Edward Longshanks - the Hammer of the Scots - was grief-stricken after the death of his first wife. But he finds new love with Margaret, sister of the French King. And heartache with his son Ned.

Mike Walker's trilogy - inspired by Holinshed's Chronicles.

Stars Philip Jackson as Edward the First, Ellie Kendrick as Margaret, Sam Troughton as Ned, Simon Bubb as Gaveston, James Lailey as Wallace and Jonathan Forbes as Roger Bigod.

With Sean Baker, Brian Bowles, Nyasha Hatendi, Stuart McLoughlin, Joanna Monro, Peter Polycarpou, Daniel Rabin, Alun Raglan and Jane Whittenshaw.

Directed by Jeremy Mortimer and Jessica Dromgoole.

These plays tell the story of the birth of a new Europe after the dark ages. The issues of control, of freedom, of belief, above all, perhaps, the temptations of power which are so familiar to us now were new to an age which had no template for domination on this scale.

First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in 2011. Show less