W M Ormrod: 2 books

The fifty-year reign of one of England's most charismatic leaders is assessed in this lucid and incisive work. W.M. Ormrod traces Edward's life from his birth, when the very future of the monarchy in England was under threat, to his death when he was regarded throughout Europe as the very model of an ideal monarch.

The kings and queens of England have an enduring hold over the cultural psyche of the British. Whether it’s William the Conqueror’s slaying of Harold Godwinson, King John’s mythic badness, or Henry VIII’s readiness to behead his unfortunate wives, these monarchs hold both legendary and symbolic...