Hugh Despenser the Younger: The Most Hated Briton of the Fourteenth Century

[@johnd.obrien6838]

His son, Pez, became far more famous.

[@juneroberts5305]

🤣

[@midnightmosesuk]

Not to mention his cousin soap.

[@juneroberts5305]

@@midnightmosesuk 🤣

[@cleoldbagtraallsorts3380]

Good one!

[@cyborganisation]

Comedy gold!

[@Finthefish-hr8ky]

Isn't it astounding to think the DeSpencer line can be traced back to 1066. Also that a direct descendant will one day be king. The elite really know how to stay at the top of the heap.

[@BTScriviner]

As Mel Brooks said in "History of the World Part I": "It's good to be the king."

[@nancytestani1470]

The depenser’s were not the only one family to be traced back to 1066..

[@Finthefish-hr8ky]

@@nancytestani1470 true just look at the names of the elite in the UK.

[@christianfreedom-seeker934]

You mean Prince William? Well there is a law that prevents the old Norman Catholic families from inheriting the throne unless the Spencers were not Catholic but Church of England.

[@bostonrailfan2427]

…from the most despised to the most beloved in 700 years, that’s a good turnaround

[@tmr4342]

That was very entertaining, thankyou, She-Wolf of France.

[@LTPottenger]

Also known as the nastiest divorce in history.

[@Vates104]

Just discovered this channel. I subscribed and I rang the bell. Christopher Marlowe’s play Edward II made this story into a Great Play, still read and performed today.

[@lewisreed8415]

ding dong !

[@alexsm3882]

Here I was thinking I was gonna learn about a huge dispenser in the middle ages

[@BOLLOCKS1968]

😂😂😂dito!

[@winglessfairy564]

😹😹😹

[@Yustagirl3]

😂

[@retroactivejealousy-worldl1805]

Were Diana Princess of Wales and her line of Spencers descended from the Despencer family?

[@sirlawrence9161]

Yes

[@charleslennonbaker]

Wow, I knew some aspects of King Edward II's life but...wow. It's also interesting how Sir William Wallace and Robert the Bruce also helped contribute to this particular segment of history. After researching the information detailed in the video I also discovered where JRR Maritn got his inspiration for Robert's Rebellion.

[@glenchapman3899]

Yeah my wife used to bang on at me about watching the TV show. I am sure she did not believe I already knew the plot lol

[@airsir9559]

Apparently GRR Martin based certain characters on some of the players involved in the Wars of Scottish Independence. Mance Rayder was based on William Wallace and Tywin Lannister was based on Edward the Longshanks. What's funny is that the the guy who played Stannis Baratheon in the show later went on to play Edward the Longshanks in the movie Outlaw King.

[@sooobyrooo5763]

Really engaging and quite a fantastic video delivery thank you for a very entertaining look at this interesting cultural slice.

[@JamesFromTexas]

According to the 100% accurate documentary Braveheart, at least one of Isabella's kids was fathered by William Wallace.

[@TheAshCooper]

Such an accurate film even to this day.

[@rokkovalkrye3127]

Crazy to think that Wallace accomplished all he did while afflicted with such bad alcoholism. Shame he was a raging antisemite. :/

[@crystllclr3743]

Literally the opening title messes it up lol.

[@vit968]

Still a fun movie more fun than outlaw king

[@JamesFromTexas]

@@vit968 definitely a great movie. Won Movie of the Year when it came out. ETA: Outlaw King was such a dry movie. Also, couldn't they have at least gotten a Scottish actor to play The Bruce?

[@landrum3893]

You had me at drag queen. Excellent history content that isnt dry or humorless. Thanks

[@Nana-vi4rd]

Ah, I'm a high school drop out and even I know Isabella met Mortimer when she went to France on the pretense of Speaking to her brother on her husband's behalf. And this was after DE Spencer had gotten the King to declare all French people were traitors and had to be locked away. De Spencer taking great pleasure in taking the royal children from their mother and dismissing the Queen's ladies due to their being French. Once in France Isabella declared until her husband declared De Spencer a traitor she would consider herself a widow and would not return to England. Oh, I forgot she had her brother as the King of England to come to France to pay homage to himself. Isabella knew he wouldn't do that so suggested that the King send his heir in his place. Which Edward did, and once the boy was with his mother, she declared herself a widow. While in France she met Mortimer and they became lovers. Then together and with a small army returned to England gathering more and more willing to fight against the King.

[@Serena_Eve]

Seen the Dan Jones docs, eh?

[@NarffetWerlz]

Hugh, son of Towel and Coffee, would later be immortalized in the video game _Team Fortress 2_ where each character can request his presence.

[@Marco-kd7jk]

Underrated comment.

[@warwick936]

Edward III captured Isabella and Mortimer at Nottingham Castle where he used the secret tunnels and caves to gain access to the private chambers. You can visit the caves at Nottingham Castle today!

[@grumpy-dad3701]

Hasn't been a castle for a couple of years. It was destroyed by some king yester year

[@kimberleysmith818]

@@grumpy-dad3701 Google says otherwise.

[@jlworrad]

The tunnels are a fantastic place to visit. They got used during the civil war too.

[@24934637]

Bad state of affairs when you are looking forward to the beheading!

[@toddbonin6926]

This was really well done!

[@infinitejest441]

I was unaware a person could die more than once. 😵

[@glenchapman3899]

Well it was a complicated process. They hanged you till you were almost dead. Then they would cut your private parts of and stuff them in your mouth. Then start the disembowling process. Over the years they had gotten pretty good at keeping you alive while they did all these steps

[@gonzoraoul]

Being quartered was thought of as worse than execution because in the Christian resurrection myth, it's believed that for believers your body will be raised again to heaven. And so having your body spread over the country prevents that.

[@curiodyssey3867]

Absolutely LOVE your content.

[@CoryWHoffman]

I love you’re little bits of comedy thrown into your videos

[@inconnu4961]

You love his little bits, do you? Good to know! Thank you for sharing!

[@nygothuey6607]

He has a great dry British humour. Much like History Matters.

[@BTScriviner]

It was more a coup against Edward II, than a voluntary abdication.

[@abrahamlincoln9758]

The more I learn about tue Middle Ages the more I think video games cause violence.

[@ITSjustWOOL]

Medieval GTA was wild

[@maxxdahl6062]

Played video games all of my life, not once did I ever think about causing violence.

[@maliciousfacegaming8581]

@@maxxdahl6062 try League of Legends, that should do it

[@maxxdahl6062]

@@maliciousfacegaming8581 Nah I play real games. lol

[@millermonsterair]

@@maxxdahl6062 animal crossing caused me to do a blood eagle on someone...

[@anthonyehrenzweig1635]

Edward II almost certainly was NOT killed in 1327. Please refer to the book by Ian Mortimer - The Perfect King - the life of Edward III..

[@Theogenerang]

How many law students have seen that sentence and aspired to become a judge?

[@cheknauss9867]

What a horrible death. As soon as I knew the other lords wanted smoke I would've just been like hey look y'all, I'm fitting to bounce and live nicely.

[@jackmoorehead2036]

Back then, they didnt waste any time after the conviction. No need for an Appeals Court.

[@boogiesmell5181]

Edward II was almost certainly not murdered. He lived on and went into exile. The chroniclers who recorded these events were no more informed about what really happened than the average man on the street. Many people who would have been very well informed about the true state of affairs were certain that he was alive well after he was rumoured to have died. There is some evidence that he was later att Corfe Castle, and from there moved on to Ireland and thence to the continent, finally ending up in a peaceful Italian convent. As crazy as this does sound it is the most likely scenario considering all the actual facts we are aware of. I won't get into it too deeply, but the Fieschi letter is of great significance, as is the fact the a man claiming to be the father of Edward III met with him in Koblenz, Germany years after. In those days, royal impersonators would regularly get executed, but this time... the man was allowed to live and was not persecuted in any way. He didn't even ask for anything, which is telling. Why, then, would Edward II not have tried to regain the throne, had he remained alive? Because of his personality. Kingship was forced upon him, and he had no interest in government. He enjoyed the company of lowborn people. He must have been painfully aware that his reign had been a disaster. He was pious and had always found the company of priests, prelates and monks very pleasant. In his teens, he faced criticism for staying much longer in their company than he would have needed to. He was always criticized for ignoring matters of state, always preferring to do hard work with his own hands. Now he was finally at peace, enjoying a blissful existence in a scenic Italian convent in a mountainous setting. He was among like minded people, an equal to them, allowed to fill his days with physical labour and piety, activities which had always given him joy. Why would he have wanted to return to the hellish existence he endured as a king? This is what I imagine he told his son in Germany, and was thus allowed by all to continue his peaceful existence. He was officially declared dead, but allowed to stay alive far away from England and its politics. It was a win-win situation for everyone.

[@michaelpipkin9942]

"The past was the worst."

[@sanderson9338]

So far

[@nicolelabram5575]

That's really sick even for the 14th century. Theses people called themselves Christians?

[@HdHd-cg4nz]

Iraq war was pretty bad 1 million dead. Ww2 18 million dead. Hiroshima 200,000 dead instantly. We’re pretty bad still.

[@sanderson9338]

@@HdHd-cg4nz it's relative what was the percentage of population wiped out? Genghis Khan in actual fact had a bigger impact than Hitler and Stalin in regards the size of world population. The newer the tech and more dense the human population it will escalate in casualties. 57,470 deaths in 1 day will be hard to beat at the Somme. 830,000 died in 1 day at the Shaaaxi earthquake. Both those numbers would be wiped out by a nuke on NY London Tokyo etc. Its relative.

[@sanderson9338]

@@HdHd-cg4nz only 80,000 died in the initial impact at Hiroshima not 200,000 but still incredibly unacceptable numbers.

[@oldmanfromscenetwentyfour8164]

And disemboweled? That's a bit harsh don't you think?

[@bhpictures]

12:00 Does anyone know what this location is? Thanks in advance.

[@bloodyvampy69]

“Joined the 27 club” I was smoking and nearly choked on the exhale laughing at that, then said “he joined the club before it was cool” 😂! I absolutely love your content. Keep up the great work❤

[@novallasuter5265]

But, no proof she took him as a lover.

[@80sMetalHead]

#Fantastic

[@Miss_Judged]

You're great

[@hoibsh21]

No wonder they call trash cans dispensers.

[@trevormillar1576]

"Fancy a game of poker. Edward?:

[@mattflamenco]

Gaveston woods in Warwick is famous. His head was chopped off on the rock. It's still there twxt Warwick and Leek Wooton

[@heyalright_]

I'm just gonna type Toast of London

[@THINKincessantly]

🔴⚪️🔵”Oswald Mosley on Multiculturalism” type it in--Its still on jtube here in the US...one of the best Dam fine 5 minutes youll spend on jtube

[@christianfreedom-seeker934]

Hopefully the new King Charles doesn't end up in the "most dispised persons of Great Britian" club. 😁😆

[@tomhutchins7495]

The competition is very strong these days.

[@nosillalaluna7078]

Are these representations of the people in your stories , valid?

[@SB-129]

The comments below are as funny as the video is intriguing.

[@fintonmainz7845]

Looks likes Russel Brand. That's reason enough .

[@drbalbon7332]

"What an incredible guy, probably one of the greatest." - Donald Trump

[@HdHd-cg4nz]

Edward run away. No I didn’t I didn’t 🤣🤣

[@marciahenthorn9050]

When were the nobles ever happy?

[@williamhogan4031]

Brave heart was the Daddy....

[@sb6678]

And Boris Johnson is the most hatedBriton of C21st

[@adamsmith7058]

Yep, it's between him and Tony Blair for that dubious honour.

[@sb6678]

@@adamsmith7058 yea, Blair is an arse.

[@sanderson9338]

Jimmy Saville disagrees

[@KigenEkeson]

Wait, what??....your drag-queen name?! Care to unpack that a bit?

[@thehermitman822]

Leave his package alone.

[@croftmire]

Minor nitpick: Isabella, having been born in 1296, would’ve been at least 24 years old in 1321, not 23.

[@atomicmassacre1236]

11:40 How is Saint Thomas of Canterbury the worst Briton of the 12th century??

[@Chazie_]

Soon to be overtaken by James corden

[@TrojansOwl1]

4:07 wrong Isabella bro

[@craigdutton6072]

Lol old long shanks

[@rudolphmiller]

Poor will neff

[@frederickburke9944]

Wait. Did Britons exist in the 14th century?

[@kristiskinner8542]

The land that is Great Britian today did. Bout the 3rd time Ive seen an inane comment about that made🙄

[@frederickburke9944]

@@kristiskinner8542 thought maybe they got genocided by Angles, Saxons, and Normans.

[@novallasuter5265]

In France.in Brittany.

[@sionjones1026]

@@kristiskinner8542 Wrong. Inane? It doesn’t fit your narrative does it? Put yourself in the shoes of the Britons. Britons existed in the 14th century, but the Anglo Normans called them Welsh. History should be about getting at the truth - not about perpetuating propoganda spread by the victors.

[@sionjones1026]

@@frederickburke9944 not quite. We’re still here and we still speak an evolved version of Britonnic but it’s now known to most by a name given to it by the English. It’s now known as Welsh. We’re used to people like Kristi Skinner who are unable to understand how annoying it is to have your identity nicked. Conquerers seem to do this unfortunately. They then assume a rather superior aire while telling us to ‘get over it’ and other inane comments.

[@bobbifreedman2435]

What?

[@LarsOfMars.]

There were no "Britons" in the 14th century 😂

[@ladydreadqs639]

The name Britain is derived from the name Britannia used by the Romans before that it was known as "Insula Albionum" the island of Albions.

[@LarsOfMars.]

@@ladydreadqs639 You literally re-typed the first line of the first Google result didn't you? 😂 The Romans derived the name of the province Britannia from the name of a particular cultural grouping they encountered, they then applied that term to their province that encompassed part of the island known today as Great Britain (Great meaning big, to differentiate it from Brittany/ little Britain). The term Briton refers to the later Brythonic peoples whose kingdoms emerged in the post-Roman period, the last of which to survive being the Kingdom of Strathclyde which was subsumed into the Kingdom of Scotland in the early 11th century. There were no Britons after that, they were all either Scottish, Welsh or English in the 14th century.

[@ladydreadqs639]

@@LarsOfMars. yes ,so what!

[@LarsOfMars.]

@@ladydreadqs639 haha embarassed yourself, haven't you 😂

[@ladydreadqs639]

@@LarsOfMars. that's what it's there for isn't it, no shame this end !

[@PaulaSB12]

The queen was reported to have sat and watched while eating fruit you didn’t get on her bad side

[@sanderson9338]

You got on it but you didn't get off it

[@cathrynharrison4734]

Briton?

[@joannehermitage717]

He was my 24th great grandfather

[@erikm8372]

Wait Isabella was born in 1296, and gave birth in 1312. Doing the math. Lol

[@Christopher-po8pt]

Marriage was common at 16.

[@BTScriviner]

@@Christopher-po8pt Marriage at even younger ages was common. Consummation was another matter.

[@tomossambrook]

Not a Briton

[@domoshea4104]

Nearly 7 minutes into a 12 minute video you finally start talking about the person who is supposedly the subject of the video

[@stevenguevara2184]

They all dress, look, & act so gay. It would be hard to pick one out of a line up back then

[@RideAcrossTheRiver]

They'd pick you out and you'd like it.

[@Oscuros]

That's not how we say betrothed or Berkley here in England. It's easy to find out how to say words you've never heard out loud before, because of the level of conversation you have in your life, which is frankly TMI anyway. If you want to present in English you need to learn again how to say our words. The way you said betrothed is neither how it's said here or in the US. Berkley is always said like Barkley here, much like how we say clerk as well, but as you know, we have special ways of saying place-names to make them easier to say, like with dropping the H in Birmingham. I don't suppose you say Gloucester like "Glouchester", so don't get why you throw your own dialect out the window with just Berkley, unless you don't speak to people from the UK much, were home-schooled, watch far too much foreign content on places like KZbin and forget your free education, but whatever the reason, this mixing dialects on top of not saying normal words like betrothed properly undermines the presentation and any impressions of your competence.

[@jennymichie5175]

Amazing...a guy being persecuted for being gay could be held up against Jack the Ripper by a modern day TV channel ....and that makes sense???! Ffs peepz. Aren't we a little past that??

[@lily5952]

It was probably more so the contemporary common sentiment that he was evil and the fact that he was greedy for land and wealth (it's all hypocritical because those same people who condemned Hugh Despenser would do it in a heartbeat themselves). I don't think it was because he was perceived as homosexual. But maybe I'm being optimistic?

[@reddragon771]

Nobody in history was more creative and cruel when it came to torturing and killing people than the English. The irony is that even after torturing people in such a barbaric manner they still had the audacity to accuse the citizens of countries they colonised as being savages.The brits were the equivalent of the barbaric mongol hordes and sometimes could even surpass their levels of cruelty putting the Mongols to shame....and same goes for the church and it's inquisitioners. The more you study the history of British colonialism the more you realise that the only barbarians and savages of the colonial era were the Brits who looted countries to the last pint of blood of their citizens by staying there for hundreds of years unlike the so called barbarians who were not as greedy and ruthless as the Brits and would always leave the territories the conquered.

[@tylerhill40]

Imagine being so hated they want to utterly annihilate your body after killing you. Geez.

[@igorkoskin5214]

It was a fairly standard way of executing traitors in England back in the day though

[@CJODell12]

@@greyfriars6540 WEF? You mean World Economic Forum?

[@mrrictus]

Lookup what happened to Cromwell's (the high protector Cromwell. Not Henry VIII main dog)corpse.

[@StuckInOhio10]

@@CJODell12 yeah, the WEF is a conniving cabal of weasels

[@shirleytyler-szkolny6981]

Yeah, that's just because they hadn't invented the chainsaw yet.

[@IndustrialBonecraft]

"That man despenses Hughs!" "What a bastard!"

[@michaelfisher7170]

Damn. The concept "overkill" apparently didn't exist or at least didn't factor into politically charged trials and executions, back in the day.

[@paristhompson7522]

For real, obviously his execution was a terrible way to die but I was almost laughing at how extremely over-the-top it was

[@jessecaple170]

I can think of a few ppl today that it wouldn't be over the top for.

[@gibbnasta]

So Brokeback Kingdom?

[@HdHd-cg4nz]

Poo wars

[@g.r.h.8]

🤼

[@christianfreedom-seeker934]

You know you failed as a King when you get grouped in with Richard III, Oswald Mosley and Jack the Ripper! And, of course Hugh Dispenser the younger.

[@glenchapman3899]

Yeah really the only good thing he ever did was help produce Edward III

[@THINKincessantly]

Uh, Whats wrong with Oswald Mosley?

[@ralphmillais5237]

Mosley was an honourable man.

[@klackon1]

Many years ago, I used to walk my dogs past the monument raised to show the site of Gaveston's execution. There is a roundabout on the A46 close by, which is known as Gaveston island/roundabout. I think the monument has words to the effect ".... murdered by barons lawless as himself."

[@morrisminor56]

Well, that's about as Medieval as it gets.

[@NinjaGrrrl7734]

I love your voice. It soothes and intrigues me both. What a lovely instrument your voice is!

[@gizmo3846]

It wasn't just a meal why they watched, it's said that isabelle ate a plum as dispensers testicles were removed.

[@SYLFan2008]

Sounds like a Bart Simpson prank call to Moe.

[@0verkill161]

He must have be an ancestor of Hugh Jazz.

[@Tim_Apple]

The most beloved man of the 14th century was Hugh Jainus

[@岡山大木]

Sir Michael Oxlong has to be in with a shout too

[@Tim_Apple]

@@岡山大木 Don't forget Lee Kinaynis

[@Finthefish-hr8ky]

I thought it was Sir Phil Mckrack

[@Tim_Apple]

@@Finthefish-hr8ky If's possible but now that i think about it it might have been Hugh Jasole.

[@Finthefish-hr8ky]

@@keelo-byte didn't he study under Master Bates?

[@joannefalkinder393]

Cannot imagine that lady Diana Spencer was a descendant of this family.

[@patrickparsons2378]

Despenser was English not a 'Briton'. The latter term was not used at all until the early C17th in the reign of James VI & I (although it did reappear in the propaganda of Henry VII Tudor). The Welsh used the term for themselves until it was gradually displaced by the adoption of the English term 'Welsh' during the C12th.

[@kristiskinner8542]

Doesnt make any difference- a Brit made the list today going by what it is today

[@stevovimy]

Britons predate the English lol.

[@sionjones1026]

@@kristiskinner8542 yes it does make a difference. I expected to see a video about a Briton. Not an Anglo Norman.

[@sanderson9338]

Are you calling Julius Cesaer a liar he called people Britons

[@sionjones1026]

When Julius Caesar arrived in Britannia he called the natives Britons. Hugh Despenser is an Anglo Norman. His people, the Normans, didn’t arrive in Britain until 1066 and this is hundreds of years after Caesar first called the Celtic speaking natives by the name Of Britons.

[@tombristowe846]

Berkeley Castle. It's pronounced Barclay, like the bank.

[@tombristowe846]

@@keelo-byte Been away; would've replied earlier. In English pronunciation, as opposed to American English. It's the same with Berkshire, one of our counties; it's pronounce "Barkshire". As the maker of this video is English I pointed it out. Had he been American I wouldn't have as I know they pronounce it differently, as in the university in California for instance, which has the same name.

[@Ubu987]

@@keelo-byte In ze Norman French.

[@yarrowwitch]

Given who took his place, they'd have been better leaving Gaveston be!

[@kimberlyperrotis8962]

What an utter fool and idiot Edward II was. He was given everything anyone could ever dream of, but just wanted to play with his sycophantic boyfriends! He was a complete disaster as a king, almost any man or woman in the kingdom would have been better.

[@Bshmjdsdyk]

I think he was cool

[@Handlebar-MustDash]

Gaviscon was bad enough to give you indigestion.

[@cyberpunkedgerunner2644]

💀

[@SaiyanGamer95]

Benedict Arnold (who was hated in America (and still hated to this day) and Britain): Finally, a worthy opponent! Our battle will be legendary!!

[@johnbeardshall2898]

Washington was of a noble family his family is related too churchill Mountbatten and Spencers 3 of the most powerful families in England Washington was a general in the royal army which only sons of noble blood could be officers he helped British troops defeat the French then joined the American Revolution with backing from the French so who really was a traitor ,makes you think doesn't it

[@JohnPlissken]

"We know he had a wife and kids, and had an affair wife his niece. And we he nothing to suggest he was gay. But it's 2022 so let's just say he might have been gay."

[@mikegrossberg8624]

There was plenty of rumors at the time to suggest that Despencer and Edward were lovers

[@andromeda-p9966]

He could've been bi.

[@mikegrossberg8624]

@Romeo Alfa What has THAT got to do with whether the King had a gay lover?

[@mikegrossberg8624]

@Romeo Alfa When it comes to those supposed to be running the country, the rumor is enough

[@lily5952]

Gay people exist, and have always existed. Deal with it. Considering how Edward favored certain male courtiers and showered them with gifts, even at the expense of his reputation and kingdom's treasuries, it does seem like he could have had a romantic attachment to these male favorites. Gay people have to live in the closet for survival even today in this supposedly modern world. One can only imagine how deep in the closet LGBT people had to be back then when you could be burned at the stake or beheaded for "sexual immorality".

[@jobrown6952]

I have never subscribed to anything so fast in my life, A+ content!!!

[@laurieb3703]

Human cruelty never ceases to amaze me

[@l.b.2592]

To be reworked into House of the Dragon, season 2 and 3.

[@MrWildbill]

Hugh's brother Soap is very successful these days...

[@Handlebar-MustDash]

😂 His other siblings, Condom, Tampon and Bubblegum are doing well too.

[@sgtboz9730]

Booooo

[@thehermitman822]

Drink managed the invade the most territory.

[@MrWildbill]

@@Handlebar-MustDash -- lol

[@cw4608]

Priceless, don’t forget little Pez.

[@jonathanstoutenburg8634]

You have taught me so much about a period that didn't seem to have history classes when I went to Ohio State University.

[@iriswinter]

You mean THE Ohio State University 🤪

[@racheljoseph1221]

Well what do you EXPECT from OSU?? Greetings from Michigan...

[@penelopegreene]

But let's Despense with the formalities...

[@VoltasP]

Damn, that would be a great drag name, tho

[@OBGynKenobi]

Good thing his brother Soap got away.

[@honorladone8682]

Too bad trump wasn't a leader in this time!

[@vitabricksnailslime8273]

Justice was despensed.

[@rarebird_82]

Love the Pythonesque light relief 😉😅

[@stephenbowers7901]

Its Friday again!..... Medieval Madness always deliver :) Much love, splendid

[@yucatansuckaman5726]

Now it's Hugh mongus

[@postiepaul]

“Joining the 27 club”. Very funny😀😀😀