ABSTRACT
Before his accession Edward played a leading part in the civil wars of the 1260s. As king, he oversaw major changes in the law with a series of statutes. His reign was important for the development of parliament. He conquered Wales in 1282–3, and put down rebellion there in 1294–5. The conquest was cemented by an impressive programme of castle-building. From 1286–9 Edward was in Gascony, dealing with international matters and local reform. His later years proved more difficult. In 1290 the Jews were expelled from England, in return for a tax. Edward resolved a succession dispute in Scotland in 1291–2, but his demands led to war in 1296. By 1304 Edward appeared to have achieved success, but this was short-lived. In Scotland, as in Wales, Edward relied on the mobilization of men and material on a massive scale. He faced war with France from 1294–7. Heavy taxes and seizures of goods led to political crisis in 1297. Though he faced some opposition from the earls, his management of the nobility was one reason for his successes. He was keenly interested in Arthurian matters, but the extent to which chivalric principles guided Edward’s policies is questionable.
