Throughout English history, there have seldom been many kings with the same warrior prowess as King Edward I. Born as the eldest son of King Henry III and his wife Eleanor of Provence in 1239, Edward would go on to rule as king of England from 1272 until his death in 1307. Edward I’s reign was largely characterized by his conflicts with the Scots. He is often thought of as being one of the finest rulers in medieval English history.
Early Life of King Edward I
Edward was born on either the 17th or 18th of June 1239, as the eldest son of King Henry III. Interestingly, Edward was often referred to as Lord Edward prior to his coronation, which was relatively unusual for medieval princes at the time, as so many died before their fathers.
Henry III’s reign is generally remembered as uneventful — although when looking at the bigger picture, this is clearly untrue. Henry oversaw the early construction of Westminster Abbey, as well as the opening of London’s first menagerie at the Tower of London (where it was reported that he had lions and even a polar bear that swam in the River Thames). But there was one stand-out feature of Henry III’s reign that was the most significant: the Baronial Revolts.
How does this relate to Edward? Well, in 1259, Edward openly supported a baronial revolt against his father — something which would surely have put the 20-year-old prince out of the running for kingship. Nevertheless, Edward reconciled with his father, and would also stay loyal to the Crown for the remainder of the conflict.
During the Second Barons’ War (1264-67), at the Battle of Lewes on May 14, 1264, Edward was captured by the rebels and held hostage — yet he did not change his loyalty to the Crown.
In fact, Edward actually escaped after just a few months, and at the Battle of Evesham (August 4th, 1265), a troop of soldiers commanded by Edward on his father’s behalf captured and killed Simon de Montfort, the leader of the rebellious barons.
By 1267, the rebellion had been extinguished, and Edward was held in high regard by his contemporaries.
With England back at peace, Edward left the country in 1270 to join the Ninth Crusade, which in English history is sometimes referred to as “Lord Edward’s Crusade” — one of the last attempts at a traditional crusade in the Middle Ages.
While he was making his return from the Holy Land in 1272, he was informed of his father’s death, after 56 years on the throne.
However, knowing his position as king was secured, Edward made no rush to hurry back to England and claim the crown, delaying his return and eventually arriving back in England almost two years later, when his coronation was held at Westminster Abbey on August 19, 1274.
Edward’s Early Reign: Welsh Troubles
In addition to his frosty relations with Scotland, Edward was also not on good terms with the Welsh.
In particular, Llewellyn ap Gryffyd was a thorn in England’s — and Edward’s side. He refused to do homage to Edward, and then he planned on marrying Eleanor de Montfort — daughter of the former rebellious baron, Simon.
In October 1276, Edward declared war against Llewellyn ap Gryffyd. Remarkably, Llwellyn actually had little support for his cause in Wales: 9,000 out of Edward’s 15,000-strong army were Welshmen. While the campaign never resulted in an actual battle, Llwellyn knew he had little choice left but to surrender, and in November 1277 he did, although he was still allowed to use the title “Prince of Wales.”
War broke out again in 1282, but this time it was really war: the Welsh had united behind the banner of national identity, and it was up to Edward I to put this rebellion down.
One of the most significant moments came at the Battle of Orewin Bridge on December 11, 1282, when Llewellyn ap Gryffyd was killed, thus putting an end to Welsh autonomy. However, the war was far from over.
In June 1283, Dafydd, Llewellyn’s younger brother, was captured and executed as a traitor the following autumn — Edward I ordered his head to be publicly displayed on London Bridge.
From 1283 onward, Edward began to establish his military presence in Wales — in the process, building some of the finest castles of the age, which still stand today; Caernarfon and Conwy were just two of the castles built on Edward I’s instruction.
Significantly, his youngest son, Edward (who would go on to rule as King Edward II of England) was born at Caernarfon Castle in 1284. This made a statement to the Welsh — that this was land that now belonged to the English Crown. Edward II was also the first monarch to be given the title Prince of Wales, a tradition that continues to this day.
The Death of Eleanor
In 1254, Edward I married Eleanor of Castile, and the couple had a happy and fruitful marriage — producing 14 children (some estimates put this figure at 16), with five daughters surviving into adulthood and one son.
In 1290, Eleanor died, and unlike many medieval monarchs, Edward I genuinely loved his wife and grieved her death. Throughout the country, he had so-called “Eleanor Crosses” built in her memory, one at each place that her funeral cortege stopped at during the funeral proceedings.
He would eventually go on to remarry, this time marrying Margaret of France, daughter of King Philip III of France, as a peace treaty measure in 1299.
The Expulsion of the Jews
That same year, Edward I issued what was called the Edict of Expulsion, which ordered that all Jews in England were to be expelled: it was issued on July 18, 1290.
This is significant as it was the first time that a European state had expelled Jews. The Jews had to leave England by November 1st (All Saints’ Day) and were allowed to leave the country with cash and personal possessions. However, all outstanding debts, and synagogues, were forfeited to the Crown.
The Edict remained in force for a staggering 365 years and was only overturned in 1656 under the Protectorate of Oliver Cromwell when he permitted the resettlement of the Jews.
The Scottish Issue
1290 had been a huge year not just for Edward I, but for the British Isles as a whole. Yet arguably, the biggest event of 1290 was still to come.
Edward I’s son, Prince Edward, had been betrothed to marry Margaret, Maid of Norway, when they were both children. Margaret was the daughter of King Eric II of Norway, who himself was married to Margaret of Scotland, Edward I’s niece.
The two were supposed to marry, although a strong storm sank the ship that Margaret, Maid of Norway, was on while on her way from Norway to Scotland, landing a huge dynastic blow to the futures of both Scotland and England.
With the Scottish throne having no heir presumptive (King Alexander III’s only other child was posthumous), Edward I was invited to dispute the succession.
He claimed “sovereign lordship of Scotland,” and in 1292, Edward and his supporters gave the crown to John Balliol as the claimant closest to the royal line.
This began what was known as the Anglo-Scottish Wars.
The Early Anglo-Scottish Wars
In 1294, Balliol lost his authority over the Scottish magnates by going to Westminster after Edward had summoned him there, so the magnates turned to France to seek to relight the “Auld Alliance” — which would effectively stay in place for the next three centuries.
Edward led a force to Berwick-upon-Tweed in March 1296, and a month later Balliol renounced his homage to Edward. The English began to besiege the town of Berwick and various southern Scottish settlements, including Edinburgh, where the Stone of Scone — which had been used to crown Scottish monarchs for hundreds of years was stolen. It was not sent back until 1996.
Balliol spent the rest of his life in exile, but as with Wales in his earlier reign, Edward did not stop there. Interestingly, he never built great stone castles like he had done in Wales, partly because his money had begun to run out.
William Wallace: Edward I’s Nemesis
In order to fill the gap that Balliol had left, one of the most famous names in Scottish history emerged: William Wallace.
Following the Scottish victory at the Battle of Stirling Bridge on September 11, 1297, William Wallace was appointed Guardian of Scotland. He would stay in this role until his defeat at Falkirk a year later.
Following his defeat at the Battle of Falkirk on July 22, 1298, William Wallace resigned as Guardian of Scotland, but Edward I’s ruthless pursuit of him was far from over.
Wallace was finally captured in 1305, where he was brought down to London to answer King Edward I for his treasonous behavior. Wallace faced the shocking medieval punishment of being hanged, drawn and quartered, for committing high treason against the English Crown.
For many Scottish people, Wallace was seen as a martyr and a national hero — and he still is to this day.
Edward I’s Last Years
Following the capture and execution of William Wallace in 1305, Edward I’s health began to decline. A year earlier, in 1304, a council had been established in Scotland to discuss the future of Scotland and any settlements. One of the counselors had a name that would become just as famous as William Wallace’s in Scottish history: Robert the Bruce.
In 1306, Bruce rebelled and killed a fellow counselor, and was crowned King of Scotland at Scone.
Edward’s health was on the decline, but being the warrior king that he was, he was carried north to wage war against Bruce. However, while en route to Scotland, the aging Edward I could not make it, and died in Cumberland on July 7, 1307, aged 68. He was succeeded by his son, Edward, who would go on to become King Edward II of England.
Edward I’s Legacy
Without a doubt, Edward I was one of the greatest warrior kings in English history. His reign was characterized by one word: war. Whether it was putting down a rebellion in Wales, or attempting to stop the Scottish rising up, Edward I is surely at the top of any list of great English warrior kings.
However, while some historians view his son’s legacy as damning when compared to that of his father, it is important to realize that Edward I did not leave the country in the best state possible for his son, regardless of how poorly Edward II’s reign is deemed to this day.
Nevertheless, Edward I should be remembered as a great warrior king, at least from an English perspective.
