17/18 June 1239 – 7 July 1307
In 1254 English fears of a Castilian invasion of the English province of Gascony induced King Henry to arrange a politically expedient marriage between fifteen-year-old Edward and thirteen-year-old Eleanor, the half-sister of King Alfonso X of Castile. They were married on 1 November 1254 in the Abbey of Santa María la Real de Las Huelgas in Castile. As part of the marriage agreement, Edward received grants of land worth 15,000 marks a year.
Although the endowments King Henry made were sizeable, they offered Edward little independence. He had already received Gascony as early as 1249, but Simon de Montfort, 6th Earl of Leicester (died 1265), had been appointed as royal lieutenant the year before and, consequently, drew its income, so in practice Edward derived neither authority nor revenue from this province.
Edward had a reputation for a fierce temper, and he could be intimidating; one story tells of how the Dean of St Paul’s, wishing to confront Edward over the high level of taxation in 1295, fell down and died once he was in the King’s presence. When Edward of Caernarfon demanded an earldom for his favourite Gaveston, the King erupted in anger and supposedly tore out handfuls of his son’s hair. Some of his contemporaries considered Edward frightening, particularly in his early days. The Song of Lewes in 1264 described him as a leopard, an animal regarded as particularly powerful and unpredictable.
Despite these frightening character traits, however, Edward’s contemporaries considered him an able, even an ideal, king.[135] Though not loved by his subjects, he was feared and respected.[136] He met contemporary expectations of kingship in his role as an able, determined soldier and in his embodiment of shared chivalric ideals.[137] In religious observance he also fulfilled the expectations of his age: he attended chapel regularly and gave alms generously.[138]
Edward took a keen interest in the stories of King Arthur, which were highly popular in Europe during his reign. In 1278 he visited Glastonbury Abbey to open what was then believed to be the tomb of Arthur and Guinevere, recovering “Arthur’s crown” from Llywelyn after the conquest of North Wales, while, as noted above, his new castles drew upon the Arthurian myths in their design and location.[140] He held “Round Table” events in 1284 and 1302, involving tournaments and feasting, and chroniclers compared him and the events at his court to Arthur.[141] In some cases Edward appears to have used his interest in the Arthurian myths to serve his own political interests, including legitimising his rule in Wales and discrediting the Welsh belief that Arthur might return as their political savior
Edward I visited his Duchy in Gascony in 1286 and stayed for almost three years, so during that time he would have met Arnald de Brocas (age ~20-23) and William de Brocas etc.
From The Making of England: Edward was confident in his succession. He was on crusade when Henry died in 1272. Made his way home leisurely, settling affairs in Gascony on the way and reaching home in 1274 (de Brocas). He was mature, 35. Self-confident, able to achieve goals without incurring hostility of his nobles. Earls and barons could trust and admire him. Courageous and skillful warrior, a man of chivalrous instincts, a nobleman among nobleman. Profound respect for the law. The very scheme, mold and model of the common law was set in order by Edward I. It was under Edward I that “statute” became a meaningful concept.
He could not raise enough money to pay for his wars so he borrowed from Italian merchants. He kicked Jews out of England so he could confiscate their lands. He left the country in debt when he died.
From 1274-1294 his foreign policy was remarkably successful. Once his war with France started in 1294 that changed. His wars were frustratingly inconclusive and his relationships with his subjects were stormy. He rebelled against France for treating him the same way he treated Scotland and Wales (as vassal states).
Edward’s greatest triumph was his conquest of Wales by 1283. Prince of Wales title goes to eldest son of English King.
Edward led a brilliant expedition against Scotland in 1296 and brought home the Stone of Scone, with which the Scottish Kings were crowned.
Edward prized Gascony. They relied on Gascony for trade and vice versa, He spent 3 years there in the later 1280’s strengthening his authority. This is where the de Brocas clan comes in. Philip the Fair was insistent on exercising his rights of overlordship of Gascony, which were England’s b/c Henry married Eleanor Dutchess of Aquitaine 1152.
The French expedition launched in the summer of 1297 was in an atmosphere of unrest and disaffection. He returned in early fall after an inconclusive campaign. After several years of complex negotiations, peace was finally established between France and England in 1303 on the basis of the status quo ante bellum. Nothing gained, nothing lost. Pact was sealed with marriages of Edward I and Philip the Fair’s sister WHO and between Edward II and Isabella (Philip’s daughter).
1297: Domestic crisis. 1) Edward’s foreign policy was straining English resources (Scotland and Gascony) and 2) The savagely taxed nobles, gentry,were resisted additional exactions. They opposed Edward’s attempt to to make everyone with a landed annual income of twenty pounds or more take up the burdensome responsibilities of knighthood, and some refused to serve in Gascony. 3) the Church refused to pay additional taxes without Papal approval.
Only 6/16 children lived to adulthood.
Edward I died in 1307 on the road to Scotland.
From Four Gothic Kings:
In 1295 Edward I ordered by writ that no one was to take duck eggs.