The Perfect King: The Life of Edward III, Father of the English Nation - Ian Mortimer
The Perfect King: The Life of Edward III, Father of the English Nation - Ian Mortimer
Non-Fiction
Pages: 560
I've never really known that much about Edward III: his reign was always sort of sandwiched between my interest in Henry III and Edward I and Simon de Montfort, and Richard II and John of Gaunt. It's a shame really, because reading this book really made me see what an important king he was and how much he contributed not only to the monarchy but to England itself.
'The father of the English nation' isn't entirely superlative; one could argue quite cogently that it was under Edward that England really came together under a common identity, fighting for their king and their country's glory, rather than the more traditional knightly pursuit of individual honour and glory. He was one of the first kings to really give the English people an identity and a common goal, admittedly in the conquest of France.
His reign also heralded one of the longest stretches of peace within England that the country had ever known, again largely a result of exporting the conflict with France to French soil - the more form of defence being offence and all that. He raised England's standing within the international community as a result, setting new standards of royal pageantry and glory in a conscious echo of the court of King Arthur. He was the first to set warfare on the path to modernity by using recognisably modern tactics, not to mention the championing of guns and cannons.
Ian Mortimer is one of my favourite historians - I have yet to come across a book of his I haven't thoroughly enjoyed. His theory on the survival of Edward II (which he explores in more detail in his book on Roger Mortimer) and whilst I'm a little hesitant about hanging such much of the understanding and exploration of Edward III's character on such a theory, it certainly makes for fascinating and enjoyable reading!
Non-Fiction
Pages: 560
I've never really known that much about Edward III: his reign was always sort of sandwiched between my interest in Henry III and Edward I and Simon de Montfort, and Richard II and John of Gaunt. It's a shame really, because reading this book really made me see what an important king he was and how much he contributed not only to the monarchy but to England itself.
'The father of the English nation' isn't entirely superlative; one could argue quite cogently that it was under Edward that England really came together under a common identity, fighting for their king and their country's glory, rather than the more traditional knightly pursuit of individual honour and glory. He was one of the first kings to really give the English people an identity and a common goal, admittedly in the conquest of France.
His reign also heralded one of the longest stretches of peace within England that the country had ever known, again largely a result of exporting the conflict with France to French soil - the more form of defence being offence and all that. He raised England's standing within the international community as a result, setting new standards of royal pageantry and glory in a conscious echo of the court of King Arthur. He was the first to set warfare on the path to modernity by using recognisably modern tactics, not to mention the championing of guns and cannons.
Ian Mortimer is one of my favourite historians - I have yet to come across a book of his I haven't thoroughly enjoyed. His theory on the survival of Edward II (which he explores in more detail in his book on Roger Mortimer) and whilst I'm a little hesitant about hanging such much of the understanding and exploration of Edward III's character on such a theory, it certainly makes for fascinating and enjoyable reading!