17 May 2026- Berkeley Castle

 A couple of things before I start todays blog. The current owner of Berkeley Castle's name is Charles. Charles Berkeley. In Britain, the name Berkeley is pronounced "Barkely". War Eagle.

The Castle at Berkeley has been in existance since prior to William the Conqueror in 1066, however, it was William who had the first Motte and Bailey castle built on this site when he arrived in England. 

During the period of the Anarchy, the Anglo-Saxons, the De Berkeleys, who had lived on the land for centuries, sided with King Stephen, instead of the Plantagenet cause, and when Henry II came to power after Stephen's death, he rewarded Robert Fitzharding with the Castle. 

Robert FitzHarding was a wealthy merchant from Bristol, and had supported Queen Matilda, Henry II's mother, along with her Stepbrother, Robert of Gloucester from 1138-1153. With new leadership comes new rewards for those who helped during hard times, and Robert had money, so the Castle was constructed. 

Several years later, there was a conflict between the Anglo-Saxon locals who used to own the land, and Fitzharding. To resolve the matter, King Henry directed the Fitzhardings to intermarry with the Anglos, and the issue was resolved. Since the area was known as Berkeley, the castle and the newly formed family adopted the name. 



The Berkeley family has lived in this castle for over 900 years. Many additions have been made since the first castle was built. despite this, the real reason that has made this castle famous, was that it is the place where King Edward the II was killed. 






Edward the Second was the 4th son of Edward Longshanks the First. He wasn't ever meant to be King (he was the 4th son of Longshanks), but when Longshanks died, he was the next in line. He didn't rule very well, and preferred rewarding his favorites from court than to recognizes and rewarding his own nobles. Piers Gaveston was one of those favorites, and the nobles eventually had enough of his shenanigans, and executed him. Edward II wasn't too pleased. 

As you may have already surmised, Edward II was rumored to have liked men more than women. Eventually his wife, Queen Isabella, started a rebellion with her lover, Roger de Mortimer, and captured another of Edward's favorites, Hugh "the Elder" Despenser. He was summarily hanged and beheaded in Bristol in 1326.

Hugh The Elder had been Chief  Advisor to Edward II, and was rewarded with the title Earl of Winchester. It was also well known the Hugh the Elder's son, Hugh the Younger,  was sleeping (not really) with King Edward II. Eventually, Edward II and Hugh the Younger were caught by Queen Isabella and Mortimer, who produced a hasty trial, convicting the Younger of many corrupt things. He was executed and later ended being buried in Tewkesbury Abbey, along with his father.


Edward II escaped, but was captured. he was forced to abdicate his throne to his younger son, Edward III, and imprisoned in Berkeley castle. He did escape from there once, but was immediately brought back to the castle, security was increased, and he never left alive. 

There are many rumors as to the manner of his death. Some say that he was smothered with a pillow. One rumor was that he was killed by having a red hot fireplace poker shoved up his anus. Whatever the case, in September 1327, 9 months after abdicated the throne, he was dead. Two months later, his body showed up at Gloucester cathedral, prepped and ready for burial, he was laid to rest in December 1327.

The amazing thing to me, is that I am directly related to the Berkeleys who own the castle, and Edward the Second. My lineage and the Kingdom of England intersect from William the Conqueror, through Edward the Third. Another branch of my family includes Alfred the Great from Anglo-Saxon times, and several of his offspring, but that is a tale for another time (see my 2023 Blog about Winchester). Thomas de Berkeley, 5th Baron Berkeley, is the last Berkeley that I am related to. His daughter, Elizabeth Berkeley, married Richard Beauchamp, 13th Earl of Warwick,in 1406. 

The last couple of days has had me visiting Bristol Cathedral, built but Robert FitzHarding, Tewkesbury Abbey, final resting place of two Despensers and multiple others, Gloucester Cathedral, where Edward II is buried, and now Berkeley Castle, where my Berkeley ancestry begins, and Edward the Second's life ended. 

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