In
medieval times the king didn't hold court in one central location. He
traveled about from place to place.
Sometimes
he was leading an army against invaders or subduing a rebel lord, and
he would hold court in the most convenient castle. At other times it
was necessary to move because of the strain on the local area for
providing food and fodder for the court.
Along
with the king, it was necessary to transport everything he might
need, including his treasure. For two particular kings, this proved
to be a very bad idea indeed.
King
John
King
John is known as the bad king who was eventually made to sign Magna
Carta. But he immediately had it annulled by the Pope, and his barons
rebelled, turned to France and offered the crown to Prince Louis. The
story is told in part in my book, Broken Reed: The Lords of Gower
and King John. John traveled the country trying to raise
support, taking his treasure and crown jewels with him.
He
was becoming more and more exhausted and ill, and in 1216 he
travelled from Lincolnshire to Norfolk. In between was the huge
estuary known as the Wash, full of mudflats, marshes and quicksands.
John went the long way around, but he sent his baggage train across
the causeway, which was only navigable at low tide.
![]() |
The Wash |
The
horse-drawn wagons were very slow, and maybe he thought it would be
quicker to go straight across. Unfortunately the wagons were too slow
to beat the turn of the tide, and they were lost in the water.
I
found this passage from Charles Dickens' A Child's History of
England:
“looking
back from the shore when he was safe, he [the king] saw the roaring
water sweep down in a torrent, overturn the waggons, horses and men,
that carried his treasure, and engulf them in a raging whirlpool from
which nothing could be delivered.”
John
died just over a week later, and the treasure has never been found.
King
Edward II
Unlike
King John, there are those who argue the case for Edward II, but he
is generally regarded as a bad king. His story is told in my book
Alina, The White Lady of Oystermouth.
The
barons rebelled against him and after a seeming victory, were
eventually defeated. But Queen Isabella and Roger Mortimer raised an
army in exile and landed in England. The barons flocked to join them
and the king was forced to flee.
He, his favourite Hugh le Despenser, and
their retainers fled westwards and ended up in Wales, at Neath Abbey.
Their next stop was to be Swansea Castle, and they sent word to
strengthen the defences and sent all the king's treasure and personal
effects ahead to Swansea.
The next day Edward and Despenser were
captured in open country. Despenser was tried and horribly executed.
Edward was persuaded to abdicate in favour of his son.
It
wasn't until a few years later that an inquiry was set up in Swansea
to locate the king's goods and treasure, which was estimated to be
worth £63,000 (about £29m today). It included gold and silver
plates, coins and jewellery, fine clothing, arms, armour, and horses.
Many of the king's papers were found. After three inquiries about
£3000 worth was recovered, and in April 1336 a Royal Commission
sought to bring to justice those who had stolen the rest. It does not
appear that anyone was convicted.
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