King Edward I (1239 - 1307)

Edward I was born on 17 June 1239 at Westminster Palace. His parents were King Henry II and Eleanor of Provence.

Edward became king on 20 November 1272 when he was 33.

He was crowned on 19 August 1274 at Westminster Abbey after he returned from the Ninth Crusade.

During the Second Barons War, Edward led the royal forces against Simon de Montfort who had imprisoned Edward's father. De Montfort was defeated in 1265. Henry III was suffering from ill health so Edward then acted as regent until his father died.

Battle of Evesham

Edward I took part in the Ninth Crusade from 1271-1272. and was on a crusade when he succeeded to the throne. Edward and his crusader forces arrived at Acre on May 9th in 1271. They carried out a series of raids and helped stop an attack on the city in December. Edward started negotiating a truce which was agreed to in May 1272.

As king in England, Edward had many other battles to fight.

In 1282 King Edward I and his troops invaded north Wales ending Welsh independence in 1284.

When Alexander III died without an immediate heir in 1287 there followed a period of leadership uncertainty in Scotland.

Initially Edward held power in Scotland and in 1292 chose John Balliol to be the new King of Scotland although the Scots, under William Wallace and Robert the Bruce, fiercely resisted actual conquest.

In 1295 John Balliol reneged on his allegiance to Edward and signed an alliance with King Philip IV of France.

Eventually Edward I became known as the Hammer of the Scots because of his determination to assert his rule in Scotland.

King Edward the warrior - statue at Burgh-by-Sands, Cumbria

In 1296 Edward invaded Scotland, defeated the Scots at Dunbar and deposed Balliol. Edward was once again in control in Scotland. The Stone of Scone was removed to Westminster Abbey in London.

The Scots then rose against English rule in 1297 and, led by William Wallace, defeated King Edward I at the Battle of Stirling Bridge. The following year Edward invaded Scotland again and defeated William Wallace at the Battle of Falkirk.

Robert Bruce was crowned Robert I, King of Scotland, in 1306. Edward I attempted to invade Scotland again in 1307, but died when he was travelling north with his troops.

Edward's reign saw the move towards the modern form of Parliament with the Model Parliament of 1295.

Castles including the northern Welsh Conway castle, Caernarvon castle, Beaumaris castle, and Harlech castle were built during Edward's reign. He was also responsible for building bastides (walled towns) to defend the English position in France.

Caernarvon castle.

Edward I married Eleanor of Castile in November 1254 and they had at least 14 children. Five daughters and one son who became Edward II lived to be adults, When Eleanor died in 1290, Edward arranged the creation of a series of Eleanor crosses commemorating her life and the journey taken to bring her body back to London for burial.

In 1299 Edward I married Margaret, daughter of Philip III of France and they had three children.

King Edward I died on 7 July 1307 in Cumbria, aged 68 years. He was buried at Westminster Abbey. Edward was king of England for 34 years.