Edward I of England Timeline

(17 June 1239 – 7 July 1307)

Edward I of England, also known as Edward Longshanks and the Hammer of the Scots, reigned from 1272 to 1307. He strengthened royal authority, reformed English law, conquered Wales, and fought prolonged wars against Scotland while also engaging in conflicts with France. More Less

Go to: Timeline | Event List | Key Facts | Directory

Early Life and Accession

Birth of Edward, son of Henry III

Jun 17, 1239

Edward was born at the Palace of Westminster, the eldest son of King Henry III of England and Eleanor of Provence. He was named after his father's favorite saint, Edward the Confessor, and was the first English king since the Norman Conquest to bear an Anglo-Saxon name.

Image source: Edward I of England

Barons' War breaks out in England

May 1258 - Apr 1264

A coalition of barons led by Simon de Montfort rebelled against Henry III's misgovernment, forcing the king to accept the Provisions of Oxford. The young Edward initially sided with the barons before switching loyalty to his father as civil war loomed.

Image source: Second Barons' War

Battle of Lewes

May 14, 1264

Edward commanded the royalist cavalry at Lewes but broke ranks pursuing fleeing Londoners, allowing de Montfort's forces to capture both Henry III and himself. The defeat left Simon de Montfort in effective control of England.

Image source: Battle of Lewes

Escape from captivity and rise against de Montfort

May 28, 1265

Held prisoner by de Montfort after Lewes, Edward escaped from Hereford custody by tricking his guards into a horse-race test. He rallied royalist forces and marched against de Montfort, turning the tide of the Barons' War.

Battle of Evesham

Aug 4, 1265

Edward crushed Simon de Montfort's army at Evesham in a battle described as 'murderous.' De Montfort was killed and his body mutilated, effectively ending baronial hopes of reforming the monarchy and restoring Henry III to power.

Image source: Battle of Evesham

Departure on Crusade to the Holy Land

Aug 1270

Edward departed England to join the Eighth Crusade, reaching Acre in 1271. His campaign achieved little militarily, but his presence helped negotiate a ten-year truce between the Crusader states and the Mamluk Sultan Baibars.

Image source: Lord Edward's crusade

Survives assassination attempt at Acre

Jun 1272

An Assassin posing as a convert to Christianity stabbed Edward with a poisoned dagger. Edward killed his attacker, and legend claims Eleanor sucked the poison from the wound, though surgeons likely saved his life by cutting away tainted flesh.

Death of Henry III and accession of Edward I

Nov 16, 1272

Henry III died at Westminster while Edward was still returning from the Crusade. Edward learned of his father's death in Sicily but traveled home slowly, arriving in August 1274. He was crowned at Westminster Abbey on August 19, 1274.

Image source: Henry III of England

Death of Henry III and accession of Edward I

Coronation of Edward I at Westminster Abbey

Aug 19, 1274

Edward was crowned King of England in a lavish ceremony at Westminster Abbey. His accession marked the beginning of one of medieval England's most formidable reigns, earning him later fame as 'Hammer of the Scots.'

Image source: Coronation of the British monarch

Family and Legacy

Marriage to Eleanor of Castile

Nov 1, 1254

At age fifteen, Edward married thirteen-year-old Eleanor, half-sister of King Alfonso X of Castile, as part of a diplomatic agreement. The marriage proved deeply affectionate and produced at least sixteen children; Eleanor accompanied Edward on many of his campaigns.

Image source: Eleanor of Castile

Birth of future Edward II at Caernarfon Castle

Apr 25, 1284

Edward's fourth son, also named Edward, was born at Caernarfon Castle, recently built in Wales. His birth in this fortress allowed Edward I to present him as a native-born prince of Wales, tying the new dynasty to its conquered territory.

Image source: Edward II of England

Death of Queen Eleanor of Castile

Nov 28, 1290

Queen Eleanor died near Lincoln while accompanying Edward northward. Devastated, Edward ordered memorial crosses erected at each resting place of her funeral procession, with the final cross at Charing, now Charing Cross in London.

Image source: Eleanor cross

Final march north and death at Burgh by Sands

Jul 3, 1306 - Jul 7, 1307

Despite failing health, Edward led one last army toward Scotland but died at Burgh by Sands near Carlisle on July 7, 1307, aged 68. His dying wish to have his bones carried into battle against Bruce went unfulfilled; he was buried at Westminster Abbey.

Image source: Burgh by Sands

Law and Governance

Statute of Westminster enacted

Apr 1275

Edward issued a sweeping codification of existing law covering land tenure, debt, and justice. It formed part of his broader legal reform program alongside the Statute of Mortmain (1279) and reflected his commitment to restoring order after civil war.

Image source: Statute of Westminster 1275

Expulsion of the Jews from England

Oct 18, 1290

Edward ordered all Jews expelled from England, the first national expulsion in Europe. Around 2,000 Jews were forced to leave, having already been impoverished by heavy taxation and restrictions imposed earlier in the reign.

Image source: Edict of Expulsion

Ordinances issue: crisis with nobility over taxation

1294 - 1297

Costly wars in France, Wales, and Scotland forced Edward into unprecedented taxation. In 1297 magnates led by Roger Bigod and Humphrey de Bohun resisted, compelling Edward to confirm Magna Carta and additional charters in exchange for grants.

Image source: Magna Carta

Wars and Conquests

Conquest of Wales begins with war against Llywelyn ap Gruffudd

Nov 1276 - Jul 1277

Edward launched a massive campaign against Welsh Prince Llywelyn ap Gruffudd, who had refused homage. With overwhelming force and blockades, Edward forced Llywelyn's surrender by the Treaty of Aberconwy, stripping him of most of his lands.

Second Welsh war and death of Llywelyn ap Gruffudd

Mar 1282 - Dec 11, 1282

Dafydd ap Gruffudd attacked Hawarden Castle, sparking a Welsh uprising joined by his brother Llywelyn. Llywelyn was killed near Builth Wells in December 1282, and Dafydd was captured and executed in 1283, ending independent Welsh rule.

Image source: Llywelyn ap Gruffudd

Construction of Welsh castles begins

1283

After completing his conquest of Wales, Edward built an unprecedented chain of fortifications including Conwy, Caernarfon, Harlech, and Beaumaris. Master builder James of Saint George designed these concentric castles, symbols of enduring English control.

Image source: Castles and Town Walls of King Edward in Gwynedd

Death of Margaret, Maid of Norway ends direct Scottish royal line

Sep 26, 1290

The seven-year-old queen of Scotland died en route from Norway to Scotland, leaving no clear heir and triggering a succession crisis among thirteen competitors that would draw Edward directly into Scottish affairs.

Image source: Margaret, Maid of Norway

Great Cause arbitration over Scottish succession

1291 - Nov 17, 1292

Invited to arbitrate the Scottish succession, Edward extracted oaths of fealty from claimants before choosing John Balliol as king. Balliol's subsequent defiance of English demands led to war and Edward's dominance over Scotland.

Image source: Competitors for the Crown of Scotland

Great Cause arbitration over Scottish succession

War with France over Gascony begins

May 1294 - May 19, 1303

Philip IV of France confiscated Gascony, triggering a costly war. Edward allied with Flanders and other continental powers, but financial strain and domestic resistance limited gains until the Treaty of Paris in 1303 restored the duchy through marriage arrangements.

Image source: Gascon War

Sack of Berwick-upon-Tweed

Mar 30, 1296

Beginning the First War of Scottish Independence, Edward stormed Scotland's richest burgh and massacred thousands of inhabitants over several days. Berwick remained an English possession for centuries afterward.

Image source: Sack of Berwick (1296)

Victory at the Battle of Dunbar

Apr 27, 1296

Edward routed the Scottish army under John Comyn at Dunbar, breaking organized Scottish resistance. He then marched through Scotland unopposed, forced Balliol's abdication at Stracathro, and carried the Stone of Scone to Westminster.

Removal of the Stone of Scone to Westminster Abbey

Aug 1296

Edward seized the ancient coronation stone of Scottish kings and transported it to Westminster Abbey, where it was fitted into a chair used for English coronations. The symbolic theft proclaimed Scotland's subjugation to England.

Image source: Stone of Scone

Uprising of William Wallace begins

May 1297

William Wallace killed the English sheriff of Lanark and ignited a nationwide Scottish revolt. Together with Andrew Moray, he gathered forces that would challenge English occupation and inspire generations of Scottish resistance.

Image source: William Wallace

Scottish victory at the Battle of Stirling Bridge

Sep 11, 1297

Wallace and Moray annihilated an English army crossing the narrow bridge at Stirling, killing the Earl of Surrey's treasurer Hugh Cressingham. The shocking defeat humiliated Edward and briefly made Wallace Guardian of Scotland.

Image source: Battle of Stirling Bridge

English victory at the Battle of Falkirk

Jul 22, 1298

Returning from France, Edward personally led an army against Wallace. English longbowmen shattered the Scottish schiltrons at Falkirk, though Wallace escaped. The victory restored English military dominance but not full control of Scotland.

Image source: Battle of Falkirk

English victory at the Battle of Falkirk

Execution of William Wallace

Aug 23, 1305

Captured near Glasgow after years of resistance, Wallace was tried for treason in London and executed by hanging, drawing, and quartering at Smithfield. His brutal death made him a martyr and fueled continued Scottish defiance.

Image source: William Wallace

Robert the Bruce crowned King of Scots

Mar 25, 1306

Robert Bruce murdered John Comyn in Dumfries church and had himself crowned King of Scotland at Scone, reviving Scottish independence. An enraged Edward, now elderly and ill, vowed harsh vengeance and launched a final campaign.

Image source: Robert the Bruce

Key Facts

Edward I was born on 17 June 1239, the eldest son of Henry III and Eleanor of Provence, and became king in 1272.
He is famous for conquering Wales between 1276 and 1283, building massive castles such as Caernarfon and Beaumaris to secure his rule.
Edward I enacted major legal reforms, earning the nickname 'English Justinian,' including reforms codified through statutes like those of 1275 and 1285.
His attempts to conquer Scotland led to the Wars of Scottish Independence, including the sack of Berwick in 1296 and defeats at Stirling Bridge (1297) and Bannockburn (1314, after his death).
Edward died on 7 July 1307 near Carlisle while marching to fight Robert the Bruce in Scotland; he was succeeded by his son, Edward II.

Source

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