Edward I, King of England

b. 1239 at Westminster; d. 1307

Eldest son of Henry III. He was married in 1254 to Eleanor of Castile, and on his marriage was invested with the baronies of Gascony, Ireland, and Wales. During the baronial troubles of his fathers reign, it seemed at first that Edward might side with de Montfort, but from 1259 his loyalty to the King was unswerving. He soon distinguished himself as a soldier, and took a prominent part in the baronial wars. He was blamed for the overthrow of the royalist forces at Lewes, since, by his wild charge which swept the Londoners from the field, he so weakened the royalist forces that on his return from the pursuit he found his father's forces had been defeated, and surrendered. He escaped from prison in 1265, and defeated Simon de Montfort at the battle of Evesham (1265).

From c. 1260 Edward's influence over his father increased steadily. In 1270 he set out on a crusade, and, returning to Europe in 1272, learnt of his father's death. Conditions in England were so stable at the end of Henry's reign that Edward had been recognised as his successor, although absent from the country, without question. He was crowned in 1274, having spent the two intervening years settling affairs in France.

Edward worked to unify the outlying parts of his kingdom. After the second Welsh war, which ended in the overthrow and death of the last Llewellyn (1282), he was able to annex Wales. The Statute of Rhuddlan made Wales an English possession. Between 1284 and 1290 much new legislation was initiated. Edward was determined to be king not only in name but in reality, and all his legislation tended towards that end. His chief measures in this direction were: the abolition of the office of justiciar, leading to the organisation of the three common law courts, the Assize of Winchester (a nation in arms at the disposal of the king), the Statute of Mortmain, and Quia Emptores (a means of preventing subinfuedation).

But Edward's greatest ambition was to bring Scotland under his control. In 1286 Alexander III of Scotland had died, leaving as his heir the Maid of Norway, his granddaughter, who was only two years of age. Edward planned a marriage between the Maid and his son, Edward. The marriage was accepted in Scotland, but in 1290 the Maid died and Scottish affairs became chaotic. Edward, as arbitrator, at Nottingham chose John de Baliol as king of Scotland, out of a dozen claimants, the most prominent of whom was Robert Bruce. Baliol did homage to Edward as his overlord, but the Scottish people, resenting keenly the attitude of Edward, forced Baliol into open rebellion, and Edward invaded Scotland. By the end of 1296 he had reduced Scotland, and at Brechin had forced Baliol to surrender the crown. He appointed his own regents for Scotland and departed southward, taking with him the famous Stone of Destiny. In 1297 Scotland, led by William Wallace, was again in rebellion. Northern England was harried, and at Stirling Surrey and Cressingham were totally defeated. Edward hurried back, and in 1298 overthrew Wallace at Falkirk. Between 1297 and 1306 it seemed that Edward was master of Scotland. In 1305 Wallace was captured and executed, but in the following year Bruce murdered John Comyn, and seized the crown of Scotland. Edward hurried northward, but in July 1307 he died at Burgh-by-Sands.

On Edward's tomb is inscribed Edwardus Primus Malleus Scotorum hic est (Here lies Edward I, The Hammer of the Scots). He may be best described as a man of stern character, jealous of his honour and of what he conceived to be the honour of his kingdom, true to his word when it suited his end, and only then. When it was necessary Edward did not hesitate to break his pledged oath, and his conduct towards the Welsh and Scots was marked by cunning, duplicity and ruthlessness. When he died the prestige of his kingdom was high and its boundaries much extended; but his wars led to heavy taxation and though his success in Wales was lasting his Scottish policy was, in the last resort, indecisive. His 'Model Parliament' of 1295 in which the three estates of the realm were represented is perhaps his most lasting claim to fame. His first wife died in 1290 and in 1299 Edward married Margaret, sister of the King of France.

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