History: Some Medieval Kings and Queens of England…with Dr. Mark Barnard

‘Ruthless and ferociously ambitious’, the Plantagenet monarchs of England have often been described as ‘Britain’s bloodiest royal dynasty.’ Edward I insisted on unconditional Welsh homage and for intervening in Scotland, he was called the ‘Hammer of the Scots.’ So how did the Welsh and Scots react and what is the legacy of his ambition to unite Britain? The reign of his son, Edward II, been described as one of the most ‘disastrous in English history. How did Bannockburn (1314) and what role did his French queen play in Edward II’s ultimate demise?

England’s past has often been fashioned by France. We will investigate the origins of the Hundred Years’ War and how the queen of Edward III saved the lives of the ‘Burghers of Calais’. Women have often been described as the real power behind the throne. How then was England’s ‘most eccentric’ king, Richard II, influenced by his first wife and how was he murdered? Shakespeare claims his reign was one of England’s worst, culminating in his mysterious murder at a northern castle. But should Shakespeare’s portrayals be challenged, or are they closer to the truth than some have suggested? We will weigh the evidence and decide. Beginning then with ‘The Hammer of the Scots,’ Edward I, and concluding with Richard II, the course seeks to put in context some of England’s most controversial kings and queens.