The perfect king : the life of Edward III : father of the English nation

SUMMARY: Most people have heard of the Stauffenberg Plot - the attempt to kill Hitler launched by the German Resistance Movement on 20 July 1944. But it is not widely known that this was only one of a long series of similar attacks. Killing Hitler is an account of the surprisingly numerous attempts on the life of Adolf Hitler.The Germans, Soviets, Poles and British all made plans to kill the Fuhrer. Lone gunmen, disaffected German officers and the Polish Underground, the Soviet NKVD and the British 'Special Operations Executive' were all involved. Their methods varied from bombing, poisoning or using a sniper, to infiltrating the SS, or even sending Rudolf Hess back to Germany under hypnosis. Many of the plans did not make it beyond the drawing board, some were carried out. All of them failed.Alongside the dramatic and largely unknown stories of Hitler's numerous assassins, this book presents a fascinating investigation of a number of broader issues, such as the complex motives of the German Resistance, the curious squeamishness of the British, and the effectiveness of the Nazi security apparatus.Drawing on memoirs and original archival sources in Poland, Germany, Russia and Britain, Killing Hitler offers a unique perspective on the history of the Third Reich. Hitler's would-be assassins ranged from simple craftsmen to high-ranking soldiers, from the apolitical to the ideologically obsessed, and from enemy agents to his closest associates. Few of these men and women are known to history. This is their story. It is the story of their plans, their motives and their failures. But it is also an account of the remarkable survival of a tyrant. "He ordered his uncle to be beheaded; he usurped his father's throne; he taxed his people more than any other previous king, and he started a war which lasted to more than a hundred years. Yet for centuries Edward III (1312-77) was celebrated as the most brilliant of all Englisn monarchs, and thee hundred years after his death it was said that his kingship was perhaps the greatest that the world has ever known." "In this first full study of his character and life, Ian Mortimer shows how Edward personally provided the impetus for much of the drama of his fifty-year reign. Edward overcame the tyranny of his guardians at the age of seventeen and then set about developing a new form of awe-inspiring chivalric kingship. Under him the feudal kingdom of England became a highly organised nation, capable of raising large revenues and deploying a new type of warfare, culminating in the crushing victory over the French at Crecy. Yet under his rule England also experienced its longest period of domestic peace in the middle ages, giving rise to a massive increase of the nation's wealth through the wool trade, with huge consequences for society, art and architecture. It is to Edward that England owes its system of parliamentary representation, its local justice system, its national flag and the recognition of English as the language of the nation." "Nineteenth-century historians saw in Edward the opportunity to decry a warmonger, and painted him as a self-seeking, rapacious, tax-gathering conequeror. Yet as this book shows, beneath the strong warrior king was a compassionate, conscientious and often merciful man - resolute yet devoted to his wife, friends and family. He emerges as a strikingly modern figure, to whom many will be able to relate - the father of both the English people and the English nation."--Jacket In This First Full Study Of His Character And Life, Ian Mortimer Shows How Edward Iii Personally Provided The Impetus For Much Of The Drama Of His Fifty-year Reign. Under Him The Feudal Kingdom Of England Became A Highly Organised, Sophisticated Nation, Without Question The Most Important Military Nation In Europe. Yet Under His Rule England Also Experienced Its Longest Period Of Domestic Peace In The Middle Ages, Giving Rise To A Massive Increase Of The Nation's Wealth Through The Wool Trade, With Huge Consequences For Society, Art And Architecture. It Is To Edward That The British Owe Their System Of Parliamentary Representation, The Local Justice System, The National Flag And The English Language As The 'tongue Of The Nation'. Nineteenth Century Historians Painted Edward As A Self-seeking, Rapacious, Tax-gathering Conqueror. Yet As This Book Shows, Beneath The Strong Warrior King Was A Compassionate, Conscientious And Often Merciful Man Resolute Yet Devoted To His Wife, Friends And Family. He Emerges As A Strikingly Modern Figure, To Whom Many Will Be Able To Relate The Father Of Both The English Nation And The English People. Ian Mortimer. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 441-514) And Index. Few leaders have been the targets of so many assassinations attempts; German historians have identified 42 plots on Hitler's life. Twenty of the would-be assassins are chronicled here. They range from simple craftsmen to high-ranking soldiers, from the apolitical to the ideologically obsessed, and from enemy agents to his closest associates. Moorhouse writes that, for the most part, they are unknown. One was Maurice Bavaud, who never got close enough to Hitler to shoot him. Bavaud was guillotined in 1941. Georg Elser began to plot Hitler's murder in 1938. In 1939, Elser triggered a bomb that killed eight people and injured 62 others, but Hitler had already left the building. Moorehouse describes the would-be killers' plans, motives, and--inevitably--their failures. The book also tells the story of Hitler's survival. Moorehouse's documentation and analysis of this comprehensive history will keep readers interested to the end He ordered his uncle to be beheaded, and usurped his father’s throne. Yet under his rule, England experienced its longest period of domestic peace in the Middle Ages. In this first full biography of Edward III (1327-77), he emerges as the father of the English nation and the English people.