Status
Available
Call number
Publication
London : Jonathan Cape, 2006.
Description
Holding power for over fifty years starting in 1327, Edward III was one of England's most influential kings, and one who shaped the course of English history. Revered as one of the country's most illustrious leaders for centuries, he was also a usurper and a warmonger who ordered his uncle beheaded. A brutal man, to be sure, but also a brilliant one. Noted historian Ian Mortimer offers us the first comprehensive look at the life of Edward III. The Perfect King was often the instigator of his own drama, but also overthrew tyrannous guardians as a teenager and ushered in a period of chivalric ideals. Mortimer traces how Edward's reforms made feudal England a thriving, sophisticated country and one of Europe's major military powers. Ideal for anyone fascinated by medieval history, this book provides new insight into Edward III's lasting influence on the justice system, artistic traditions, language, and architecture of the country.… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member john257hopper
In many ways this is a great work. The author has conducted exhaustive and detailed research and is a very good writer, able to evoke the spirit and colour of a time period and his subject to a remarkable degree, so that one feels he could write a powerful historical novel as well as a factual
BUT
...there is a caveat. Despite having read this, the author's biography of Roger Mortimer and Weir's biography of Isabella of France, I am still not convinced by the theory of the survival of Edward II. He raises some interesting points, but I simply cannot make myself believe that Edward III knew his father was still alive for another 14 years, running the risk of Edward the father declaring himself, with his son meanwhile pretending to the world he was dead. There is simply too much speculation built upon speculation built upon the few facts known, sometimes going to ridiculous lengths, for example working out that he died in 1341 simply on the basis of an ambiguous motto from a tournament, "it is as it is". Such speculation is a particular pity when the underlying research is so good.
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work. If this were all there was to say, I could agree with Alison Weir's view expressed on the cover that this should be the definitive work on the king. BUT
...there is a caveat. Despite having read this, the author's biography of Roger Mortimer and Weir's biography of Isabella of France, I am still not convinced by the theory of the survival of Edward II. He raises some interesting points, but I simply cannot make myself believe that Edward III knew his father was still alive for another 14 years, running the risk of Edward the father declaring himself, with his son meanwhile pretending to the world he was dead. There is simply too much speculation built upon speculation built upon the few facts known, sometimes going to ridiculous lengths, for example working out that he died in 1341 simply on the basis of an ambiguous motto from a tournament, "it is as it is". Such speculation is a particular pity when the underlying research is so good.
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LibraryThing member baswood
This is a biography of King Edward III written by a medieval historian but aimed also at the more general reader. The question I asked myself when I started reading was; does it achieve its aims and on coming to the end of a rattling good read I am not really sure. I have recently read other books
Ian Mortimer says in his introduction that "In historical biography to err on the side of caution is still to err" and so the reader of this book can expect to get some controversial points of view and Mortimer does not disappoint. He says that Victorian historians tended to dismiss Edwards III's claims to be a great king on the grounds that he was little more than a warmonger a religious cynic and a brutal thug. A king who indulged in continental wars at the expense of the economic and social welfare of his own country. Mortimer says that he should be judged by medieval standards and that to judge him by modern standards misses the point. He makes a convincing case for Edward III being the perfect king for his times.
So can we judge medieval standards from Mortimer's book? How well does he recreate a medieval scenario.? I think he does this pretty well (although Sumption's better). There are exciting and vivid narrative descriptions of all the major battles. A real feel for the life of a chivalric Knight and courtiers to the king, the intrigue plotting and sheer bare faced powergames that were a part of everday life for the aristocracy are well portrayed. This is juxtaposed with the horrors of a medieval battlefield and the devastation caused by the plague.
The narrative thread is extremely well handled and Mortimer's free flowing technique never gets bogged down. The characters of the King and his family emerge from the history and the Kings declining years are poignantly described.
There is certainly enough here for the committed historian, plenty of notes and appendices and Mortimer's contention that Edward II was not murdered and his continued existence had an effect on his sons kingship gets another airing.
I really enjoyed this superbly written book and I would also say to you lovers of historical novels to give this real history a try.
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about the 14th century most notably The hundred years war trial by battle, Jonathan Sumption and so I know the story and the incidents described were familiar to me. How I would rate this book coming to this period in history for the first time I don't know. (I will have to get my wife Lynn to read it and see what she thinks.)Ian Mortimer says in his introduction that "In historical biography to err on the side of caution is still to err" and so the reader of this book can expect to get some controversial points of view and Mortimer does not disappoint. He says that Victorian historians tended to dismiss Edwards III's claims to be a great king on the grounds that he was little more than a warmonger a religious cynic and a brutal thug. A king who indulged in continental wars at the expense of the economic and social welfare of his own country. Mortimer says that he should be judged by medieval standards and that to judge him by modern standards misses the point. He makes a convincing case for Edward III being the perfect king for his times.
So can we judge medieval standards from Mortimer's book? How well does he recreate a medieval scenario.? I think he does this pretty well (although Sumption's better). There are exciting and vivid narrative descriptions of all the major battles. A real feel for the life of a chivalric Knight and courtiers to the king, the intrigue plotting and sheer bare faced powergames that were a part of everday life for the aristocracy are well portrayed. This is juxtaposed with the horrors of a medieval battlefield and the devastation caused by the plague.
The narrative thread is extremely well handled and Mortimer's free flowing technique never gets bogged down. The characters of the King and his family emerge from the history and the Kings declining years are poignantly described.
There is certainly enough here for the committed historian, plenty of notes and appendices and Mortimer's contention that Edward II was not murdered and his continued existence had an effect on his sons kingship gets another airing.
I really enjoyed this superbly written book and I would also say to you lovers of historical novels to give this real history a try.
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LibraryThing member zen_923
Well-written and very informative. However, the author's attempt to defend his theory that Edward II was not yet dead when Edward III became king was a bit distracting. I also don't like how he would continue to speculate and speculate throughout the book. But overall, I would still recommend this
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book to anyone who wants to know more about Edward III Show Less
LibraryThing member littlebookworm
While the life of Edward III was very interesting, and this biography was very informative, I felt that it was not quite backed up by facts. I would have to read all of Ian Mortimer's sources to find out if he has truly drawn from them, because his documentation is confusing and he makes bold
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statements with little factual evidence. For a popular historian, he also didn't do a terrific job of making the biography readable. It was slow going, which I expect from normal history texts, but not really from a biography intended to appeal to the masses. The biography's good points, though, were in summing up Edward's influences on English kingship and his effect on the nation. He provided a great expanded view, it was merely the details that caused me to question. I would recommend this biography for a general view of Edward III the man and his life, but I would not use it in any academic context because I'm not sure how reliable it is. Show Less
LibraryThing member VictoriaJZ
Interesting, detailed, took forever to read but worth it.
LibraryThing member a1stitcher
A great book to read for some insight into Edward III. The battle descriptions are especially good. Although, I am still chewing on the author's belief that Edward II was not murdered, but survived well into his son's reign hidden away in Europe under the Pope's protection.
This does not read like
This does not read like
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a "dry" non-fiction history. Good stuff. Show Less
Subjects
Language
Physical description
590 p.; 24 inches
ISBN
022407301X / 9780224073011