Known to posterity as Scottorum Malleus - the Hammer of the Scots - Edward I was one of medieval England's most formidable rulers. In this meticulously researched new history, David Santiuste offers a fresh interpretation of Edward's military career, with a particular focus on his Scottish wars. This is in part a study of personality: Edward was a remarkable man. His struggles with tenacious opponents - including Robert the Bruce and William Wallace - have become the stuff of legend.There is a clear and perceptive account of important military events, notably the Battle of Falkirk, but the narrative also encompasses the wider impact of Edward's campaigns. He attempted to mobilize resources - including men, money and supplies - on an unprecedented scale. His wars affected people at all levels of society, throughout the British Isles.David Santiuste builds up a vivid and convincing description of Edward's campaigns in Scotland, whilst also exploring the political background. Edward emerges as a man of great conviction, who sought to bend Scotland to his will, yet also, on occasion, as a surprisingly beleaguered figure. He is presented here as the central character in a turbulent world, as commander and king.

Robert de Bruce, scion of one of the most noble houses in Scotland, is propelled into rebellion by the "Hammer of the Scots." Edward Plantagenet, king of England, who uses Scotland's inherently unstable clan system to seize power and claim the disunited country as his own.

Readers of Philippa Gregory will love this gripping account of Edward I and his private and political battles by multi-million copy and international bestselling author Jean Plaidy. 'Outstanding' -- Vanity Fair 'Full-blooded, dramatic, exciting' -- Observer 'Jean Plaidy conveys the texture of various patches of the past with such rich complexity' - Guardian 'An inspired blending of history and imagination' -- **** Reader review 'A must read' -- **** Reader review 'History at its best' -- **** Reader review 'A pleasure to read' -- **** Reader review 'Powerful stuff' -- **** Reader review ******************************************************************************* The news of Henry III's death reached his son Edward on the long road home from the Holy Land. Now he was England's king and a man fit for his destiny. Through all the years of his reign, through stark personal tragedy and chill forebodings as his son grew into a weak, corrupted price, Edward I strove to weld a nation united from England, Scotland and Wales. When the mighty Wallace raised the Scots in arms and the Welsh Llewellyn strove for power, Edward stood firm to his resolve, still knowing in his heart how much would be lost when his crown passed down to his dissolute son ...

*Includes pictures *Includes accounts of battles fought between Edward Longshanks, William Wallace and Robert the Bruce *Includes online resources and a bibliography for further reading *Includes a table of contents "By God, Sir Earl, either go or hang." - Edward Longshanks From their very beginnings, England and Scotland fought each other. Emerging as unified nations from the early medieval period, their shared border and inter-related aristocracy created endless causes of conflict, from local raiders known as border reivers to full blown wars between their monarchies. Every century from the 11th to the 16th was colored by such violence, and there were periods when not a decade went by without some act of violence marring the peace. Out of all of this, the most bitterly remembered conflict is Edward I's invasion during the late 13th century. Eventually beaten back after Edward's death at the famous Battle of Bannockburn in 1314, this was the period of some of Scotland's greatest national heroes, including William Wallace and Robert the Bruce. It still resonates in the Scottish national memory, all the more so following its memorable but wildly inaccurate depiction in the 1995 film Braveheart, which had Scottish audiences cheering in cinemas. Though the fondly remembered heroes of this war are Scottish, the man who defined it was an English monarch, a man whose ruthless efficiency and brutality would earn him the title Hammer of the Scots. This was, for better or for worse, Edward I's war. The Hammer of the Scots: The History and Legacy of Edward Longshanks' Conquest of Scotland analyzes the history behind the fighting between Edward and Scottish leaders like William Wallace. Along with pictures of important people, places, and events, you will learn about Edward Longshanks and the conquest of Scotland like never before, in no time at all.

The first major biography of a truly formidable king, whose reign was one of the most dramatic and important of the entire Middle Ages, leading to war and conquest on an unprecedented scale. Edward I is familiar to millions as "Longshanks," conqueror of Scotland and nemesis of Sir William Wallace (in "Braveheart"). Yet that story forms only the final chapter of the king's action-packed life. Earlier, Edward had defeated and killed Simon de Montfort in battle; traveled to the Holy Land; conquered Wales, extinguishing its native rulers and constructing a magnificent chain of castles. He raised the greatest armies of the Middle Ages and summoned the largest parliaments; notoriously, he expelled all the Jews from his kingdom. The longest-lived of England's medieval kings, Edward fathered fifteen children with his first wife, Eleanor of Castile and, after her death, erected the Eleanor Crosses—the grandest funeral monuments ever fashioned for an English monarch. In this book, Marc Morris examines afresh the forces that drove Edward throughout his relentless career: his character, his Christian faith, and his sense of England's destiny—a sense shaped largely by the tales of the legendary King Arthur. Morris also explores the competing reasons that led Edward's opponents (including Robert Bruce) to resist him. The result is a sweeping story, immaculately researched yet compellingly told, and a vivid picture of medieval Britain at the moment when its future was decided.