Tuesday 18 June 2013
He gave Jews yellow stars to wear hundreds of years
before Hitler, and yet he is still my favourite monarch.
Yesterday was the birthday of Edward I, also known
as 'Longshanks' and the 'Hammer of the Scots' and to some, 'The
Leopard'; born in 1239. To a lot of people he was the wimpy English
king portrayed in the film Braveheart
set against the brilliant William Wallace but as any historian will tell
you, this was not how Edward really was.
Edward was, as Marc Morris said in his biography, A
Great and Terrible King. Great because he defined the English. The first
English monarch to actually speak the English language since the Norman
invasion by William the Conqueror, he decided that he would create an English
identity. He re-discovered the myths of King Arthur and held him up as an
English ideal. Edward's grandson, Edward III, continued with the theme and helped
develop the perfect English chivalrous knight by utilising King Arthur and the
Knights of the Round Table.
A part of that English identity involved ruling all
of the British Isles. There were many wars with the Welsh and Scottish and the
ramifications are with us today. However, Wales has been left with the visual
reminder of Edward's English dominion in the many castles he had built, from
Conwy, Harlech and Aberystwyth. Personally I love these castles and they have
surely boosted Wales's tourism. Not really sure how the Welsh view them today.
Edward established parliament and was involved in
law-making as he restored royal power, which had been fading with previous
monarchs. He also went on crusade, which further added to the English identity
of Christian morality. It is reported that he was one of a very small number of
monarchs who actually loved his wife and was devastated when she died.
He was physically a big man, hence his nickname of
‘Longshanks’. He also had a temper so many people were afraid of him. Edward's
military campaigns contributed to his fearful reputation as well as his
expulsion of Jews when money became an issue. These are things that made Edward
a terrible king.
It is not by chance that people reviewing the
biography of Edward found it as exciting as a novel. He is my favourite monarch
because he is so interesting. He had a full life, from birth to death, always
intoxicating.
My favourite - that doesn't mean that I like him. Except
for the castles.
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