The First Prince of Wales
Here is a rewritten version of the text in modern English: In 1314, Randolph led a daring group of Scots on a mission to capture Edinburgh Castle from the English. They climbed up the steep rock face under cover of darkness, using a rope ladder to reach the top of the wall. Once they had secured a foothold, the rest of their men followed, and together they attacked the garrison, killing them and taking control of the castle. However, a greater defeat awaited the English. Edward II led an army into Scotland, where they clashed with the forces of King Robert Bruce at Bannockburn. The battle was fierce, with both sides suffering heavy losses, but in the end, the Scots emerged victorious. Edward barely escaped with his life, and the English were left to mourn their defeat and shame. Edward II was never popular with his subjects. He favored foolish and wicked individuals, which offended many good people. He was extravagant and wasteful, failing to govern the country wisely or well. His favorites made themselves hated by their dishonesty and cruelty. The last of these favorites was named Despenser, who was despised by Queen Isabella as much as by the lords and people of England. Despenser not only made himself hated by the queen but also managed to turn her against her husband, the king, with whom she had long been at odds. Eventually, Isabella fled to France, where she raised an army with the help of the Count of Hainault and other allies in England. She attacked and defeated her husband and his favorite, Despenser. The young Despenser was hanged from a gibbet 50 feet high, and a Parliament was called to decide what should be done with the king. The Parliament declared its right to make or unmake kings and ordered that Edward should no longer be king. A delegation went to Kenilworth to inform Edward of their decision, and he quietly agreed to relinquish his throne. Edward was then taken to Berkeley Castle, where a few months later it was announced that he had died. However, there has always been doubt about whether he died naturally or was murdered. The Bishop of Hereford, who had supported the queen, allegedly sent a message in Latin to two men, which could be interpreted in two ways: either as an order to kill Edward or as a warning not to harm him. According to legend, Gurney and Maltravers received the message and went to Berkeley Castle, where they found the king imprisoned in a dungeon. They treated him cruelly, giving him only bread and water, despite his former greatness as a knight. As he stood in the mire and puddle, he cried out: "Tell Isabel, the queen, I looked not thus When for her sake I ran at tilt in France And there unhorsed the Duke of Cleremont." He was too weak to resist these wicked men, who showed him no mercy and murdered him.
By Edith Nesbit · First published 1899 · Genre: Historical Fiction, Adventure, Political Drama · 2,776 words
First lines
THERE were Welsh princes long before there were English kings, and the Welsh princes could not bear to be subject to the kings of England. So they were always fighting to get back their independence. But the English kings could not let them be free as they wished, because England could never have been safe with an independent kingdom so close to her. So there were constant wars between the two countries, and sometimes the fortune of battle went one way and sometimes the other.
What this Textopian page supports
The First Prince of Wales is listed on Textopian as a historical account by Edith Nesbit, dated 1899 CE.
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- Work type: Historical account
- Author: Edith Nesbit
- Date: 1899 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Historical Fiction, Adventure, Political Drama
- Length: 2,776 words
- Structure: 1 section, 30 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
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- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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Genres
- Historical Fiction — The narrative is set in a historical period and includes real events and figures from history, but the main plot and characters are fictional.
- Adventure — The narrative involves a series of exciting and risky experiences and challenges that the main characters must overcome.
- Political Drama — The narrative involves political intrigue, power struggles, and conflicts between different factions or groups.
Tags
Historical Fiction · Children's Literature · Medieval Period · Wales · Princes · Royalty · Adventure · Fantasy · Magic · Quests · Friendship · Loyalty