The Life and Times of King Edward I (1239-1307)

Standing over six feet tall in an age when most men were a foot shorter, Edward I-the legendary "Hammer of the Scots" and conqueror of Wales-dominated medieval Britain through sheer force of will and revolutionary vision. In this riveting biography, discover how a prince forged in the fires of civil war transformed into one of history's most formidable kings, creating the foundations of modern Britain through conquest, innovation, and sheer determination.

From his dangerous crusading adventures in the Holy Land, where he narrowly survived an assassin's poisoned blade, to his breathtaking castle-building campaign that forever changed the Welsh landscape, Edward's story unfolds with the drama of the finest historical fiction-yet every extraordinary episode truly happened. Witness the passionate twenty-year romance with his beloved Queen Eleanor, whose death prompted him to erect the magnificent Eleanor Crosses, and the ruthless military campaigns that nearly succeeded in subjugating Scotland before Robert Bruce's dramatic resistance.

This comprehensive account reveals Edward as a revolutionary legal reformer who earned the title "English Justinian," a brilliant military tactician who innovated battlefield strategy, and a complex ruler whose ambitious vision to unite Britain under one crown reverberated through centuries. Yet it also examines his darker legacy-the expulsion of England's entire Jewish population, brutal wartime tactics, and an obsessive determination that sometimes bordered on tyranny.

Drawing on rich contemporary sources including royal records, chronicles, and personal correspondence, this biography reconstructs the vibrant royal court, breathtaking military campaigns, and complex political landscape of thirteenth-century Europe with unparalleled detail. Readers will discover how Edward's dramatic reign-establishing Parliament, reforming law codes, and building magnificent castles that still dominate the landscape-created the blueprint for the British nation that would emerge centuries later.

Perfect for fans of Dan Jones, Thomas B. Costain, and Alison Weir, this meticulously researched yet immensely readable history brings to vivid life the medieval king whose outsized ambitions, remarkable achievements, and even spectacular failures continue to shape our world today.