A Great and Terrible King: Edward I and the Forging of Britain
Dec 2010 · Random House
4.2star
20 reviewsreport
Ebook
480
Pages
family_home
Eligible
info
reportRatings and reviews aren’t verified Learn More
About this ebook
This is the first major biography for a generation of a truly formidable king. Edward I is familiar to millions as 'Longshanks', conqueror of Scotland and nemesis of Sir William Wallace ('Braveheart'). Edward was born to rule England, but believed that it was his right to rule all of Britain. His reign was one of the most dramatic of the entire Middle Ages, leading to war and conquest on an unprecedented scale, and leaving a legacy of division that has lasted from his day to our own.
In his astonishingly action-packed life, Edward defeated and killed the famous Simon de Montfort in battle; travelled across Europe to the Holy Land on crusade; conquered Wales, extinguishing forever its native rulers, and constructed - at Conwy, Harlech, Beaumaris and Caernarfon - the most magnificent chain of castles ever created. After the death of his first wife he erected the Eleanor Crosses - the grandest funeral monuments ever fashioned for an English monarch.
In his astonishingly action-packed life, Edward defeated and killed the famous Simon de Montfort in battle; travelled across Europe to the Holy Land on crusade; conquered Wales, extinguishing forever its native rulers, and constructed - at Conwy, Harlech, Beaumaris and Caernarfon - the most magnificent chain of castles ever created. After the death of his first wife he erected the Eleanor Crosses - the grandest funeral monuments ever fashioned for an English monarch.
Ratings and reviews
4.2
20 reviews
Gary Wilson
- Flag inappropriate
July 17, 2023
I'm about halfway throught htis book but felt compelled to leave a review. As someonw who until recently only had a passing knowledge of the Plantagenets, any attempt to unravel the twists and turns of medievil politics and courlty life are always fraught with trepidation, however i'm finding this book perfect for my level of knowledge - its insightful, well written and engaging whilst dealing with one of te most interesting characters (in my opinion) in British monarchy. I heartily recommend this book.
Chris Townsend
- Flag inappropriate
April 2, 2020
Excellent history of Edward 1, written in a style to apoeal to the non scholarly reader. Really enjoyed it
bradley beadle
- Flag inappropriate
March 3, 2024
Very detailed
About the author
Dr Marc Morris is a historian who specializes in the Middle Ages. He studied and taught at the universities of London and Oxford and is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society. His other books include a bestselling history of the Norman Conquest and highly acclaimed biographies of King John and Edward I (A Great and Terrible King). He also presented the TV series Castle and wrote its accompanying book. He contributes regularly to other history programmes on radio and television and writes for numerous journals and magazines.
Rate this ebook
Tell us what you think.
Reading information
Smartphones and tablets
Install the Google Play Books app for Android and iPad/iPhone. It syncs automatically with your account and allows you to read online or offline wherever you are.
Laptops and computers
You can listen to audiobooks purchased on Google Play using your computer's web browser.
eReaders and other devices
To read on e-ink devices like Kobo eReaders, you'll need to download a file and transfer it to your device. Follow the detailed Help Center instructions to transfer the files to supported eReaders.
