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Edward II Conspiracy

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Joshua Santana:
Brethren you all make very interesting points in which I applaud. However I wouldn't call this a conspiracy but rather a mystery.

There were several monarchs in history with similar pastimes and hobbies and I wouldn't be surprised if King Edward II was one of those monarchs.

However if this theory was true (by true I mean validated by evidence) then there is no reason to view this anymore than a King who went against the traditional role and sought a peaceful life.  Isn't this the envy of most Celebrities of today?  Is this not the elusive dream of rich men, leaders and fighters?  (Food for thought.)

Sir William:
As for pursuing those 'occupations unbecoming of a king' - well, we know (or think we know) what they were referring to; and he isn't the first King to be colored thusly.  There were rumors that Richard I and Philip II indulged in a little clandestine hide the bloodsausage, eh?

Sir James A:

--- Quote from: Sir William on 2013-03-15, 15:32:14 ---As for pursuing those 'occupations unbecoming of a king' - well, we know (or think we know) what they were referring to; and he isn't the first King to be colored thusly.  There were rumors that Richard I and Philip II indulged in a little clandestine hide the bloodsausage, eh?

--- End quote ---

Boating and craft work being mentioned specifically, I can see a peaceful life spending time on the water, and spending time with crafts. It would be relatively low interaction, and chances of people thinking the king is carving the little wooden knights and rowing them across the river to sell would probably be almost nil.

I need to check out World Without End too. Sounds interesting.

Sir William:
Sir James, I believe it captures the spirit of the medieval world in a way that I've never read it before; usually, most novels focus on this one or that one- and of medieval fare, that person is usually the hero and is easy to tell as such.  In Pillars of the Earth and World Without End, the heroes don't wear armor or carry a sword- which only makes their heroic feats that much more awesome.

I came away from these books with a different insight w/regard to things medieval; to me it seemed more realistic, his characters more earthy, more flawed- more human.

Don't get me wrong, I love high fantasy as much as anyone else does but of late, especially when faced with my own flaws, my own shortcomings, it is nice to read about characters who are similarly afflicted- it is almost like a triumph for myself when they manage to rise above their issues, or at the least, manage to keep on keeping on.  Not all of the characters in these stories have a happy ending, and not a one of them leads what you'd consider a great and wonderful life- oftimes it is hard, grim, full of death and despair and yet, I couldn't put it down.

My sister and I trade books back and forth- we're both avid readers and our genres tend to overlap; when we trade we usually let the other keep whatever it was that was passed on...but I demanded that these be returned to me.

Joshua Santana:

--- Quote ---I believe it captures the spirit of the medieval world in a way that I've never read it before; usually, most novels focus on this one or that one- and of medieval fare, that person is usually the hero and is easy to tell as such.  In Pillars of the Earth and World Without End, the heroes don't wear armor or carry a sword- which only makes their heroic feats that much more awesome.
--- End quote ---

I agree.


--- Quote ---I came away from these books with a different insight w/regard to things medieval; to me it seemed more realistic, his characters more earthy, more flawed- more human.

Don't get me wrong, I love high fantasy as much as anyone else does but of late, especially when faced with my own flaws, my own shortcomings, it is nice to read about characters who are similarly afflicted- it is almost like a triumph for myself when they manage to rise above their issues, or at the least, manage to keep on keeping on.  Not all of the characters in these stories have a happy ending, and not a one of them leads what you'd consider a great and wonderful life- of times it is hard, grim, full of death and despair and yet, I couldn't put it down.
--- End quote ---

You present a valid point and I agree.  Characters that we can relate to are characters that we can model our sense of Realism without negating our Virtuous sense of Honor.  I believe that High Fantasy characters and realistic characters can teach the reader the balance between Reason, Honor, Redemption and Courage via flawed human nature vs. intrinsic altruism.


--- Quote ---Boating and craft work being mentioned specifically, I can see a peaceful life spending time on the water, and spending time with crafts. It would be relatively low interaction, and chances of people thinking the king is carving the little wooden knights and rowing them across the river to sell would probably be almost nil.
--- End quote ---


Yep, more likely.

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