Edward I received power and control of Ireland long before he was king of England. In 1254 his father, Henry III, gifted him a grant which gave Edward I control over Ireland (except for Dublin, Limerick, Athlone and lands promised to others) and large swathes of Wales. However, Edward I was not to become Lord of Ireland until his ascension to the throne in 1272, when Edward I gained more lands such as Dublin, where this coin was produced.

Edward’s life and reign is marked by brutal wars and his fierce temperament. He spent decades quelling the Welsh rebellion headed by Llywelyn ap Gruffudd, the last Welsh king. Edward I also ended 100 years of an amicable relationship between England and Scotland by invading Scotland in 1296. This was his way of retaliating for King John of Scotland seeking alliance with France and signing the Treaty of Paris.

Edward I would spend the last years of his life continuing his rather successful conquest of Scotland. He believed his job was complete in 1305 following his execution of William Wallace, an act made famous in modern pop culture thanks to the Academy Award-winning film Braveheart. However, Robert the Bruce reignited the rebellion in 1306, and on his way to reconquer Scotland, Edward I died on his journey at Burgh by Sands in July 1307.