Piers Gaveston: Edward II’s Adoptive Brother

Written by one of the foremost historians of the period, this is a highly original reappraisal of the role of Piers Gaveston in English history and of his personal relationship with Edward II. It challenges the accepted view that Gaveston had a homosexual relationship with Edward II and reassesses the main events of Gaveston’s career, including his exile from England and the scandal over the alleged theft of royal jewels. Pierre Chaplais draws his evidence from published and unpublished documentary and narrative sources, and presents some fascinating and often surprising conclusions. Lively, original, and highly readable, this study will make interesting reading for scholars and students of medieval British history; social, political, and legal historians; specialists in royal governments; and general readers interested in the truth behind Piers Gaveston and Edward II.