Robert De Medewe

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Witnesham or Hasketon, Suffolk, England

General Notes

From Lively Roots:

"Robert Demedewe was born about 1290. When I read that I wondered about the date. The number doesn't tell me much, only that it was a long time ago. What went on in Robert's neighborhood? And where was his neighborhood? We were unable to find the exact location of Witnesham, but Suffolk is a "county" near London on the most eastern portion of land jutting into the English Channel.

So, what was going on back then? The Scottish War of Independence was in progress, 1286-1371. King Edward's wife died in November of 1290. Parliament was formed and met for the first time in 1275, a large step towards civil order. In 1297 William Wallace defeated the English at Stirling Bridge and in 1298 King Edward brought the full weight of the English military on William Wallace and the Scot Army. Marco Polo was still in China in 1290.

But this is much too condensed. We have found some items of historical significance covering the decade from 1290 to 1300. We list these as follows:

1290 - 1. Teutonic Knights end a 30 year effort to control the Prussians. 2. England is on the verge of bankruptcy and expels all Jewish Bankers and writes off all debts to them. The Medicis of Italy serve to replace the Jewish bankers. 3. Eleanor, wife of King Edward dies.

1291 - 1. Expulsion of Christian Crusaders from Syria. 2. King Edward is asked to mediate Scottish claims and grievances; a prelude to war.

1292 - 1. Marco Polo begins his return journey to Europe. The Polos arrive at the island of Java then sail for eighteen months in the Indian Ocean. 2. King Edward selects John Balliol as the new King of Scotland.

1293 - 1. The Polos arrive in Persia then sails on to "Trebizond" on the southern coast of the Black Sea where they are robbed and stripped of anything with value.

1294 - 1. Kublai Khan dies at age 80. 2. May of 1294 finds King Philip IV of France confiscating Gascony and relations with France turn for the worse. Edward asks Parliament for funds to pay an army but local conflicts with the Scots and Welsh prevent approval of the request.

1295 - 1. Marco Polo narrated his travels to master Rustigielo, a citizen of Piza. Marco Polo is in prison at the time. 2. In October the Scots make an alliance with France and Edward declares war on both. Parliament agrees to raise the money for an army.

1296 - 1. King Edward takes his army into Scotland and defeats the Scots led by Balliol, the person he had placed on the Scottish throne, then Edward removes the 458 pound Stone of Scone on which Scottish kings were crowned, from Scotland and places it in Westminster where it remained until 1996.

1297 - 1. Believing he had solved his Scottish problems, King Edward sails for France to regain Gascony, which he does through a treaty with King Philip. 2. William Wallace raises an army of Scots and defeats the English at Stirling Bridge.

1298 - 1. Albert of Austria defeats Adolph of Nassua near Worms, Germany. 2. King Edward bring to bear the strength of the English Army on William Wallace and defeats the Scots at Falkirk. 3. Marco Polo describes the use of paper money in China.

1299 - 1. The Travels of Marco Polo is published. 2. William Wallace escapes to France.

1303 - 1. King Edward invades Scotland intent on bringing a quick end to his Scottish problems.

1305 - 1. William Wallace returns and is captured near Glasgow. He is executed in August.

The North American continent is unknown, and the great age of exploration and discovery has yet to take place."

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