History UsefulNotes / EdwardTheFirst

Edward I (17/18 June 1239 – 7 July 1307), also known as Edward Longshanks ([[LargeAndInCharge notably, he stood 6'2'' (1.88 meters) tall, pretty impressive for his time]]) and the Hammer of the Scots was king of England and son of [[UsefulNotes/HenryTheThird Henry III]]. He was named after England's royal saint, Edward the Confessor who was then thought to be TheParagon of kingly perfection. He has been immortalised as the bad guy from ''Film/{{Braveheart}}'' (though that version is blatantly a significant HistoricalVillainUpgrade).

** In recently released DLC, however, he is the main character of a new campaign that is focused on his rise to power and his military campaigns throughout his life.

Edward married Eleanor of Castile when they were both young. They had a good marriage and were rarely parted. Eleanor even accompanied Edward on crusade.

He first came into prominence during the Baron Wars when radical elements of Parliament led by Simon de Montfort, Earl of Leicester, tried to wrest power away from King Henry. The King was imprisoned but Prince Edward escaped and rallied royalist forces and defeated de Montfort.

After becoming King, Edward decided to settle old scores by conquering Wales--the Welsh had sided with the barons, and Llywelyn ab Gruffudd (the "Prince of Wales", at the time an actual leader) married de Montfort's daughter Eleanor. Edward incorporated Wales into his kingdom and named his infant son Edward of Caernarfon (who was actually born in Wales; Carenarfon is the site of one of Edward's major castles built to control the country) Prince of Wales, in order to keep to the terms of the agreement that [[ExactWords his candidate would be Welsh-born and non-English-speaking]].[[note]]Or so popular folklore goes; in reality, Edward I himself didn't speak English as a first language, as the language of the English high aristocracy and royalty at that time was French. That said, Edward almost certainly ''did'' speak English, at least a little; by his reign, most of the nobility spoke English as a first language (there were even French textbooks written for English-speaking nobles to learn the tongue of court, and some nobles sent their kids to Paris to improve their French), so he would've needed English to talk to all but his most highborn courtiers.[[/note]] The firstborn sons of English kings had been named Prince of Wales ever since.

After becoming King, Edward decided to settle old scores by conquering Wales--the Welsh had sided with the barons, and Llywelyn ab Gruffudd (the "Prince of Wales", at the time an actual leader) married de Montfort's daughter Eleanor. Edward incorporated Wales into his kingdom and named his infant son Edward of Caernarfon (who was actually born in Wales; Carenarfon is the site of one of Edward's major castles built to control the country) Prince of Wales, in order to keep to the terms of the agreement that [[ExactWords his candidate would be Welsh-born and non-English-speaking]].[[note]]Or so popular folklore goes; in reality, Edward I himself didn't speak English, as the language of the English aristocracy and royalty at that time was French.[[/note]] The firstborn sons of English kings had been named Prince of Wales ever since.

* ''Film/{{Braveheart}}'', natch.

->Latin inscription on Edward's tomb which means "This is Edward the First, [[NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast Hammer of the Scots]].".

After becoming King, Edward decided to settle old scores by conquering Wales--the Welsh had sided with the barons, and Llywelyn ab Gruffudd (the "Prince of Wales", at the time an actual leader) married de Montfort's daughter Eleanor. Edward incorporated Wales into his kingdom and named his infant son Edward of Caernarfon (who was actually born in Wales; Carenarfon is the site of one of Edward's major castles built to control the country) Prince of Wales, in order to keep to the terms of the agreement that his candidate would be Welsh-born and non-English-speaking.[[note]]Or so popular folklore goes; in reality, Edward I himself didn't speak English, as the language of the English aristocracy and royalty at that time was French.[[/note]] The firstborn sons of English kings had been named Prince of Wales ever since.

->Latin inscription on Edward's tomb which means "This is Edward the First, Hammer of the Scots.".

After becoming King, Edward decided to settle old scores by conquering Wales--the Welsh had sided with the barons, and Llywelyn ab Gruffudd (the "Prince of Wales", at the time an actual leader) married de Montfort's daughter Eleanor. Edward incorporated Wales into his kingdom and named his infant son Edward of Caernarfon (who was actually born in Wales; Carenarfon is the site of one of Edward's major castles built to control the country) Prince of Wales, in order to keep to the terms of the agreement that his candidate would be Welsh-born and non-English-speaking. The firstborn sons of English kings had been named Prince of Wales ever since.

Then Scotland thought it a good idea to have Edward judge who would be their next king. He gave his support to John Baliol who in turn acknowledged Edward's overlordship. But when war with France coincided with a Welsh rebellion, he exercised his overlordship and summoned the Scottish nobles to fight for him but they refused and sided with France. Edward would spend the rest of his life fighting Scotland. As a King, Longshanks was also responsible for persecuting and censuring Jews and finally passing the 1290 Edict of Expulsion that would eventually be revoked by UsefulNotes/OliverCromwell during the UsefulNotes/EnglishCivilWar. Despite these less than pleasant actions, English historians of the 19th and 20th Centuries nontheless feel that Edward I was very important in developing and nurturing English institutions, encoding several important laws and legal reforms that made him a highly important medieval monarch.

Edward I (17/18 June 1239 – 7 July 1307), also known as Edward Longshanks ([[LargeAndInCharge notably, he stood 6'2'' (1.88 meters) tall, pretty impressive for his time]]) and the Hammer of the Scots was king of England and son of [[UsefulNotes/HenryTheThird Henry III]]. He was named after England's royal saint, Edward the Confessor who was then thought to be TheParagon of kingly perfection. He has been immortalised as the bad guy from ''Film/{{Braveheart}}'' (though that version has undergone a significant HistoricalVillainUpgrade).

Edward I (17/18 June 1239 – 7 July 1307), also known as Edward Longshanks ([[LargeAndInCharge notably, he stood 6'2'' (1.88 meters) tall, pretty impressive for his time]]) and the Hammer of the Scots was king of England and son of [[UsefulNotes/HenryTheThird Henry III]]. He was named after England's royal saint, Edward the Confessor who was then thought to be TheParagon of kingly perfection. He has been immortalised as the bad guy from ''Film/{{Braveheart}}''.

Edward I (17/18 June 1239 – 7 July 1307), also known as Edward Longshanks ([[LargeAndInCharge notably, he stood 6,15 feet (1,88 meters) tall, pretty impressive for his time]]) and the Hammer of the Scots was king of England and son of [[UsefulNotes/HenryTheThird Henry III]]. He was named after England's royal saint, Edward the Confessor who was then thought to be TheParagon of kingly perfection. He has been immortalised as the bad guy from ''Film/{{Braveheart}}''.

Edward I (1239-1307), also known as Edward Longshanks ([[LargeAndInCharge notably, he stood 6,15 feet (1,88 meters) tall, pretty impressive for his time]]) and the Hammer of the Scots was king of England and son of [[UsefulNotes/HenryTheThird Henry III]]. He was named after England's royal saint, Edward the Confessor who was then thought to be TheParagon of kingly perfection. He has been immortalised as the bad guy from ''Film/{{Braveheart}}''.

Then Scotland thought it a good idea to have Edward judge who would be their next king. He gave his support to John Baliol who in turn acknowledged Edward's overlordship. But when war with France coincided with a Welsh rebellion, he exercised his overlordship and summoned the Scottish nobles to fight for him but they refused and sided with France. Edward would spend the rest of his life fighting Scotland. As a King, Longshanks was also responsible for persecuting and censuring Jews and finally passing the 1290 Edict of Expulsion that would eventually be revoked by UsefulNotes/OliverCromwell during the EnglishCivilWar. Despite these less than pleasant actions, English historians of the 19th and 20th Centuries nontheless feel that Edward I was very important in developing and nurturing English institutions, encoding several important laws and legal reforms that made him a highly important medieval monarch.

* ''{{Braveheart}}'', natch.

Edward I (1239-1307), also known as Edward Longshanks ([[LargeAndInCharge notably, he stood 1,88 meters or 6,15 feet tall, pretty impressive for his time]]) and the Hammer of the Scots was king of England and son of [[UsefulNotes/HenryTheThird Henry III]]. He was named after England's royal saint, Edward the Confessor who was then thought to be TheParagon of kingly perfection. He has been immortalised as the bad guy from ''Film/{{Braveheart}}''.

Edward I (1239-1307), also known as Edward Longshanks and the Hammer of the Scots was king of England and son of [[UsefulNotes/HenryTheThird Henry III]]. He was named after England's royal saint, Edward the Confessor who was then thought to be TheParagon of kingly perfection. He has been immortalised as the bad guy from ''Film/{{Braveheart}}''.

After becoming King, Edward decided to settle old scores by conquering Wales--the Welsh had sided with the barons, and Llywelyn ab Gruffudd (the "Prince of Wales", at the time an actual leader) married de Montfort's daughter Eleanor. Henry incorporated Wales into his kingdom and named his son Edward of Caernarfon (who was actually born in Wales; Carenarfon is the site of one of Edward's major castles built to control the country) Prince of Wales when he came of age in 1301. The firstborn sons of English kings had been named Prince of Wales ever since.

Edward I (1239-1307) was king of England and son of [[UsefulNotes/HenryTheThird Henry III]]. He was named after England's royal saint, Edward the Confessor who was then thought to be TheParagon of kingly perfection. He has been immortalised as the bad guy from ''Film/{{Braveheart}}''.

Then Scotland thought it a good idea to have Edward judge who would be their next king. He gave his support to John Baliol who in turn acknowledged Edward's overlordship. But when war with France coincided with a Welsh rebellion, he exercised his overlordship and summoned the Scottish nobles to fight for him but they refused and sided with France. Edward would spend the rest of his life fighting Scotland. As a King, Longshanks was also responsible for persecuting and censuring Jews and finally passing the 1290 Edict of Expulsion that would not only be revoked by UsefulNotes/OliverCromwell during the EnglishCivilWar. Despite these less than pleasant actions, English historians of the 19th and 20th Centuries nontheless feel that Edward I was very important in developing and nurturing English institutions, encoding several important laws and legal reforms that made him a highly important medieval monarch.

* Not directly, but he's one of the main inspirations for Lord Tywin Lannister in ''Literature/ASongOfIceAndFire''.

Then Scotland thought it a good idea to have Edward judge who would be their next king. He gave his support to John Baliol who in turn acknowledged Edward's overlordship. But when war with France coincided with a Welsh rebellion, he exercised his overlordship and summoned the Scottish nobles to fight for him but they refused and sided with France. Edward would spend the rest of his life fighting Scotland.

!!Tropes related to Longshanks

* AntagonistInMourning: He is reported as having wept after Evesham for the death of Simon de Montfort's son Henry, who had been his friend in childhood.
* AssassinOutclassin: Once succeeded in killing a Mamluke would-be-assassin with the man's own blade.
* AuthorityEqualsAsskicking: There are at least two accounts of him defeating rebel leaders in single combat. He also reportedly killed a Mamluke would-be-assassin with his own knife while on crusade.
* BigBad: To the Welsh, the Scots and the Jews whom he expelled. It would be illegal to be Jewish in England until the days of UsefulNotes/OliverCromwell.
* CombatPragmatist
* DragonInChief: To his father, Henry III, in the later years of the latter's reign.
* TheDragon: Roger Mortimer, Baron of Mortimer, most notably at the battle of Evesham where Mortimer was assigned the duty of finding and killing Simon De Montfort. Mortimer's descendant, [[NamesTheSame Roger Mortimer]], would later become TheStarscream to Edward II.
* TheEmperor: How he saw himself. He was wearing a purple robe when he was buried.
* ForTheEvulz: English Chronicler Matthew Paris records that in his youth Edward had one of his men attack a man at a feast (cutting of an ear and gouging out an eye) for no evident reason.
* HeroKiller: He defeated and/or killed most of the national heroes of Wales and Scotland that were unlucky enough to be his contemporaries, not to mention Simon De Montfort.
* HistoricalVillainUpgrade: Frequently a victim of this, most notably in BraveHeart.
* HotBlooded
* InadequateInheritor: Edward II.
* LargeAndInCharge: He was 6'2 (188 cm), towering over most of his contemporaries; that's why he got the nickname "Longshanks." His height, combined with his fierce temper made him a very intimidating man.
* MagnificentBastard: Pretty definitively gained this status after his defeat of Simon de Montfort [[note]]his head, hands, feet and testicles were cut off. His genitals were hung on his nose[[/note]], he would continue to add to his credentials throughout his life.
* MoralityChain: His queen, Eleanor of Castile.
* MoralEventHorizon: To modern eyes, his expulsion of the Jews. This being the Middle Ages of course, his contemporaries viewed this as a show of his goodness and piety and tended to take issue rather with his actions at [[CurbStompBattle Evesham.]]
* PerfectlyArrangedMarriage: With his first wife, Eleanor of Castile. Edward loved his wife so much that, following her death in 1290 in Lincoln, he had a cross erected at each place where her body rested for the night as it was transported back to London for burial. The last resting place is to this day called "[[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charing_Cross Charing Cross]]".
* PragmaticVillainy: Something of a trademark of his. He shocked the entire country with his actions at the Battle of Evesham in which he killed all of his noble prisoners (Killing nobles was taboo in English warfare and no Earl had been executed in England in over two centuries at the time), [[TheExtremistWasRight thus eliminating the enemy leadership and making it possible to end the civil war that had been dragging on and off for a decade.]] After this he was scrupulously merciful to rebels (within England that is) establishing a reputation for clemency and making it more likely that his enemies would surrender rather than fight on.
* APupilOfMineUntilHeTurnedToEvil: He was an ally and protege of Simon de Montfort for several years in his late teens, and he would later adopt many of his political ideas as king. As Edward's troops advanced on him at [[CurbStompBattle Evesham]], Simon reportedly said "Look how skillfully they are advancing, he learned that from me."
* RedBaron: The Leopard Prince and "Hammer of the Scots".
** TheButcher/ StealthInsult: Referring to him as a Leopard rather than a Lion referred to the belief that a Leopard had the qualities of both a lion (Bravery, Ferocity, Strength) and a panther (Sneakiness, Dishonesty). He was given the title after the Battle of Evesham ([[CurbStompBattle also called "The Murder of Evesham"]]) at which he used "dishonorable" tactics to achieve victory and rather unchivalrously killed most of his prisoners (the killing of noblemen was a taboo in England at the time). In the following years he took steps to reverse this reputation and the title had largely gone out of style by the time he came to power.
* VillainousValour
* WarriorPrince
* WhyDontYouJustShootHim: Averted, he was infamous among his contemporaries for his ruthlessness with his enemies, even when the laws of chivalry dictated they be spared.

* AssassinOutclassin: Once succeeded in killing a Mamluke would-be-assasin with the man's own blade.
* AuthorityEqualsAsskicking: There are at least two accounts of him defeating rebel leaders in single combat. He also reportedly killed a Mamluke would-be-assasin with his own knife while on crusade.

* TheEmperor - How he saw himself. He was wearing a purple robe when he was buried.

* LargeAndInCharge: He was 6'2 (188 cm), towering over most of his contemporaries; that's why he got the nickname "Longshanks". His height, combined with his fierce temper made him a very intimidating man.

* AntagonistInMourning: He is reported as having wept after Evesham for the death of Simon De Montfort's son Henry, who had been his friend in childhood.

* MagnificentBastard: Pretty definitively gained this status after his defeat of Simon De Montfort [[note]]his head, hands, feet and testicles were cut off. His genitals were hung on his nose[[/note]], he would continue to add to his credentials throughout his life.