Unlike England, Welsh law divides inheritance between the sons and even recognizes illegitimate heirs. Wales is an autonomous kingdom with its own customs and laws, misunderstood by the English government. The Prince of Wales, Llewelyn ap Gruffydd, holds a tentative grip on his lands and people. Generations of English kings have sought to capture bordering Wales and Edward soon declares war there as well. He rules England as a tyrant cruel, cunning, and viewed by all as empowered by God's blessings. When he finally takes the throne, he seeks to expand England's borders. King Edward rules England from the shadows, impatiently waiting for King Henry's death. Prince Edward ascends the throne of England after his father's death and is called the greatest warrior in all of Christendom because of his defeat of the brilliant militant Simon de Montfort. He rebels against the king and is defeated by the king's son, Prince Edward. Simon de Montfort is the Earl of Leicester, and brother-in-law of the English King Henry. The novel begins in the Evesham Abbey in England in January of 1271, five years after Simon de Montfort dies in the battle of Evesham. The Reckoning by Sharon Kay Penman is a work of historical fiction detailing the relationship between England and Wales between the years of 12.
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