Edward I 'Longshanks'

Portrait by unknown artist (c. 1280s)

Regnal name: King Edward I of England 'Longshanks'

Birth name: Edward Westmestre Plantagenest d'Angevin

Born: 16-17 June 1249, Westminster, Middlesex, Kingdom of England

Father: King Henry III of England

Mother: Lady Eleanor of Provence

House: Plantagenet

Nationality: English

Religion: Catholicism

Claim: Child of Henry III 

Reign: 20 November 1272 - 07 July 1307 (34 years)

Coronation: 19 August 1274

Predecessor: Henry III

Successor: Edward II 

Died: 07 July 1307 (aged 68), Burgh-by-Sands, Cumberland, Kingdom of England

Cause: Dysentery

Burial: Westminster Abbey

Motto: Keep covenant 

Spouse(s):

• Princess Eleanor of Castile (m. 1254 - 1290)
• Princess Margaret of France (m. 1299 - 1307) 

Children:

• With Princess Eleanor of Castile
• *Unnamed Princess* (1255 - 1255)
• Princess Katherine (c. 1261 - 1264)
• Princess Joanna (1265 - 1265)
• Prince John (1266 - 1271)
• Prince Henry (1268 - 1274)
• Princess Eleanor, Countess of Bar (1269 - 1298)
• *Unnamed Princess* (c. 1271 - c. 1271)
• Princess Joan, Countess of Hertford (1272 - 1307)
• Prince Alphonso, Earl of Chester (1273 - 1284)
• Princess Margaret, Duchess of Brabant (1275 - 1333)
• Princess Berengaria (1276 - 1278)
• *Unnamed Prince/Princess* (1278 - 1278)
• Princess Mary (1278 - 1332)
• *Unnamed Prince* (c. 1280 - c. 1280)
• Princess Elizabeth, Countess of Hereford and Essex (1282 - 1316)
• King Edward II of England (1284 - 1327) 

• With Princess Margaret of France
• Prince Thomas, Earl of Norfolk (1300 - 1338)
• Prince Edmund, Earl of Kent (1301 - 1330)
• Princess Eleanor (1306 - 1311)  

Appearance:

He was described as being very tall for the time period, standing at 188cm (6'2'') in height, and was said to tower over those around him. His limbs were also noted to be long, which resulted in his nickname 'Longshanks', meaning 'long legs'. He also had a strong and athletic physique. 

 

Edward also had curly blond hair which gradually darkened over the years before turning white upon reaching old age. He was also noted to have a slightly drooping eyelid in his left eye.

 

Character:

Throughout his life, Edward had a fierce reputation and was known for his unpredictable bad temper. People often found him very intimidating, with some even claiming that people dropped dead from stress and fright when having to deal with him. He was sometimes referred to as a 'leopard'. He could be very brutal and vindictive towards his enemies and was not above the murder of innocent civilians during his campaigns. He was also abusive towards his staff.

 

Edward was not humble in victory, and continued to mock his enemies afterwards. 

 

He was also famously antisemitic, exploiting the Jewish population as much as he could, before attempting to force them to convert to Christianity, expelling them from the country should they refuse. He was very devoted to Christianity, attended chapel regularly, and often donated generously to the poor. 

 

Edward was also reported to have been very gentle to those closest to him, and was a devoted husband. He remained loyal during his marriages, and overall enjoyed spending as much time with his family as possible. Both him and his first wife, Eleanor, could often be found playing games together. However, his children were not immune from his abusive temper, as when his son, Prince Edward, attempted to grant noble titles to his friend (and possible lover), Piers Gaveston, King Edward tore out chunks of his own son's hair. It was often said that both he and Eleanor loved each other more than they loved their children. Though his sons were victims of his temper, he was reportedly much closer and gentler with his daughters, and was noted to have spoiled them. 

 

Edward was also a fan of the legends of King Arthur, believing himself to be his prophetised return.

 

Biography:

Edward was born in 1239 to King Henry III of England, and his wife, Lady Eleanor of Provence He was named after a previous English king and saint, Edward the Confessor, whose cult was something that his parents closely followed. 

 

As a child, he received a mainly military focused education and was close friends with his cousin, Richard of Cornwall. In order to solidify England's claim over the Duchy of Gascony, a marriage was arranged between Edward and Princess Eleanor of Castile, whose brother was attempting to take over the territory. The marriage took place in 1254 when Edward was 15 years old and Eleanor was 13. Though the match was political, the two of them would fall deeply in love with each other, rarely leaving each other's side, and would go on to have sixteen children together, though only six of them would survive into adulthood. 
 
During his early adulthood, Edward remained under the influence of his mother's relatives, and even appeared to initially support rebellions by the barons against his father, causing the two of them to fall out, but they quickly reconciled. Edward would then loyally stand by his father for the rest of his reign. 

 

The Second Barons' War broke out in 1264, and Edward was able to defeat these forces, however, he grew cocky and gave chase to their retreating forces, which resulted in his capture. He was held hostage for nearly a year, until his freedom of movement allowed for his escape. He was able to ambush the leader of the rebellions, Simon de Montfort, in the Battle of Evesham, where Edward's death squad managed to brutally murder his father's rival, and restore Henry to power. 

 

The war came to an end in 1267, but by then, Edward began to embark on a crusade under the leadership of the King of France. Funds were also further raised by specifically targeting Jewish money lenders. The King of France would die from illness in the process, but Edward continued on into the Kingdom of Jerusalem. It was while in Acre that Edward was nearly killed by a Syrian assassin, though he was merely injured by the dagger, quickly retaliated, and killed the assassin in the process. 
 
In 1272, Edward was travelling through Sicily when he received word that his father had died and that he was now King Edward I of England. During his coronation, upon being crowned, he quickly removed it and stated that he would not wear it again until he had recaptured the lands that his father had lost. 

 

However, Edward was quickly involved with the conflicts within Wales, eventually fully incorporating and taking over the Kingdoms within Wales. He installed his son and heir, also named Edward, as the Prince of Wales. However, English rule largely remained unpopular. 

 

Edward would grow increasingly antisemitic over the course of his life, and in order to thank God for his recovery after falling from a 24m (80'') tower, he expelled Jewish people from his territory in Gascony. 
 
In 1290, his wife, Eleanor, passed away, leaving him devastated, and he would mourn her death for the rest of his life. 

 

Edward would become more heavily involved with the succession crisis occurring in Scotland, looking after the kingdom until an heir could be decided. However, even after an heir was found, Edward still attempted to heavily interfere within the Scottish Kingdom, actions which were deeply unpopular, and thus Scotland began allying itself with France. Furious, Edward invaded and massacred many innocent civilians before stealing the Stone of Destiny, an essential cultural stone in which the Scottish monarch received their coronation. Scotland would continue to fight for independence from the English, under the leadership of Robert the Bruce who would declare himself the King of Scotland. Edward's continued brutality, only further incurred the wrath of the Scottish. 
 
Due to having only one surviving male heir, in 1299, Edward married again, this time to Princess Margaret of France; Edward was 50, while Margaret was just 20. Edward would also deeply care for his new wife, and they would have three children together. 

 

It was during another of his campaigns against the Scots in 1307 that Edward would contract dysentery, and he died in the arms of his servants as they attempted to feed him.

 

Rule:

Edward's reign is largely remembered for its brutality, especially towards the Jews, the Scottish, and the Welsh. Though he displayed the attributes of a strong English king and that of a capable warrior king, it is impossible to ignore the chaos and suffering that he inflicted on many people. 

 

His reign is famous for the expulsion of the Jews in 1290. Antisemitism had always occurred within England, and the Jewish population would often be exploited through heavy taxation. However, Edward may have executed as many as 300 Jewish people, before their ultimate expulsion from the kingdom, which also resulted in many deaths as the population attempted to flee the kingdom. 

 

Edward's reign is also famous for the English conquest of Wales, and their administration system was Anglicised, though the Welsh were still allowed to keep some of their customs. Many English people forcibly settled themselves there, and many Welsh people were banned from living on land that was once theirs. The Welsh were also heavily taxed, making Edward's already unpopular rule there even more despised. To maintain his claim over the kingdoms, Edward exploited the Welsh legend that King Arthur would return to rule over them, putting himself forward as said prophetised king. 

 

Edward's reign also saw the seizure of control over the Kingdom of Scotland, with Edward taking advantage of the succession crisis in order to assert his control. He fought bitterly with King Robert I of Scotland, and was known for his brutal treatment of the Scottish population, in which he murdered many innocent civilians. 

 

Edward was also deeply invested in the ideas of crusades and recapturing the Holy Land from Muslim control, even forming diplomatic relationships with the Mongols to attempt to achieve this. However, this was unsuccessful. 

 

His rule also oversaw an investigation into the abuse of power by royal officers and a new inquest was held into land ownership within the kingdom, like the Domesday Book two centuries earlier. Edward also improved the quality of coinage, which stabilised English currency. He also improved representation within Parliament, resulting in better communications within communities. 

 

Overall, Edward's reign is regarded as relatively successful from the English perspective, though it was not without great cost to the more marginalised members of the population within Britain.

 

Trivia:

• There is a legend that when Edward I was nearly assassinated in Acre, it was with a poisonous dagger. According to the story, his wife, Eleanor, would suck the poison from his body.
• His nicknames also include 'Hammer of the Scots'.
• Edward oversaw the invention of a much larger trebuchet, which he planned to use in his siege of Stirling Castle. When the Scottish saw the new weapon, they were immediately intimidated and surrendered instantly through fear. Disappointed that he could not use his new weapon, Edward decided to ignore their surrender, and used the trebuchet anyway.

 

Quotes:

 

"The laws the Irish use are detestable to God, and so contrary to all law that they ought not to be deemed law."

 

"When you get rid of a turd, you do a good job."

   

 

Timeline of Reign:

| 1274: Conquest of Wales begins - Edward declares war of Wales after Prince Llywelyn rebels. 

| 1275: Statute of Westminster - 51 new laws made, mainly based on the Magna Carta.

| 1275: Statute of Jewry - Loans and borrowing from Jews outlawed.  

| 1277: Colonisation of Wales - Edward increases colonisation of Wales by the English.

| 1278: Statute of Gloucester - Edward challenges baronial rights. 

| 1280: Hundred Rolls complete - New census of England completed. 

| 1282: Battle of Orewin Bridge - Prince Llywelyn defeated and killed by the English. 

| 1284: Statute of Rhuddlan - England divides Wales into shires.

| 1289: Treaty of Birgham - Attempts to unite Scottish and English crown end in failure. 

| 1290: Expulsion of the Jews - Jewish people that refuse to convert are expelled from the kingdom.

| 1291: The Great Cause - Edward attempts to decide the next king of Scotland.

| 1294: Welsh rebellions - Wales begins rebellions against English colonial rule.  

| 1295: Auld Alliance - Scotland and France ally against England.

| 1295: Increased parliament representation - Better local representation in parliament begins.

| 1296: First War of Scottish Independence begins - Scotland rebels against English control.  

| 1296: Battle of Dunbar - John Balliol, disputed king of Scotland defeated.

| 1296: Removal of Stone of Scone - Edward removes sacred Scottish artefact. 

| 1297: Wallace Rebellion begins - William Wallace begins to led Scottish rebellion against England.

| 1297: Battle of Stirling Bridge - Scotland defeated by the English.

| 1297: Gaelic Law discouraged - England attempts to ban Gaelic customs and laws in Ireland. 

| 1298: Battle of Falkirk - Scotland defeated by the English; 20,000 Scots are killed.

| 1299: Treaty of Montreuil - Edward regains control of Ponthieu from the French.

| 1300: Siege of Caerlaverock Castle - England successfully besieges Caerlaverock Castle.

| 1300: Little Ice Age begins - Period of drastic global cooling begins. 

| 1301: English Prince of Wales - Prince Edward, Edward's son, made first English Prince of Wales.

| 1304: Siege of Stirling Castle - England successfully besieges Stirling Castle.

| 1305: Execution of William Wallace - William Wallace executed for treason.

| 1306: Battle of Methven - Scotland defeated by the English; King Robert I forced into hiding. 

 

 

Sources & Further Reading:

Brain, J. (n.d.). Edward I. Historic UK. https://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofEngland/Edward-I/

Cartwright, M. (2020). Edward I of England. World History Encyclopedia. https://www.worldhistory.org/Edward_I_of_England/ 

Edward I. (2026). Historic Royal Palaces. https://www.hrp.org.uk/tower-of-london/history-and-stories/edward-i/

Edward I - Westminster Abbey Sedilia.jpg | Wikimedia Commons. (2019). Wikimedia.org. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Edward_I_-_Westminster_Abbey_Sedilia.jpg 

Ollivier, C. (2025). Edward I: England’s Greatest Warrior King? | TheCollector. TheCollector. https://www.thecollector.com/edward-i-england-warrior-king/ 

pixeltocode.uk, P. (n.d.). Edward I and Eleanor of Castile. Westminster Abbey. https://www.westminster-abbey.org/abbey-commemorations/royals/edward-i-and-eleanor-of-castile 

Treharne, R. (n.d.). Edward I | Biography, Reign, Reforms, Wars, & Facts. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Edward-I-king-of-England