Edmund at War

There were few times in England's Medieval period when it was not at war with someone. Even when they were not forced to defend themselves, they chose to go to warfare territory or to start a Crusade.

During the time of Edmund Crouchback, younger brother of King Edward I, the relationship between Wales and England was not good. During the Second Barons' War against their father, Henry III, the chief rebel, Simon de Montfort, had made an alliance with the Prince of Gwynedd, Llywelyn ap Gruffudd.

Llywelyn kept up good relations with Simon de Montfort's family, and married Simon's daughter Eleanor by proxy in 1275. Eleanor (Edward's cousin: her mother and his father were both children of King John) was in France, and when she sailed to England to meet Llywelyn, Edward had her ship seized and herself imprisoned at Windsor Castle.

Edward's intent was to force Llywelyn to make certain concessions. Llywelyn was not universally liked by his countrymen, and Edward considered taking over Gwynedd himself or splitting it up and letting the pets be ruled by Llywelyn's brothers, Dafydd and Owain. Dafydd was on-board with this plan.

Edward declared Llywelyn a rebel and made military preparations in 1276. In 1277 Edmund was put in charge of the forces in southern Wales. Some Welsh castles had already been captured, so Edmund was able to move north, taking Aberystwyth in July. He rebuilt Aberystwyth castle before returning to England.

Through Edmund's marriage to Blanche of Artois, he became Count of Brie. In January 1280, the capital of Brie, Provins, was taken over by rebels who opposed a new tax. They killed the mayor and installed their own. Edmund marched to Brie. The mob fled, leaving the town undefended. Edmund removed the town's privileges, confiscated weapons, and declared the rebels to be executed or banished. (He returned in 1281 and pardoned Provins after negotiations with church officials, but hit them with a heavy tax that caused the town to deteriorate.)

In 1282 Wales started a war with England (it was still Llywelyn in charge), in violation of the Treaty of Aberconwy signed just a few years earlier, and Edmund returned to England to help. It was part of the forces under Edmund's control that lured Llywelyn into a trap and killed him.

There was more to his life—another 15 years or so—but I'd like to go back to the man for whom Edmund was named, an earlier king who became a saint. Tomorrow we'll examine what we know bout Edmund the Martyr, King of East Anglia.