Topic > King Edward I's Role in the Creation of the English Empire

Edward I was known to be a controversial king in the eyes of historians, some believing him to be the best English king of the Middle Ages while others found him unsympathetic. Edward I was particularly famous for creating a "model parliament" and bringing advancements to the English legal system as its foundations are still used in parliament and the legal system today. Therefore this essay will argue that Edward I created an English empire because of the aforementioned advancements in the English parliament, government, and legal system. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essayThe years 1278-86 were pivotal for Edward I and England as he brought about major changes to English government such as creating a "model parliament"' and returning power and authority to the crown. The council was crucial to Edward I's success as it provided him with advice and assistance that helped him govern the country sufficiently. For example, when a problem arose that Edward didn't feel comfortable enough to make a clear decision about, he made a decision together with his council. Thus the role of the king's advisors was crucial to the success of Edward I's policies. The term "council" was not used at the time of his reign, but by having frequent meetings with them, Edward I essentially created a "privy council", which led to the start of a larger council meeting with nobles and others who eventually formed a "pattern". parliament'. This refers to the idea that Edward I created an English empire as it shows positive progress and drastic changes in English government under the reign of Edward I. Edward I first summoned parliament on 13 November 1295 to raise funds by taxing civilians for future war efforts. Parliament in this period consisted of the aristocracy, clergy and even civilians, as Stubbs comments on how it was an "extraordinary assembly". The convening of parliament became more regular as most meetings concerned the taxation of civilians, however, according to Richardson and Sayles parliament did more than discuss the topic of taxation as "the central function of parliament was the provision of taxes". justice by the king or his representatives." This is crucial in regards to the creation of the English Empire, as Templeman points out that Edward I managed to create a "model parliament" whose foundations are still used today in England and the Commonwealth countries. It is also worth commenting on The Hundred Scrolls, which constituted the creation of reforms in terms of crown, land, feudal rights and freedoms during the mid-1270s. So in 1279 the largest survey of the Middle Ages was sent to all of England. Historian Kosminsky reports that the purpose of this investigation was to provide "the fullest possible picture of the division of revenue and the entanglement of feudal relations." This investigation was important as it provided a basis for taxation and highlights the feudal economy during the reign of Edward I. The Hundred Scrolls is also fundamental to the reign of Edward I as it shows a clear development of the government of 'England while introduced new procedures that had never been done before in the Middle Ages. However, it can be argued that the creation of a "model parliament" in 1295 did not mean that this should immediately result in Edward I's creation of an English empire. This is because Edward I created this "model parliament" in 1295 solely for his own advantage, taxing civilians in this case to support his war efforts. Prestwich points outalso the difficulties involved in studying both parliament and council during the reign of Edward I. This is because none of the terms were really established and the word "parliament" was used very loosely. In particular, there is very little concrete evidence to prove that these meetings/meetings were actually a parliamentary meeting and also the fact that it was never established as an institution with a clear function. During the years 1282-1303, the frequency of parliamentary meetings changed as these meetings became fewer and fewer as Edward I initially called parliament only for tax purposes and only came to these parliamentary meetings for money. Furthermore, parliament did not meet regularly and was mostly held in other parts of England, so parliament had little to no administrative independence, which essentially meant it could not run itself. This goes against Edward I's claim to have created an English empire as it shows that parliament was not a very robust function, it was inconsistent and the fact that there is little hard evidence to prove that Edward I even created parliament. This is also worrying because Edward I was most famous for creating the "model parliament" and the fact that historians have difficulty finding concrete evidence for this is considered problematic. The question then arises as to whether Edward I really created an English empire. In 1294 Edward I changed the oath which initially required members of the council to swear an oath to the king. However, he changed the pledge so that council members have a duty to do everything they can to strengthen the power of the Crown. This is crucial as it highlights that Edward I's intention was to manifest power for himself. These two counterarguments go against Edward I's claim to have created an English empire as he "created" parliament for his need for money and changed an oath to make himself more powerful, so his intentions were more geared towards greed rather than to advancement. or progression of the English Empire. It also shows that the creation of the English Empire was not his first priority, but rather the power of the crown. The reign of Edward I was one of the most important periods in the development of English law. Edward's legislative development was one of the main reasons that made his reign significant. The aim of these legislative developments was to make the law more efficient and to make justice a quicker process by introducing more advanced procedures, as Carpenter comments that "for the first time it could be thought of as fully professional". What Edward I and his advisors created was something that no one was able to achieve during the Middle Ages, for Bishop Stubbs emphasizes “the importance of his legislation and the dignity of his position in the history of law, no Englishman will doubt” . Therefore, his advancement in the legal system is a key factor in the creation of an English empire as it created a foundation and openings for today's courts and legal systems. The English legal system created by Edward I was very complex and ranged from the type of manorial courts up to parliament. There were also local courts and feudal courts adopted by the Anglo-Saxons. Another important development in the legal system under Edward I's rule was the use of more informal methods at the start of court proceedings, such as complaint. This is important as it allows the defendant who has a judgment against him to seek relief from the consequences of the sentence when new evidence or defense emerges. This simply prevented a defendant from being immediately executed. This is important in.