that lost
the battle of Lewes (1264), one immediate consequence of which was the
prince's imprisonment as a hostage for his father's pledges.
Conditions for his liberation, discussed at Simon's famous parliament
of 1265, were frustrated through Edward's escape by a stratagem from
Hereford Castle; and at the final battle at Evesham (August 4), where
Simon recognized in the skilful disposition of his enemy's forces a
fatal lesson learned from himself, the struggle practically ended with
the great popular champion's death on the battle-field. Edward gained
much influence by the wise prudence and moderation with which he
stamped out the last embers of rebellion.

In 1270 he started, at the instigation of Louis IX. of France, to join
the last of the Crusades, but when he reached Tunis, found that king
dead, and the expedition already desperate of success. He went on to
Acre, and won great renown as a knight, but failed to save the
Frankish kingdom in the East from its inevitable fate. In June, 1272,
while sitting alone on his bed, his own strength and energy saved him
from being murdered by one of the infamous sect of the Assassins.
Hastily guarding himself with his arms, and receiving a desperate
wound, from which he afterward suffered much, he tore the knife from
his assailant's hand, and buried it in his heart. The ancient story
that his queen Eleanor, who had followed him in his pilgrimage, saved
his life at the risk of her own by sucking the poison from the wound,
unfortunately lacks historical support, but fits well with the
romantic temper of the times, as well as with the deep affection that
survived throughout life betwixt husband and wife.

Two months later he started for home, and at Capua, in the January of
1273, heard of his father's death two months before. Meantime he had
been quietly proclaimed king, and as things went well in England, he
visited the pope, did homage at Paris for his French provinces, and
did not return to his kingdom till the August of 1274. At his
coronation he received the homage of Alexander III. of Scotland for
his lands in England, but Prince Llewelyn of Wales neglected the
summons to attend, and only did his homage in 1276, under the combined
terrors of excommunication and the royal army. Edward at once
commenced that wise and large policy of domestic consolidation and
financial as well as legal reform, that has shed such lustre upon the
reign of the English Justinian, as he has been