King Edward II: Edward of Caernarfon His Life, His Reign, and Its Aftermath, 1284-1330 [Paperback]

Roy Martin Haines (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 28, 2006

Edward of Caernarfon is best known today for his disastrous military defeat in 1314 at Bannockburn, where his English army was defeated by a vastly inferior Scottish force led by Robert the Bruce, leading to Scottish Independence. This catastrophe was one of many in a disastrous career marked by indolence, vengefulness, vacillation in relationships with France, deranged policies at home, and constitutional wrangling, ultimately brought to an end by a minor insurgency led by his vindictive wife and her paramour, a disaffected baron. Roy Martin Haines examines Edward II's eventful life and the more salient periods of his reign, situating the monarch in the context of the "empire" he inherited and the aftermath of his unregretted death.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Haines's defining biography is a work of immense scholarshp... His biography is a magnificent feat of scholarship." Nottingham Medieval Studies "A fascinating quarry of material - Haines offers both judgment and constant evenhandedness." BBC History "This book is a labour of love, the culmination of Haines' long and distinguished career as an historian of the fourteenth century. As such, it a superbly crafted work, painstakingly researched and beautifully written." Histoire Social / Social History "A narrative that integrates the work of several generations of scholars has long been needed: Haines' work should prove to be more than the starting point for a new generation." Canadian Journal of History "This is a magisterial work, drawing on the fruits of a lifetime of study and writing about late- medieval English history. Haines joins an illustrious group of students in turning his attention to this pivotal period. He has mastered the previous literature and offers balanced criticism and fresh observations on all the relevant events. Because of the work's comprehensiveness, and because of the author's thoughtful and balanced judgements, this study should stand for some time as the standard narrative account of that reign." Joseph Goering, Department of History, University of Toronto "A significant contribution to research. Haines does a good deal to both amplify and to bring together modern scholarship on the period. This is a very detailed study, based on formidable scholarship." Michael Prestwich, Department of History, University of Durham, UK "Professor Haines's defining biography is a work of immense scholarship which does not sensationalize and which claims for its subject no special sympathy. Instead Edward II is placed in the unhappy context of an inherited war with Scotland, the great European famine and a perpetually unstable feudal relationship with his French counterpart... It is as depressing a story as Professor Haines's biography is a magnificent feat of scholarship."--Nottingham Medieval Studies, xlviii (2004) "Both rigorously academic and wonderfully written, this book is a notable achievement and a joy to read."--HISTORY, January 2007

About the Author

Roy Martin Haines is a life member of Clare Hall, Cambridge University, a fellow of the Society of Antiquaries, and the author of numerous works on British history.

Product Details

• Paperback: 604 pages
• Publisher: McGill-Queen's University Press (July 28, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0773531572
• ISBN-13: 978-0773531574
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.3 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.9 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #304,182 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Scholarly, exhaustive, & painstakingly researched, August 8, 2003

By 

Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: King Edward II: His LIfe, His Reign, and its Aftermath, 1284-1330 (Hardcover)

Roy Martin Haines is a life member Clare Hall, Cambridge University, a fellow of the Society of Antiquaries, and the author of numerous scholarly works concerning British history. In King Edward II: His Life, His Reign, And Its Aftermath, 1284-1330, Haines presents a scholarly, exhaustive, painstakingly researched, in-depth, and authoritative account of the days and rule of Edward of Caernarfon (1284-1327). King Edward II inherited a war with Scotland, yet his lack of skill in the art of war would eventually precipitate Scotland's independence. Ultimately, Edward would also become the first anointed king of England to be dethroned since Ethelred in 1013. King Edward II is an informed, informative, and very highly recommended contribution to personal and academic British History & Biography reference collections.