Piers Gaveston

Type Figure Region England Time c. 1284–1312 Also known as 1st Earl of Cornwall

Gascon-born English noble, Edward II's closest favorite and political ally; created Earl of Cornwall in 1307, forced into exile by the 1311 Ordinance…

Timeline

c. 1284–1307Berkhamsted · HertfordshireHe entered the household of Prince Edward (the future Edward II) around 1300 and quickly became his closest companion. Edward I exiled him shortly before his death in 1307, but the new king recalled him immediately upon accession.
1307–1311Westminster · LondonCreated Earl of Cornwall in 1307, he held extensive estates and great power at court, behaving arrogantly and provoking magnates such as the Earl of Lancaster. In 1308 he was forced into a first exile to Ireland; recalled in 1309, tensions worsened, and the Ordinances of 1311 again forced him into exile.
1311–1312Blacklow Hill · WarwickshireHe secretly returned to England at the end of 1311 to rejoin the king, provoking an armed pursuit by the magnates. Captured near Scarborough in June 1312, he was beheaded at Blacklow Hill in Warwickshire by the Earl of Lancaster and others despite the king's pardon. His death inflamed the king's desire for revenge and deepened the conflict between crown and barons.

Sources

Oxford Dictionary of National Biography: Piers Gaveston, earl of Cornwall (2004) https://www.oxforddnb.com/
Piers Gaveston: Edward II's Adoptive Brother — Pierre Chaplais (1994)