Is anyone watching Monarchy?

[ponygirl]

In particular, did anyone see it last week? It would have been Edward I, Edward II and Edward III? Dh is a writer and has written about Edward II and has just written a book about Edward III, so we meant to watch it, but forgot . Dh thinks the programme is pants, but I think we ought to know what was said. TIA

Yes - I saw it but I can't remember much sorry

I saw most of it. I find Starkey very annoying and pompous, but it is an interesting approach. As to what he said about the Edwards... roughly along the lines of tough-autocratic grandad; weak ineffectual son; successful aristocratic grandson. So Edward III consolidates the power of the parliament and seeks to govern his nobles consensually, by establishing a coherent aristocratic culture - heraldry, tournaments, etc.

Thanks marsup! Did he say anything about the death of Edward II? And did it involve long red-hot fire-tending implements?

Didn't he say that it was unlikely and that was only suggested years later....or am I misremembering?

From memory he said most contemporary accounts have Ned II being crushed to death under a table and some weights, while one account 30 yrs later has the red-hot-poker version. Personally, given that the body had to be displayed and the cause of death had to be invisible (or not look like murder) I think the second version is actually fairly plausible. But then I like my history lurid!

Thanks for the info guys. And in case you're interested, Edward II's body was displayed but the whole body including face was covered with cerecloth (linen impregnated with wax) so the body was completely unrecognisable even if they had opened the two coffins the body was placed in. Food for your thought!