How Aymer de Valence saved Kind Edward II in Scotland

In 1308, only one year into Edward’s reign, they demanded a repeat of Gaveston’s exile, as had happened under Edward’s father Edward I in 1307.

Knowing the power of his position as favourite, Piers Gaveston had become arrogant and had devised nicknames for each of the barons, with Aymer de Valence becoming, ‘Joseph the Jew.'

To pacify what was becoming close to open rebellion, Gaveston was ‘exiled’ to Flanders, or France, but remained out of the country only two months.

The barons rebelled and captured Gaveston at Scarborough in 1312. Aymer de Valence was given responsibility by the other barons for Gaveston’s imprisonment, and additionally, his safekeeping, in order to keep such a valuable prisoner as a pawn in their negotiations with the king.

De Valence guaranteed Gaveston’s safety, and after placing him under guard in Oxfordshire, left to visit his wife.

The de Valence coat of arms

Almost immediately, other barons abducted Gaveston, tried him between themselves, and decapitated him. This immediately placed de Valence in an awkward position and was seen as a stain on his honour.

In an attempt to remedy this, de Valence immediately changed sides and became a valued asset to Edward II, helping to bring the Barons War to, perhaps not a conclusion, but to a pause.

By 1314, he was with Edward in Scotland facing Robert the Bruce at Bannockburn.

The famous, overwhelming victory of the smaller Scottish army meant that Edward faced capture, and grabbing the bridal of Edward’s horse, de Valence led him away.

The retinue that de Valence had brought with him, of eighty-one knights and men at arms, fought a rear-guard action, and suffered heavy losses, but Edward was able to reach safety.

After further actions in Scotland with varying degrees of success, de Valence was sent to meet Pope John XXII with whom he successfully negotiated a loan for Edward.

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On the way home, he was captured by a French noble, taken to Germany, and held to ransom for £10,400, a sum that would run into many millions today.

After paying an initial amount of £2,500, he was released but those who had accompanied him were kept as a guarantee on his paying the remainder. He borrowed heavily, paying several instalments, but had financial problems for the remainder of his life.

Despite this, de Valence was prominent in assisting Edward in finally bringing the Baron’s War to a close and was instrumental in convicting and executing the last rebel baron, the Earl of Lancaster and his followers, following the Battle of Boroughbridge in 1322.

Two years later, whilst in France in 1324, Aymer de Valence, Earl of Pembroke, died still a relatively young man, perhaps in his early fifties, and was, like his father William, buried in Westminster Abbey, Aymer’s tomb being especially magnificent.

Berkeley Castle, site of Edward II's death

Despite having such valuable assistance from de Valence, Edward II’s reign lasted only another three years and in 1327 he was deposed and if tradition is correct, suffered an exceptionally unpleasant death at Berkley Castle in Gloucestershire.

Aymer de Valence left no legitimate issue, and in 1339 the Earldom of Pembroke went to John Hastings, great grandson of William de Valence.

Aymer de Valence has been described as standing out favourably ‘in an age of small minded and incompetent leaders’ but despite this, it is his second wife, Marie de St Pol (1303-1377), great grand-daughter of Henry III, who is remembered today more than he is. Marie was seventeen years of age when she married Aymer, then aged fifty in 1321.

After just three years of marriage, Aymer died and Marie set to work using her wealth for religious and charitable institutions.

Pembroke College at Cambridge University

Marie is best remembered for having founded Pembroke College in Cambridge University in 1347. It is the oldest of the colleges to remain today on its original site.