Edward II is set in various locations in medieval England, Wales, and France during the 14th century. The historical setting of the play revolves around the reign of King Edward II, who ruled England from 1307 to 1327, though these two decades are contracted into a much shorter time period in the play. The events in the play primarily take place within the various royal palaces and castles under the control of King Edward II, his allies, or his enemies. Most of these settings—such as Berkeley Castle—are real historical sites associated with Edward’s reign. A few brief scenes are set in France.
Marlowe draws from historical chronicles and other history plays in establishing the medieval setting of his play. Though King Edward II holds great legal power, this power is contested both by the wealthy nobles who hold vast amounts of land and control standing armies, as well as by representatives of the Catholic Church. Marlowe, writing after the Protestant Reformation, is particularly interested in the complex political role of the Catholic Church in medieval England. Religious settings such as Neath Abbey, where Edward II and his allies hide among Catholic monks after their final military defeat, had been shut by the time the play was first printed in London in 1594.
