A Great and Terrible King

A Great and Terrible King
By Marc Morris
Published in 2008
480 Pages
Thibault’s Score: 3/5

Edward “Longshanks” I is most well known, today, for being the villain in Mel Gibson’s Braveheart. However, from a historical perspective, Braveheart is a terrible movie. In reality, Edward I was not a tyrant - he was a decent king.

Edward’s father, Henry III, was a decent albeit weak king. Henry III was emotionally scarred by his inept father King John’s early death. At 7, Henry III inherited a kingdom torn apart by civil war and on the verge of bankruptcy. His mother fled England, abandoning him. Luckily, he was adopted by an exemplary knight William Marshall who protected him, raised him as his own, and rebuilt England. As a result, Henry III tried his best to avoid the flaws of his own father King John and was a loving - even doting - father to Edward.

In Edward I’s youth, he was noted for being a jouster. Through his jousting, he became a celebrity. He used his celebrity to champion the cause of reform. Henry III’s reign was marked by a continuation of many of the bad and failed policies of King John. As a result, another civil war tore the kingdom apart. Painfully, Edward’s mentor Simon de Montfort joined the rebellion. De Montfort was another incredibly principled and honorable knight, who was a crusader. Edward was torn between joining his mentor, de Montfort’s rebellion which championed the very same reformist principles he stood for; or siding with the crown and his father Henry III. Ultimately he sided with Henry, and de Montfort’s army was crushed and de Montfort was executed.

To atone for his sins, Edward went on crusade. His crusade was useful, and allowed the remnant crusader states to survive for another few years.

After his coronation, Edward found himself at war. He fought two major wars - against Wales and Scotland. He won both, but at great cost. Edward was a great warrior and fighter, the first king since Richard Lionheart to actually be good in battle. This made him relatively liked and popular among his people. He also continued championing some useful reforms during his reign, cutting taxes and solidifying the strength of the Magna Carta.

This book was well written and interesting. For some reason, the late 2000s saw some of the best popular history books I’ve read. I enjoyed it. That being said, it's good but nothing special.

I wouldn’t recommend this book to most people because the topic is too niche. I enjoyed it because I’ve just watched a ton of videos about King John and Henry III, as well as the Magna Carta. It was great for me, but unless you are a specialist, it probably isn’t great for you.

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