Isabella of France
Whatever their relationship was exactly, Edward II regarded Gaveston with great affection. From the beginning of his marriage to Isabella their relationship was not good. Edward had no romantic interest in Isabella. Isabella soon found her husband was not giving her any money. She wrote to her father telling him she was living in poverty. King Philip quickly wrote back demanding Edward provide for his wife and any children they might have. Edward stalled by giving excuses. Meanwhile Isabella discovered that Piers Gaveston had been given many of the jewels her father had given her as part of her dowry. Isabella was furious. Her uncles warned Edward they would not attend their coronation unless he got rid of Gaveston. But Edward's barons had already made the same threats. Edward promised he would take care of everything when the parliament met in March. When Gaveston was put in charge of the coronation, one thing after another went wrong. At the banquet table honoring the king and queen, Gaveston sat next to the king instead of Isabella. He even displayed his Coat of arms next to the king's instead of Isabella's. The barons and Isabella's kinsmen were angry over these insults to their new queen. But it wasn't until 1311 that the barons drew up a list of ordinances the king had to follow. The first was to get rid of Piers Gaveston. But before 1312 Gaveston came back to England. That same year Isabella was pregnant with their first child. To escape the barons, Edward and Gaveston fled north taking Isabella with them. They left her unprotected at York while Edward and Gaveston escaped on a ship. But the barons were not upset with Isabella. Gaveston was captured and murdered in the summer of 1312. This didn't end Isabella's troubles as Edward found a new favorite in Hugh le Despenser. In November their first child was born, the future Edward III of England. But Despenser hated Isabella more than Gaveston. By 1321 she was virtually a prisoner. By 1324 Edward had given all her lands to Despenser.