"This is the first major biography for a generation of a truly formidable king - a man born to rule England, who believed that it was his right to rule all of Britain. His reign was one of the most dramatic of the Middle Ages, leading to war and conquest on an unprecedented scale, and leaving a legacy of division between the peoples of Britain that has lasted from his day to our own." "In this book, Marc Morris examines afresh the forces that drove Edward throughout his relentless career: his character, his faith, and his sense of England's destiny - a sense shaped in particular by the tales of the legendary King Arthur. He also explores the competing reasons that led Edward's opponents (including Llywelyn ap Gruffudd and Robert Bruce) to resist him, and the very different societies that then existed in Scotland, Wales and Ireland. 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."--BOOK JACKET.

1. A Saint in Name -- 2. The Family Feud -- 3. Civil Peace and Holy War -- 4. The Return of the King -- 5. The Disobedient Prince -- 6. Arthur's Crown -- 7. Peaceful Endeavours -- 8. The Great Cause -- 9. The Struggle for Mastery -- 10. Uniting the Kingdom? -- 11. A Lasting Vengeance -- 12. A Great and Terrible King.