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Edward II (1307-1327) was physically very like his father Edward I but in character he was very different. Edward II was no warrior and had no head for government.
He ignored his nobles and had two favourites, Piers Gaveston and Hugh Despenser, on whom he lavished titles and gifts of lands. This led to vicious fighting between Edward and his nobles and much uncertainty and unhappiness for the country and people.
Edward II's wife, Queen Isabella, was the daughter of King Philip IV of France and a beautiful, clever and respected lady. She put up with a lot from her husband but when Henry and Despenser began to wage war against the barons she decided she had had enough! She left her husband and, together with her lover, the nobleman Richard Mortimer, she raised an army in 1326 and moved rapidly through England while the king's forces deserted him. She imprisoned Edward and ruled herself as regent to her young son, Edward IV.
In prison Edward was murdered horrifically with a red hot poker! Some say that Queen Isabella ordered the murder but of course there is no proof!
We have left space for a headline so you can choose your own story on this newspaper writing prompt. Perhaps you might write about the building of the castle or the birth of Edward II or perhaps you might like to write about a visit or event that you attended.
Whether you are making a display about Wales, looking at landmarks of the UK, or looking at King Edward I we have a Caernarfon Castle poster for you to print and display.
Edward I spent a huge sum of money building Caernarfon Castle - around £22,000 at a time when a skilled craftsman only earned around 3 pence per day!
Use our Caernarfon Castle writing page to plan or record a visit or to write up research on the history of the castle.
