You are viewing a free preview of this lesson.
Subscribe to unlock all 10 lessons in this course and every other course on LearningBro.
Edward I died on 7 July 1307 at Burgh by Sands in Cumberland, within sight of Scotland, while preparing yet another campaign against Robert the Bruce. His death marked the end of one of the most consequential reigns in English medieval history. This lesson evaluates his achievements, failures, and lasting impact.
The last decade of Edward's reign was dominated by financial crisis, political conflict, and the unresolved war with Scotland.
Edward's heavy taxation to fund his wars in Scotland and Gascony provoked a major political crisis in 1297.
| Issue | Detail |
|---|---|
| Baronial opposition | Earls Roger Bigod (Norfolk) and Humphrey de Bohun (Hereford) refused to serve in Gascony and challenged the legality of Edward's taxes |
| Clerical opposition | Archbishop Robert Winchelsey refused to allow taxation of the clergy, citing the papal bull Clericis Laicos |
| The Confirmatio Cartarum (1297) | Edward was forced to confirm Magna Carta and the Charter of the Forest, and to promise not to levy taxes without parliamentary consent |
Exam Tip: The crisis of 1297 is crucial for understanding the limits of Edward's power. Despite being one of the strongest medieval kings, Edward could not simply override the law. The Confirmatio Cartarum reinforced the principle that the king must govern with the consent of his barons — a principle that would develop into parliamentary sovereignty over the following centuries.
Edward's campaigns in Scotland consumed the final decade of his reign but failed to achieve permanent conquest.
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 1296 | Edward conquers Scotland and deposes Balliol |
| 1297 | Wallace's revolt; Battle of Stirling Bridge |
| 1298 | Edward defeats Wallace at Falkirk |
| 1305 | Wallace captured and executed |
| 1306 | Robert the Bruce is crowned King of Scotland at Scone; Edward launches another campaign |
| 1307 | Edward dies at Burgh by Sands while marching against Bruce |
According to tradition, Edward's dying wish was that his body should be carried at the head of the army until Scotland was conquered. His son, Edward II, ignored this request and retreated to England, abandoning the campaign.
| Achievement | Significance |
|---|---|
| Wales brought under permanent English control | The Statute of Rhuddlan (1284) imposed English law and administration |
| The greatest castle-building programme in medieval Britain | Castles like Caernarfon, Conwy, Harlech, and Beaumaris remain standing today |
| The title "Prince of Wales" given to the English heir | A tradition that continues to the present day |
| Achievement | Significance |
|---|---|
| More statutes than any previous king | Earned the title "the English Justinian" |
| Statutes of Westminster, Gloucester, Winchester, and others | Reformed criminal law, land law, and law enforcement |
| Quo Warranto inquiries | Asserted the principle that all legal rights derived from the Crown |
| Development of the jury system | Edward's reforms strengthened trial by jury |
| Achievement | Significance |
|---|---|
| Regular summoning of Parliament | Parliament became an established part of English government, not just an occasional event |
| The Model Parliament (1295) | Included barons, bishops, knights of the shire, and burgesses — a model for future parliaments |
| Taxation through Parliament | Established the principle that major taxes required parliamentary consent |
Key Term: The Model Parliament of 1295 is called "model" because it included representatives of all the major groups in society — clergy, barons, knights, and burgesses. It set the pattern for the composition of future parliaments, with the barons and bishops eventually forming the House of Lords and the knights and burgesses forming the House of Commons.
Edward failed to conquer Scotland permanently. His brutal methods — the sack of Berwick, the execution of Wallace, the seizure of the Stone of Scone — united the Scots against him rather than breaking their resistance. Within seven years of Edward's death, Robert the Bruce would decisively defeat the English at the Battle of Bannockburn (1314), and in 1328, England formally recognised Scottish independence in the Treaty of Edinburgh–Northampton.
Edward's wars were enormously expensive. He borrowed heavily from Italian bankers, taxed the clergy and merchants, and imposed unpopular levies. This caused repeated conflicts with his barons and contributed to the political crises of his later reign.
The expulsion of England's Jewish community in 1290 was a moral failure and an economic blunder. It removed a community that had contributed to England's economy and intellectual life, and it would be over 350 years before Jews were readmitted.
Edward's conflicts with the papacy and the English clergy over taxation and authority were never fully resolved. His heavy-handed approach antagonised churchmen who might otherwise have supported him.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Date of death | 7 July 1307 |
| Place | Burgh by Sands, Cumberland |
| Cause | Probably dysentery, combined with old age and exhaustion |
| Age | 68 years old |
| Burial | Westminster Abbey |
| Tomb inscription | "Edwardus Primus, Scottorum Malleus" — Edward I, Hammer of the Scots |
| Successor | Edward II (his son by Eleanor of Castile) — widely regarded as one of England's weakest kings |
| Criterion | Assessment |
|---|---|
| Military | Highly successful in Wales; ultimately unsuccessful in Scotland |
| Law and government | Extremely successful; his legal reforms shaped English law for centuries |
| Parliament | Successful in developing Parliament as an institution, though this also limited royal power |
| Finance | Mixed; funded ambitious projects but left a legacy of debt and political tension |
| Relations with subjects | Mixed; respected but also feared; provoked significant opposition from barons, clergy, and merchants |
| Legacy | One of the most significant medieval English kings; his achievements in law and government outlasted his military campaigns |
Exam Tip: AQA frequently asks evaluation questions about Edward I's overall success. The strongest answers will consider multiple criteria (military, legal, political, financial) and reach a balanced judgement. Avoid simply listing achievements and failures — instead, weigh them against each other and explain which you consider most significant.
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 1272 | Edward becomes king |
| 1275 | Statute of Westminster I |
| 1277 | First Welsh War |
| 1282–1283 | Second Welsh War; death of Llywelyn; conquest of Wales |
| 1284 | Statute of Rhuddlan |
| 1290 | Expulsion of the Jews; death of Eleanor of Castile |
| 1291–1292 | The Great Cause; Balliol chosen as King of Scotland |
| 1295 | The Model Parliament |
| 1296 | Conquest of Scotland; sack of Berwick |
| 1297 | Battle of Stirling Bridge; crisis of 1297; Confirmatio Cartarum |
| 1298 | Battle of Falkirk |
| 1305 | Execution of Wallace |
| 1307 | Death of Edward I |
Subscribe to continue reading
Get full access to this lesson and all 10 lessons in this course.