Henry of Lancaster to locate and arrest her husband.[25] After a fortnight of evading Isabella's forces in South Wales, Edward and Hugh were finally caught and arrested near Llantrisant on 16 November, which brought an end to the insurrection and the civil war.[26]
Aftermath
Edward II died, most likely assassinated by orders of Isabella and Mortimer.
On 31 March 1327, under Isabella's instruction, Edward III agreed a peace treaty with
Notes
- ^ a b Weir (2006), p 223
- ^ a b c Lehman pp 141-42
- ^ a b Richardson p 61
- ^ Weir (2006), p 153
- ^ Weir (2006), p 154; see Mortimer, 2004 pp 128-9 for the alternative perspective.
- ^ Ormrod, W. Mark. "England: Edward II and Edward III." The New Cambridge Medieval History. Ed. Michael Jones. Cambridge University Press, 2000. Cambridge Histories Online. Cambridge University Press. p. 278
- ^ Ormrod, p 287
- ^ Weir (2006), p 194
- ^ A point born out by Mortimer, 2004, p.140
- ^ Weir (2006), p 197
- ^ Mortimer (2004) p 141
- ^ a b Weir (2006), p 215
- ^ Patent Rolls 1232–1509.
- ^ Close Rolls 1224–1468.
- ^ Prestwich p 86 there was no danger from France for Isabella found her support from Hainaut
- ^ Kibler p 477
- ^ a b Weir (2006), p 221
- ^ Weir (2006), p 222
- ^ a b c d Fryde 1979
- ^ a b Fryde pp 182-86
- ^ Weir (2006), p 226
- ^ a b Fryde pp 190-92
- ^ Prestwich pp 86-87
- ^ Haines p 224
- ^ Wier (2006), p 234
- ^ Richardson p 643
- ^ Neillands, p.32.
Bibliography
- ISBN 9780385052399.
- ISBN 1-84119-843-9.
- Fryde, Natalie (1979). The Tyranny and Fall of Edward II 1321-1326. Cambridge: ISBN 9780521222013.
- Fryde, Natalie (2004). The Tyranny and Fall of Edward II 1321-1326. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 9780521548069.
- Haines, Roy Martin (2003). King Edward II: His Life, His Reign, and Its Aftermath, 1284-1330. McGill-Queen's Press - MQUP. ISBN 9780773570566.
- Lehman, Eugene (2011). Lives of England's Reigning and Consort Queen. Author House. ISBN 9781463430559.
- Lumley, Joseph (1895). Chronicon Henry Knighton. Vol. I. London: HMSO.
- Mortimer, Ian (2008). The Perfect King: The Life of Edward III, Father of the English Nation. London: Vintage Books. ISBN 978-0-09-952709-1.
- Neillands, Robin (2001). The Hundred Years War History. Routledge. ISBN 9780415261302.
- Close Rolls. Westminster: Parliament of England. 1224–1468.
- Patent Rolls. Westminster: Parliament of England. 1232–1509.
- Prestwich, Michael (2003). The Three Edwards: War and State in England, 1272–1377. Psychology Press. ISBN 9780415303095.
- ISBN 978-0-7126-4194-4.