The Mistress Who Controlled the Court Purse
About this video
The mistress who controlled the court purse reveals how Alice Perrers, a commoner, became the most powerful woman in Edward III's England through financial manipulation and royal favor. This deep dive explores her wool monopoly, bribery network, and the scandal that led to her impeachment trial while the king lay dying. Chapters: 00:00 A Commoner's Rise 00:24 The Crown's Desperate Need 00:45 The King's Favor 01:09 The Wool Monopoly 01:31 The Bribery Network 01:57 The Queen's Humiliation 02:23 The Church's Fury 02:49 The Prince's Rivalry 03:15 The Impeachment Trial 03:30 The King's Last Act 03:56 The Legacy of Scandal 04:22 The King's Dependence 04:47 The Wool Monopoly 05:08 The Bribery Network Sources & further reading: • Alice Perrers: The Mistress Who Controlled the Court Purse — https://www.historytoday.com/archive/alice-perrers-mistress-who-controlled-court-purse • The Good Parliament of 1376 — https://www.parliament.uk/about/living-heritage/evolutionofparliament/parliamentaryauthority/medieval/overview/good-parliament/ • Alice Perrers in the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography — https://www.oxforddnb.com/view/10.1093/ref:odnb/9780198614128.001.0001/odnb-9780198614128-e-21977 • Chronicon Angliae — Medieval chronicle describing Perrers taking rings from Edward III's fingers • The Crown and the Court: Financial Administration under Edward III — Academic study on royal finances during Edward III's reign • British Library: Alice Perrers — https://www.bl.uk/people/alice-perrers
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