Edward I, King of England, is remembered as the man who caused the Scottish Wars of Independence. He was seen as an strong leader and fierce soldier - but why did he invade Scotland?
Find out what King Edward I of England did during the Wars of Independence.
NARRATOR:The Wars of Independence. King Edward the First of England. 1239 – 1307
Do you like getting your own way? Some of the time? Maybe… all of time?
And if you don’t get your way, do you …have …a …temper?!
Edward the First of England was used to getting his own way. He was very controlling. And he had a temper. He didn’t smash up TVs, they weren’t invented yet, he smashed up Scotland.
Edward was a King who had fought wars all his life – he had just conquered Wales - but he didn’t need to conquer Scotland. He thought he could control it.
In 1290, Scotland’s heir to the throne, Margaret, Maid of Norway died. She was just seven years old. The Scottish nobles couldn’t agree who should be the next ruler.
Many of the Scottish Nobles had land in England and were used to Edward being in charge so they asked him to decide. This was Edward’s perfect chance to put his own King on the throne – someone he could boss around. That way he could be in control of Scotland.
In 1292 he chose John Balliol as Scotland’s new king. He expected John and Scotland to do as they were told.
So when Edward went to war against France ~ and Scotland declared that France was its friend, its ally ~ Edward was furious!
In 1296 Edward attacked Scotland with such force, people called him ‘The Hammer of the Scots’. And he hammered Scotland! He mocked and humiliated John Balliol, the King of Scotland, and he killed whole towns of people.
When William Wallace rebelled a year later, it was Edward who took charge of the English army that defeated Wallace’s at Falkirk in 1298.
And when Robert the Bruce became King in Scotland, Edward was furious because he wanted to rule Scotland. To punish Robert theBruce, Edward imprisoned Robert’s sister Mary in a cage for four years!
Edward could be cruel, like a dangerous animal! But he was also a powerful King and a clever ruler. He wanted to control everyone: rule over everybody. Whether they wanted it or not.
Edward died in 1307 an old man about to cross the border to try to beat up the new king, Robert the Bruce. Still trying to control Scotland, only death could loosen Edwards grip.
Why did Edward I invade Scotland?
In 1292, Alexander III, the King of Scotland, died.
Scotland's nobles turned to the Edward I to help them choose a new king.
Edward was seen as being friendly to Scotland. What could possibly go wrong?
When John Balliol became King of Scots, Edward demanded that Balliol recognise him as his superior! He expected John and Scotland to support him in a war against France.
The Scottish lords wanted John to stand up to Edward. So in 1295 John signed a treaty with France, the Auld Alliance.
In 1296 Edward raised a large army and invaded Scotland.
What happened next?
Edward defeated the Scots at the Battle of Dunbar but he faced more trouble when William Wallace and then Robert the Bruce started to fight back.
In 1306 Edward marched to Scotland with a large army to fight the new Scottish king, Robert the Bruce.
He got as far as the border of Scotland but then he got sick and died.
According to one story, his last wish was that his body should not be buried until Scotland had been conquered. That didn't happen, though, and Edward was buried in Westminster Abbey.
Edward facts
- Edward was born in 1239
- In 1264 Edward was held prisoner when English barons rebelled
- In 1271 Edward joined a Christian Crusade to try and free Jerusalem from Muslim control
- Edward fought a long campaign to conquer Wales
- Edward built lots of castles in Wales such as Caernarfon, Conwy and Harlech castles
- Edward had two nicknames - 'Longshanks' because he was so tall and the 'Hammer of the Scots' for obvious reasons
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