General Notes

Edward I, King of England, surnamed Longshanks.  As prince he was leader of a reconstituted royalist party, with a more liberal and national spirit, and in 1264 took part in the fighting between the King and the barons.  He was taken prisoner at Lewes, but escaped and defeated Simon de Montfort, Earl of Leicester.  For the rest of his father's reign he controlled policy and appropriated enough of Leicester's ideals not to make the royalist restoration a reaction.  He engaged in a crusade in 1272, reaching the city of Acre, and was crowned on his return home in 1274.  At the beginning of his reign he devoted his attention to legislation, based on the principle that to be successful his policy must be popular.  From 1275 to 1290 nearly every year was marked by the enacting of an important law.  The general effect of his work was to eliminate feudalism in political life, to limit church courts to ecclesiastical matters, and to stop the sending of tribute to Rome.  In 1295 he convoked what has been called the Model Parliament, because it first illustrated the type which was to be perpetuated in all subsequent Parliaments. In foreign policy he was energetic.  Llewelyn, Prince of Wales, continued to evade doing homage and Edward invaded that country in 1277, forcing Llewelyn to surrender.  In 1282 he completed his conquest and later issued the Statute of Wales, providing a scheme of government for North Wales.  The death of Margaret, heir to the Scottish throne, led to a disputed succession and the Scots asked Edward to arbitrate between the many claimants.  He accepted on condition that they recognize him as an overlord, and decided in favor of John Baliol.  The Scotch people resented the English claims of overlordship and, in 1297, revolted under William Wallace.  Edward was then forced to undertake the conquest of Scotland, but although he destroyed the power of Wallace in the battle of Falkirk, this did not end Scotch resistance.  In the meantime he was at war with France for the recovery of Gascony and it was not until 1303 that he was able to continue the war with Scotland.  He subdued the country, but had hardly organized the new government, when a fresh revolt broke out under Robert Bruce.  The latter was crowned King of Scotland and for the third time Edward invaded that country.  He took the field in person, but the effort was too great and he died at Burgh-on-Sands near Carlisle in 1307.

He was crowned King 19 Aug 1274, at Westminster by Edward Kilwardby, Archbishop of Canterbury. In 1295 he called together a parliament consisting of representatives of the nobility, the church, and the common people.  This "Model Parliament" made the beginning of parlimentary government in England. He died of dysentery and bowel hemorrhage at age 68.

Edward I, King of England, surnamed Longshanks.  As prince he was leader of a reconstituted royalist party, with a more liberal and national spirit, and in 1264 took part in the fighting between the King and the barons.  He was taken prisoner at Lewes, but escaped and defeated Simon de Montfort, Earl of Leicester.  For the rest of his father's reign he controlled policy and appropriated enough of Leicester's ideals not to make the royalist restoration a reaction.  He engaged in a crusade in 1272, reaching the city of Acre, and was crowned on his return home in 1274.  At the beginning of his reign he devoted his attention to legislation, based on the principle that to be successful his policy must be popular.  From 1275 to 1290 nearly every year was marked by the enacting of an important law.  The general effect of his work was to eliminate feudalism in political life, to limit church courts to ecclesiastical matters, and to stop the sending of tribute to Rome.  In 1295 he convoked what has been called the Model Parliament, because it first illustrated the type which was to be perpetuated in all subsequent Parliaments. In foreign policy he was energetic.  Llewelyn, Prince of Wales, cont