The Plantagenets: The Kings That Made Britain by Derek Wilson Page B
Authors: Derek Wilson
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March 1298. His marriage to Margaret was confirmed and took place the following year.
Meanwhile, the position in Scotland had been reversed. As soon as Edward had departed for France a widespread revolt had erupted led by Robert Bruce (grandson of the earlier competitor for the throne), William Wallace, a charismatic knight, and Sir Andrew Moray of Bothwell, and in September 1297 they defeated an English army at the Battle of Stirling Bridge. As soon as he returned from France Edward summoned his barons to join him in another Scottish invasion. Some declined to be involved until the king agreed additions to Magna Carta that would clarify still further the rights of king and subjects and confer new freedoms on the people, and it was with an army composed largely of Welsh, Irish and Gascon elements that Edward crossed the border in July. On the 22nd of the month, despite having been injured when his own horse threw him, the king led his men in the Battle of Falkirk. This was a resounding English victory, only Wallace’s infantry having put up a heroic resistance. The Scots lost some 20,000 men.
By this time Edward’s determination to pursue by military means what he considered to be his rights had alienated the French, the Welsh, the Scots, the church, the English magnates and the merchants. He was hugely in debt and had squeezed his subjects for money almost to the point at whichthey could pay no more. He continued to summon parliament frequently and could claim with some accuracy that he consulted his people on important matters of state. In the writs for the parliament of 1295 (often known as the Model Parliament) this principle was first clearly enunciated. ‘What touches all should be approved by all,’ the writ stated. Theory and practice did not always coincide, however.
1299–1307
The situation in Scotland continued to be disturbed, and Edward was determined to make his rule there a reality. However, he was forced to abandon a campaign in 1299 because his magnates refused to march with him, and Stirling Castle fell to Scottish attackers. He was back again the next year, reasserting his authority. Under instruction from the pope, the new Archbishop of Canterbury, Robert of Winchelsea, pursued the king into Scotland and there delivered the papal demand that Edward should abandon his overlordship of Scotland. ‘By God’s blood,’ Edward retorted, ‘I will defend with all my might what all the world knows to be my right.’ In the parliament held at Lincoln in 1301 the king skilfully drove a wedge between the church and the barons when his magnates supported his claim that he was not answerable to any higher earthly authority in relation to his territorial claims.
Edward now invested his son with the title Prince of Wales, and he made further campaigns into Scotland in 1301 and 1303. In the latter year peace was finally concluded withFrance. Philip had delayed this as long as possible, but now, because he had fared badly in war with his neighbours and was just as financially embarrassed as Edward, he agreed terms that restored Gascony to the English king.
Early in 1302 Robert Bruce acknowledged Edward, and over the next couple of years most Scottish nobles followed suit. The king set up an English-style administrative system, as he had done in Wales, and appointed his nephew, John of Brittany, as his lieutenant. In 1303 Prince Edward was betrothed to Isabella, the infant daughter of the king of France.
Just as it seemed that the aged king had achieved all his ambitions, Scotland once again erupted into violence in 1306 when Robert Bruce threw off his allegiance and made a bid for the Scottish crown. Edward, ill and angry at this ‘betrayal’, made his way slowly northwards, carried in a litter, for yet one more campaign. He never reached Scotland. While the Prince of Wales triumphed over the enemy and Bruce fled to Ireland, Edward succumbed to dysentery. In his pain and rage he ordered that all captives
Meanwhile, the position in Scotland had been reversed. As soon as Edward had departed for France a widespread revolt had erupted led by Robert Bruce (grandson of the earlier competitor for the throne), William Wallace, a charismatic knight, and Sir Andrew Moray of Bothwell, and in September 1297 they defeated an English army at the Battle of Stirling Bridge. As soon as he returned from France Edward summoned his barons to join him in another Scottish invasion. Some declined to be involved until the king agreed additions to Magna Carta that would clarify still further the rights of king and subjects and confer new freedoms on the people, and it was with an army composed largely of Welsh, Irish and Gascon elements that Edward crossed the border in July. On the 22nd of the month, despite having been injured when his own horse threw him, the king led his men in the Battle of Falkirk. This was a resounding English victory, only Wallace’s infantry having put up a heroic resistance. The Scots lost some 20,000 men.
By this time Edward’s determination to pursue by military means what he considered to be his rights had alienated the French, the Welsh, the Scots, the church, the English magnates and the merchants. He was hugely in debt and had squeezed his subjects for money almost to the point at whichthey could pay no more. He continued to summon parliament frequently and could claim with some accuracy that he consulted his people on important matters of state. In the writs for the parliament of 1295 (often known as the Model Parliament) this principle was first clearly enunciated. ‘What touches all should be approved by all,’ the writ stated. Theory and practice did not always coincide, however.
1299–1307
The situation in Scotland continued to be disturbed, and Edward was determined to make his rule there a reality. However, he was forced to abandon a campaign in 1299 because his magnates refused to march with him, and Stirling Castle fell to Scottish attackers. He was back again the next year, reasserting his authority. Under instruction from the pope, the new Archbishop of Canterbury, Robert of Winchelsea, pursued the king into Scotland and there delivered the papal demand that Edward should abandon his overlordship of Scotland. ‘By God’s blood,’ Edward retorted, ‘I will defend with all my might what all the world knows to be my right.’ In the parliament held at Lincoln in 1301 the king skilfully drove a wedge between the church and the barons when his magnates supported his claim that he was not answerable to any higher earthly authority in relation to his territorial claims.
Edward now invested his son with the title Prince of Wales, and he made further campaigns into Scotland in 1301 and 1303. In the latter year peace was finally concluded withFrance. Philip had delayed this as long as possible, but now, because he had fared badly in war with his neighbours and was just as financially embarrassed as Edward, he agreed terms that restored Gascony to the English king.
Early in 1302 Robert Bruce acknowledged Edward, and over the next couple of years most Scottish nobles followed suit. The king set up an English-style administrative system, as he had done in Wales, and appointed his nephew, John of Brittany, as his lieutenant. In 1303 Prince Edward was betrothed to Isabella, the infant daughter of the king of France.
Just as it seemed that the aged king had achieved all his ambitions, Scotland once again erupted into violence in 1306 when Robert Bruce threw off his allegiance and made a bid for the Scottish crown. Edward, ill and angry at this ‘betrayal’, made his way slowly northwards, carried in a litter, for yet one more campaign. He never reached Scotland. While the Prince of Wales triumphed over the enemy and Bruce fled to Ireland, Edward succumbed to dysentery. In his pain and rage he ordered that all captives
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