A Great and Terrible King

Edward I and the Forging of Britain

By: Marc Morris

Narrated by: Ralph Lister

Brought to you by Penguin.

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.

©2008 Marc Morris (P)2021 Penguin Audio

Danger of total rule

Very thorough and well illustrates the emnity between Wales, Ireland, Scotland and England. The local people of the Celtic lands were treated abominably by the entitled English.