Edward I was born on June 17, 1239, the eldest son of King Henry III and Eleanor of Provence. His early years were marked by the turbulence of a kingdom still wrestling with the legacy of Magna Carta. Unlike his bookish father, Edward developed a love for war and governance, training as a knight and learning to lead men from a young age. These lessons in power and conflict would define his reign as one of England’s most formidable kings.

Richard II, crowned at just ten years old, believed deeply in the divine right of kings. His dramatic reign was marked by rebellion, political intrigue, and a fateful clash with his cousin Henry Bolingbroke. Deposed and later immortalized by Shakespeare, Richard’s story is a powerful reminder of how fragile power can be—and how history remembers more than just victories.