The reign of Edward II would have an even more profound impact both on Edward III’s style of leadership and on his use of the navy. Many of the decisions made between 1327 and 1377 were a direct result of the traumatic events of his father’s reign, and particularly of its inglorious end. These events were mostly the result of Edward II’s personality. Like his own father and his son, Edward II was tall, handsome and muscular. He was boisterous, he dressed magnificently and he was very strong. These were traits expected of a great war leader, and it was said of him that, ‘If he had habituated himself to arms, he would have exceeded even the prowess of Richard the Lionheart.’ However the problem was not just that Edward II was ‘chicken-hearted and luckless in war’, as the Lanercost Chronicler memorably described him. He was not much interested in war at all, preferring to spend his time digging ditches and driving carts about when he was even out of bed. Medieval society was heavily stratified by birth. For the king to play at being a peasant was alien and did not inspire confidence. Thousands of scrofula sufferers had queued to be touched by Edward I, the king’s mystical touch being thought to cure the complaint. By contrast not many people wanted Edward II’s hands on them.

Edward II was cruel, vengeful and untrustworthy, but his most damaging trait was an obsession with unworthy favourites. The first of these was Piers Gaveston, an insubstantial Gascon squire with whom he apparently entered a homosexual relationship. Edward made him his chief minister, despite his obvious incompetence. Gaveston was more interested in governing the country than Edward himself, and controlled access to the king. The result was that the great nobles were shut out of government. Government was based on patronage, with the nobles relying on the king to arbitrate in land disputes. The greatest nobles could expect to be instrumental in government and be rewarded for it. With Gaveston at the helm, showering himself with lands and grants, the system was thrown into chaos.