You probably know him as the tall, terrifying villain from Braveheart. The guy who threw his son’s lover out a window and lived to make William Wallace’s life a living nightmare. Honestly, Hollywood didn't have to invent much. Edward I, better known as Edward Longshanks, was every bit the "Great and Terrible" king the history books claim.
But here’s the thing. If you only see him as a movie villain, you’re missing the most interesting parts of the man. He wasn't just a brute. He was a legal genius, a devoted husband, and a guy who basically invented the way the English government works today.
Who Was the Real Edward Longshanks?
First, let’s talk about the name. Edward Longshanks wasn't some majestic title he chose for himself. It was a nickname. Standing at 6 feet 2 inches, he was a literal giant in the 13th century. Most people back then were significantly shorter, so seeing a man that size—especially one who was an expert swordsman—must have been intimidating as hell.
He was born in 1239, the eldest son of Henry III. Now, Henry wasn't a great king. He was kind of a pushover, and his reign was a mess of civil wars and bossy barons. Edward watched his father get pushed around and decided, "Yeah, that’s not going to be me."
By the time he took the throne in 1272, he had already survived a Crusade, escaped from prison during a rebellion, and led armies into battle. He didn't just inherit power; he fought for it.
What Braveheart Got Wrong (and Right)
We have to address the Mel Gibson shaped elephant in the room. In the movie, Edward is a cartoonish tyrant. In reality? He was way more complex.
The film shows him as a cold-hearted father who hated his son, Edward II. While it's true they didn't get along—mainly because the younger Edward preferred hanging out with his friends over learning how to run a country—the "throwing a guy out the window" scene never happened.
However, the "Hammer of the Scots" part? That was real. Edward was obsessed with bringing the entire island of Great Britain under one crown. When the Scottish throne became vacant, he was asked to help pick a successor. Instead, he tried to take the whole thing for himself.
🔗 Read more: Deg f to deg c: Why We’re Still Doing Mental Math in 2026
He didn't just want to be King of England. He wanted to be the boss of everyone.
The Brutality of the Scottish Wars
Edward’s campaigns in Scotland were incredibly violent. When he sacked the town of Berwick in 1296, the records say his soldiers didn't stop killing until Edward himself saw a pregnant woman being attacked and finally called it off. Thousands died.
He also stole the Stone of Scone, the sacred rock Scottish kings were crowned on, and hauled it back to Westminster Abbey. He literally built a chair over it so that every future English king would be sitting on Scotland’s pride. Talk about a power move.
Why Edward Longshanks Still Matters Today
If you live in a country with a Parliament, you can thank (or blame) Edward.
Before him, Parliament was just a random group of nobles complaining to the king. In 1295, Edward summoned the Model Parliament. He realized that if he wanted to tax people to pay for his expensive wars, he needed them to feel like they had a say.
He brought in "the common man"—knights from the counties and burgesses from the towns. It wasn't democracy, not by a long shot, but it was the first time the middle class got a seat at the table.
A Legal Legacy
He also earned the title of the "English Justinian." He spent years codifying laws that had been a mess for centuries. He wanted things organized. He wanted to know exactly who owned what land and why.
💡 You might also like: Defining Chic: Why It Is Not Just About the Clothes You Wear
Many of his statutes remained the foundation of English law for hundreds of years. He wasn't just swinging a sword; he was wielding a pen to cement his authority.
The Side of Longshanks Nobody Talks About
This is the part that usually surprises people. For all his ruthlessness on the battlefield, Edward was a massive romantic.
His marriage to Eleanor of Castile was a rare medieval love match. Most royal marriages were just business deals, but Edward and Eleanor were inseparable. She even went on Crusade with him. When he was wounded by an assassin’s poisoned blade in the Holy Land, legend says she sucked the poison out of his wound.
When she died in 1290, Edward was absolutely devastated. He ordered twelve massive stone crosses—the Eleanor Crosses—to be built at every place her funeral procession stopped on the way to London.
You can still see a replica of the last one today at Charing Cross station in London. It’s a pretty soft-hearted gesture for a guy who was known for hanging, drawing, and quartering his enemies.
The Darkest Chapter: The Expulsion of 1290
You can't talk about Edward without talking about his treatment of the Jewish population. This is the part of his legacy that isn't just "tough king" stuff—it's genuinely dark.
By 1290, Edward was broke. Fighting in Wales and Scotland is expensive. To get Parliament to grant him a massive new tax, he offered them a trade: he would expel every single Jew from England.
📖 Related: Deep Wave Short Hair Styles: Why Your Texture Might Be Failing You
He issued the Edict of Expulsion, forcing thousands of people to leave their homes with only what they could carry. Their property was seized by the crown. It was an act of state-sponsored antisemitism that wasn't officially reversed for over 350 years.
The Ending of a Giant
Edward died in 1307 at the age of 68. He was on his way to Scotland (again) to deal with Robert the Bruce. Even in his final days, he was focused on conquest.
He left his son a kingdom that was legally organized and militarily powerful, but also deeply in debt and locked in a "forever war" with its neighbors.
Actionable Insights for History Buffs
If you're interested in seeing the physical legacy of Edward Longshanks, there are a few places you should definitely check out:
- The "Iron Ring" of Castles in Wales: Visit Conwy, Caernarfon, or Harlech. These aren't just pretty ruins; they were state-of-the-art military hardware designed to suppress the Welsh people.
- Westminster Abbey: His tomb is surprisingly plain. It’s a big grey marble slab with the words Scottorum Malleus (Hammer of the Scots) painted on it.
- The Eleanor Cross at Charing Cross: It’s a reminder that even the most "terrible" kings were human.
Edward wasn't a "good" man by modern standards. He was a conqueror, a legislator, and a man of his time. Whether you see him as a hero of English law or a villain of Scottish independence, there's no denying he was one of the most effective monarchs to ever wear the crown.
Next steps to deepen your knowledge:
To truly understand the impact of the Edwardian era, read Marc Morris's "A Great and Terrible King". It’s widely considered the gold standard for understanding how Edward managed to be both a visionary leader and a brutal enforcer without losing his grip on power. You should also look into the Statute of Rhuddlan, which shows exactly how he dismantled the Welsh legal system to replace it with his own.