King Edward I(1239-1307)

Background

Son of Henry III, named after Edward the Confessor

Member of the House of Plantagenet

Succeeded to the throne in 1272, at the age of 33

Nicknamed “Longshanks” because of his immense height

Successful Marriage to Eleanor of Castile

Eleanor Crosses

On Left: Northampton Cross

On Right: The Geddington Cross

Highlights of His Reign

Conquering of Wales

Scottish Wars

Relations with Parliament and the People

Relationship with the Church

Coinage and Trade

Conquering Wales

Took two wars to bring the Welsh under English rule

Conflict with Prince Llywelyn ap Gruffydd

Put down rebellion led by Llywelyn and his brother, Dafydd

Made his surviving eldest son, the future Edward II, the Prince of Wales

Scottish Wars

Peace between England and Scotland since Treaty of Falaise in 1174

Conflict arouse after King Alexander III of Scotland died without a male heir

Two main claimants, Robert Bruce and John Balliol

Edward I agreed to decide the successor as long as the Scottish nobility paid homage to him as overlord of Scotland

The Seal of the Guardians of

Scotland

Papal Bull of Boniface VIII, 1299

Abbreviated translation

Boniface, bishop and servant to the servants of God, sends greeting to the illustrious king of England.

... It may indeed have come to the knowledge of your royal highness, that from ancient times the realm of Scotland belonged rightfully and is known still to belong to the Roman church and is not feudally subject to the kings of the realm of England, nor to you. ... It is not lawful for you to dominate it by force and to subjugate it to your rule, to the prejudice of the Roman church and of no small number of people.

From Confirmatio Cartarum

EDWARD, by the grace of God, King of England, Lord of Ireland, and Duke of Aquitaine, to all those that these present letters shall hear or see, greeting. Know ye that we, to the honour of God and of Holy Church, and to the profit of our realm, have granted for us and our heirs, that the Charter of liberties, and the Charter of the Forest [a], which were made by common assent of all the realm, in the time of King HENRY our father, shall be kept in every point without breach.

From Confirmatio Cartarum

And we will that the same charters shall be sent under our seal, as well to our justices of the forest, as to others, and to all sheriffs of shires, and to all our other officers, and to all our cities throughout the realm, together with our writs, in the which it shall be contained, that they cause the foresaid charters to be published, and to declare to the people that we have confirmed them in all points; and that our justices, sheriffs, mayors, and other ministers, which under us have the laws of our land to guide, shall allow the said charters pleaded before them in judgement in all their points, that is to wit, the Great Charter as the common law [b] and the Charter of the Forest, for the wealth of our realm.

Summons of a Baron to Parliament (1295)

The king to his beloved and faithful relative, Edmund, Earl of Cornwall, greeting. Because we wish to have a consultation and meeting with you and with the rest of the principal men of our kingdom, as to provision for remedies against the dangers which in these days are threatening our whole kingdom; we command you, strictly enjoining you in the fidelity and love in which you are bound to us, that on the Lord's day next after the feast of St. Martin, in the approaching winter, you be present in person at Westminster, for considering, ordaining and doing along with us and with the prelates, and the rest of the principal men and other inhabitants of our kingdom, as may be necessary for meeting dangers of this kind.

Witness the king at Canterbury, the first of October.

Similar summonses were sent to seven earls and forty-one barons.

The Statute of Merchants, 13 Edw. I (1285)

Forasmuch as Merchants, which heretofore have lent their Goods to divers persons, be fallen in poverty, because there is no speedy remedy provided, whereby they may shortly recover their debt at the day of payment; and for this cause, many merchants do refrain to come into the realm with their merchandise, to the damage of such merchants and of all the realm;