Of kings and almost-kings and the Game of Thrones finale

Yesterday Henry II made one of his rare blunders, crowning his fifteen year old son on June 14, 1170. It surprised me that Louis later did the same dumb, damned thing and had Philippe crowned in his lifetime, too. You’d think he’d have learned by the grief that it gave Henry. Future English kings took note, though; not a one of them ever crowned his heir like Henry did.
And today on June 15, 1215, John very reluctantly signed the Magna Carta, and then repudiated it as soon as he could, a policy followed by his son, Henry III, and grandson, Edward I. Medieval kings weren’t ones for sharing power.
Also on June 15, 1330, the eldest son and namesake of Edward III was born, Edward of Woodstock, who would later be known to history as the Black Prince. His premature death is definitely one of history’s What ifs, for had he survived to become king, English and French history would have been changed very much---for better or worse, we cannot say, of course. But I think it is at least likely that there would not have been a Wars of the Roses, and maybe that would mean no Tudors on the throne either, and no television circus shows like The Tudors. (Or no Sunne, either, shudder.)
Lastly, for those of us addicted to Game of Thrones, tonight is the long-awaited finale of season four, which will contain major surprises even by GRRM’s standards. So get the popcorn out, keep the tissues close, and try not to think about the ten months in limbo that will lie ahead of us after tonight. Winter is coming.