Expert: Mark Smith - 1/19/2009

Question
Mark,
   Did Edward II achieve anything good for England during his twenty years reign and if so,what?

Answer
Hello Brian.
There's very little good to say about the reign of Edward II, by anyone's standards it was a failure. The only thing that can be regarded as beneficial was the Kenilworth Ordinance of 1326. It extended the wool staple to nine English, two Welsh and three Irish towns. These towns were authorized as the only towns that could export wool and leather to the lucrative European markets. The export of wool made England rich in the Middle Ages and by regulating the trade it maximized the profits coming in. Edward's son Edward III is often credited with the scheme, but the Ordinance was passed by Edward II.
Mark