BBC Teach - Edward I, the Welsh and the Scots - Worksheet to support the Bartlett extract

Professor Robert Bartlett details Edward I’s expansionist designs on Wales, and his defeat of the two princes of Gwynedd, Llewellyn and Dafydd, in 1282. Edward’s chain of castles to consolidate control over his new territory are shown on a map. In Scotland, the failure of Edward’s plan to take control by exploiting the Scottish Succession Crisis is explained. His selection of John Balliol as a subordinate Scottish king, and subsequent invasion of Scotland when John showed independence is discussed. We hear about how Scottish resistance to English rule was strong, and discuss the leadership qualities of William Wallace, with images of many of the Scottish borderlands where battles were fought. The strategic use of Stirling Bridge by the Scots to defeat the English is shown in detail. The role of the Plantagenet failure to subdue the Scots in creating Scottish national identity is considered.

This clip is from the BBC series The Plantagenets. Professor Robert Bartlett tells the story of the Plantagenets, England’s longest ruling dynasty. Fifteen kings from this one family dominated the nation for 331 years between the 12th and 15th Centuries, shaping the country’s politics and culture. Their story is one of conflict, brutality and intrigue, but also the birth of Parliament and a system of justice through the Magna Carta. The dynasty ended with decades of Civil War that tore the family apart.

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