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The Three Edwards Thomas B Costain 9780445081864 Books

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The Three Edwards Thomas B Costain 9780445081864 Books

Excellent, concise book for anyone interested in the careers of these three English kings: Edward I, Edward II, and Edward III. Edward I -- who was portrayed so brilliantly (and wickedly) by Patrick McGoohan in "Braveheart" -- annexed Scotland after a complex series of political and military maneuvers and thereby won the title "Malleus Scotorum," "the Hammer of the Scots." Edward II, Edward I's ineffectual son, subsequently lost Scotland to Robert the Bruce's forces, at the Battle of Bannockburn, and scandalized his aristocracy by his blatant favoritism to a series of male favorites, most notably Piers Gaveston. (See Christopher Marlowe's "Edward II" for the details of these scandals.) Edward III plunged England and France into the Hundred Years' Wars, beginning with the Battle of Crecy and ending with a series of English defeats by an increasingly nationalistic France, thanks to Joan of Arc. It's all in Costain's THE THREE EDWARDS, and while some of the material seems somewhat dated, Costain's vigorous style carries the book through the reigns of the three monarchs.


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The Three Edwards Thomas B Costain 9780445081864 Books Reviews

Enjoyed reading details and background information put together by a credible historian. It is clear that the author, Thomas Costain, thoroughly researched the period before putting pen to paper. I will go back and read again. Also ordered many of Constain's other works.
This is one of the best series of English history
This is a fantastic, well-researched book on Kings Edward I, II, and the III by the dean of historical writers, Costain. It is a must for students of the Plantagenet age, genealogists and historical novelists. Beautifully written and full of detail.
This brings history to life.
There are four books in this series, The Conquering Family, The Magnificant Century, The Three Edwards, and The Last Plantagents. This series covers English history from William the Conquerer to Richard the third. Costain writes history like a novel which I personally love. I know that some people object to his approach but I personally feel that the characters of the past come alive and the history is accurate.

The Three Edwards covers the reign of Edward the first through Edward the third. All history books should be this pleasurable to read. This should be in the library of all fans of English history.
All history books should be written as well as Thomas Costain's "The Three Edwards." A comprehensive guide to the lives and labors of the great warrior kings Edward I and Edward III and the screw-up, Edward II, who ruled in between them, this book unfolds more like an easy-to-read and hard-to-put-down novel. Divided into short, easily manageable and well-organized chapters, it covers everything from the marriages of the kings and their children, the political highs and lows of their reigns, the manner of their deaths and the major battles of their wars. Many books about this era are hard to follow if you don't already have a good working knowledge of the time period. Costain avoids this problem by telling you who the people are, what they looked and acted liked, and why they are important to the story, helping you keep track of them by reminding you when he's spoken of them before, and generally describing the people so well that they don't just become a series of names that you can't keep track of. Although he obviously admires Edward I, has disdain for Edward II, and seems to be neutral toward Edward III, to whom about half the book is devoted, he is careful to point out both the good and bad in each of their characters and to place their actions in the context of their times. Plenty of space is given to the kings' ministers, merchants, wives and families, and to those of the Scottish and French rulers with whom the Edwards were at constant war, including Robert the Bruce, William Wallace, John Balliol, Philip the Fair, Jean the Good, and Charles the Bald.

One of the things I love about this book is that Costain shares so many of the great rumors and stories that passed down over the ages (such as Edward I promising the Welsh that he will give them a prince that speaks no English or French and then appointing his newborn son to the post), simply because they are great stories, while taking pains to point out why they can't be true. You can almost feel Costain winking at you as he relates the tales. Another great aspect of the book is that he devotes substantial time to the women of the period, who are generally ignored in most books on the middle ages. Edward II's wife, Isabella of France, is examined in detail, as is Eleanor of Castille, the first and beloved wife of Edward I whose death moved him to erect eleven costly stone crosses to her memory.

This book presents a very comprehensive overview of the lives and works of the three kings and is a great starting place for those who know very little about their lives, or a great review for those who've read much about them. You won't get every tiny bit of detail about Edward III's famous battles of Sluys, Crecy and Poitiers here that is found in, for instance, Jonathon Sumption's books on the Hundred Years War, but they are all well-summarized, and Costain includes many important details such as numbers of foot and mounted soldiers on each side, terrain, battle tactics and formations, and number of casualties as well as political motivations. Given the length of the book, there is a surprising wealth of detail packed into every page, including such wonderful tidbits as the origin of the word "blanket," which came from the name of Thomas Blanket, an early English manufacturer of the item.

In the last few months I have read over two dozen books on the middle ages, and this had been by far the most informative and enjoyable, the one book that really makes the events of the period come alive and the people seem to be actual people of flesh and blood, rather than just an amalgam of their deeds and accomplishments. I can't recommend this book highly enough.
While I agree with the naysayers who already have reviewed this work, I believe they miss the point. This is exciting writing, presenting vivid characters, and giving the reader enough information on many famous incidents in English history to arrive at one's own conclusions. Costain's prudishness about homosexuality does not prevent him from presenting the facts that led to Edward II's downfall. He presents myths and anecdotes with context so we can decide for ourselves. His sweeping judgments of bad and great are not always justified by the information that follows. That does not detract from his work, in my opinion, because the reader can argue with his conclusions. Along the way, Costain's attention to how the royal households are managed, the significance of increasing trade, the plight of the lower classes, and daily life, make the reader a tourist to the times. After reading Costain's reports on the thirteenth century, much of the incidental detail in Follett's "World Without End" becomes that much more believable.
Excellent, concise book for anyone interested in the careers of these three English kings Edward I, Edward II, and Edward III. Edward I -- who was portrayed so brilliantly (and wickedly) by Patrick McGoohan in "Braveheart" -- annexed Scotland after a complex series of political and military maneuvers and thereby won the title "Malleus Scotorum," "the Hammer of the Scots." Edward II, Edward I's ineffectual son, subsequently lost Scotland to Robert the Bruce's forces, at the Battle of Bannockburn, and scandalized his aristocracy by his blatant favoritism to a series of male favorites, most notably Piers Gaveston. (See Christopher Marlowe's "Edward II" for the details of these scandals.) Edward III plunged England and France into the Hundred Years' Wars, beginning with the Battle of Crecy and ending with a series of English defeats by an increasingly nationalistic France, thanks to Joan of Arc. It's all in Costain's THE THREE EDWARDS, and while some of the material seems somewhat dated, Costain's vigorous style carries the book through the reigns of the three monarchs.