Editing Edward II of England (section)

===Kingship, government and law===
{{Multiple image|total_width=333|image1=Seal of Edward II.jpg|image2=Seal of Edward II-2.jpg|footer=Edward's [[Great Seal of the Realm|Great Seal]]|alt1=Drawing of Great Seal|alt2=Reverse of Great Seal}}

Edward was ultimately a failure as a king; the historian Michael Prestwich observes that he "was lazy and incompetent, liable to outbursts of temper over unimportant issues, yet indecisive when it came to major issues", echoed by Roy Haines' description of Edward as "incompetent and vicious", and as "no man of business".<ref>{{Harvnb|Prestwich|2003|p=73}}; {{Harvnb|Haines|2003|pp=142, 164}}.</ref> Edward did not just delegate routine government to his subordinates, but also higher level decision making, and [[Pierre Chaplais]] argues that he "was not so much an incompetent king as a reluctant one", preferring to rule through a powerful deputy, such as Piers Gaveston or Hugh Despenser the Younger.<ref>{{Harvnb|Chaplais|1994|pp=2–3}}.</ref> Edward's willingness to promote his favourites had serious political consequences, although he also attempted to buy the loyalty of a wider grouping of nobles through grants of money and fees.<ref>{{Harvnb|Given-Wilson|1996|pp=31–33, 154}}.</ref> He could take a keen interest in the minutiae of administration, however, and on occasion engaged in the details of a wide range of issues across England and his wider domains.<ref>{{Harvnb|Rubin|2006|p=39}}.</ref>{{Efn|Most historians suggest that Edward increased his engagement with administration in the 1320s, although Michael Prestwich suggests that many of Edward's later correspondence on governmental issues were written for him by the Despensers. Generally, current historians have tended to stress Edward's later role in governance, even if he did not necessarily prove to be a competent or successful administrator. Miri Rubin argues that he was "deeply involved" in governance and portrays Edward's abilities sympathetically; Anthony Musson stresses Edward's later involvement in the legal system; Seymour Phillips argues that Edward was more closely involved in governmental business than has been previously suggested, although his interest was "sporadic and unpredictable", and heavily influenced by his advisors; Roy Haines notes Edward's "idiosyncrasy" in engaging in business, and the dominant role of the Despensers in setting policy, but stops short of Prestwich's position.<ref>{{Harvnb|Prestwich|2007|p=219}}; {{Harvnb|Rubin|2006|p=39}}; {{Harvnb|Musson|2006|pp=140–141}}; {{Harvnb|Phillips|2011|p=608}}; {{Harvnb|Haines|2003|pp=164–165}}.</ref>}}

One of Edward's persistent challenges through most of his reign was a shortage of money; of the debts he inherited from his father, around £60,000 was still owing in the 1320s.<ref>{{Harvnb|Phillips|2011|p=129}}; {{Harvnb|Prestwich|2003|pp=93–94}}.</ref> Edward worked his way through many treasurers and other financial officials, few of whom stayed long, raising revenues through often unpopular taxes, and requisitioning goods using his right of prise.<ref name=Prestwich2003PP94Phillips2011PP218/> He also took out many loans, first through the Frescobaldi family, and then through his banker Antonio Pessagno.<ref name="Prestwich2003PP94Phillips2011PP218">{{Harvnb|Prestwich|2003|pp=94–95}}; {{Harvnb|Phillips|2011|pp=218–219}}.</ref> Edward took a strong interest in financial matters towards the end of his reign, distrusting his own officials and directly cutting back on the expenses of his own household.<ref>{{Harvnb|Haines|2003|p=164}}; {{Harvnb|Rubin|2006|p=37}}.</ref>

Edward was responsible for implementing royal justice through his network of judges and officials.<ref>{{Harvnb|Musson|2006|pp=140–141}}.</ref> It is uncertain to what extent Edward took a personal interest in dispensing justice, but he appears to have involved himself to some degree during the first part of his reign, and to have increasingly intervened in person after 1322.<ref>{{Harvnb|Musson|2006|pp=162–163}}.</ref> Edward made extensive use of [[Roman civil law]] during his reign when arguing in defence of his causes and favourites, which may have attracted criticism from those who perceived this as abandoning the established principles of [[English common law]].<ref>{{Harvnb|Musson|2006|p=157}}.</ref> Edward was also criticised by contemporaries for allowing the Despensers to exploit the royal justice system for their own ends; the Despensers certainly appear to have abused the system, although just how widely they did so is unclear.<ref>{{Harvnb|Musson|2006|pp=159–160}}.</ref> Amid the political turbulence, armed gangs and violence spread across England under Edward's reign, destabilising the position of many of the local [[gentry]]; much of Ireland similarly disintegrated into anarchy.<ref>{{Harvnb|Haines|2003|pp=148, 300–301}}; {{Harvnb|Rubin|2006|p=50}}; {{Harvnb|Waugh|1991|p=161}}.</ref>

Under Edward's rule, parliament's importance grew as a means of making political decisions and answering petitions, although as the historian Claire Valente notes, the gatherings were "still as much an event as an institution".<ref>{{Harvnb|Valente|1998|p=868}}; {{Harvnb|Dodd|2006|pp=165–166}}; {{Harvnb|Rubin|2006|pp=50–52}}.</ref> After 1311, parliament began to include, in addition to the barons, the representatives of the [[knight]]s and [[burgess (title)|burgesses]], who in later years would constitute the "[[House of Commons of England|commons]]".<ref>{{Harvnb|Dodd|2006|pp=169, 172–173}}.</ref> Although parliament often opposed raising fresh taxes, active opposition to Edward came largely from the barons, rather than parliament itself, although the barons did seek to use the parliamentary meetings as a way of giving legitimacy to their long-standing political demands.<ref>{{Harvnb|Dodd|2006|pp=170–171, 175–177}}; {{Harvnb|Rubin|2006|p=32}}.</ref> After resisting it for many years, Edward began intervening in parliament in the second half of his reign to achieve his own political aims.<ref>{{Harvnb|Dodd|2006|pp=180–182}}.</ref> It remains unclear whether he was deposed in 1327 by a formal gathering of parliament or simply a gathering of the political classes alongside an existing parliament.<ref>{{Harvnb|Dodd|2006|pp=167–168, 179}}.</ref>