WHICH AI RESPONSE DO YOU TRUST?
WHICH AI RESPONSE
DO YOU TRUST?
I asked the same question to
GOOGLE-AI
CLAUDE-AI
&
GROK-AI
Does English History reflect that King Edward III Reign was greater then his grandfather King Edward Longshanks?
GOOGLE RESPONSE:
English history shows both King Edward III and his grandfather, Edward I ("Longshanks"), as great monarchs, but they are remembered for different reasons: Edward I is known for military conquest and establishing English law, while Edward III is celebrated for military glory, beginning the Hundred Years' War, and strengthening Parliament and English language use. Some historians might argue that Edward III's legacy is "greater" due to the long-lasting impact of his military success and the significant, though contested, developments in English government and culture during his reign. Others might favor Edward I for the foundational nature of his military and legal reforms.
Edward I ("Longshanks")
• Legacy: Remembered for military campaigns, particularly in Wales and Scotland, and for modernizing English law and administration.
• Key achievements: Consolidated royal authority, built castles, and established Parliament as a permanent institution.
• End of reign: Died in 1307, leaving a legacy of a strong, centralized state.
Edward III
• Legacy: Celebrated for military prowess and restoring royal authority after his father's reign, as well as strengthening the English language and Parliament.
• Key achievements: Began the Hundred Years' War with France and won significant battles like Crécy and Poitiers, which brought military glory and strengthened the English monarchy's prestige.
• Government and culture: Oversaw developments in Parliament and the increased use of English as a language of law and literature.
• End of reign: Died in 1377, having outlived his eldest son and leaving a legacy of a more prominent English military and government role on the European stage.
Comparison
• Edward I: Laid the groundwork for a strong, unified England through military conquest and legal reforms.
• Edward III: Built on that foundation, expanding England's power and influence through military dominance in the Hundred Years' War and creating a more prominent English language and government.
• Conclusion: There is no consensus on who was "greater." Edward I is often seen as the consolidator, while Edward III is seen as the glorious military leader who oversaw a period of great national expansion and cultural shift.
CLAUDE RESPONSE:
Looking at how English history has traditionally assessed these two kings, **Edward I (Longshanks) has generally been rated more highly** than his grandson Edward III, though this is somewhat debated among historians.
**Edward I (1272-1307)** is typically remembered for:
- Being a great lawgiver who reformed English legal and administrative systems
- His military conquests in Wales, which he successfully incorporated into England
- Strengthening royal authority and Parliament
- His nickname "the English Justinian" for his legal reforms
- His (ultimately failed) attempts to conquer Scotland
**Edward III (1327-1377)** is celebrated for:
- His early military victories in the Hundred Years' War, particularly Crécy and Poitiers
- The flourishing of chivalric culture at his court
- Relative domestic stability after his mother's regency
- His long reign of 50 years
However, historians have traditionally viewed Edward I as the more consequential monarch because his legal and administrative reforms had lasting structural impacts on English government. Edward III's military victories, while spectacular, didn't lead to permanent gains in France, and his final years saw military reversals and the devastating arrival of the Black Death.
That said, modern historians have become more appreciative of Edward III's achievements, particularly his skillful management of the nobility and his contributions to English national identity. The debate isn't entirely settled, but the traditional historical consensus has favored Edward I as the "greater" king in terms of lasting impact.
GROK RESPONSE:
Yes, English history generally regards King Edward III's reign (1327–1377) as greater and more celebrated than that of his grandfather, Edward I “Longshanks” (1272–1307). While both were exceptionally able and warlike kings, Edward III is usually ranked higher in the pantheon of medieval English monarchs. Here’s why historians tend to rate Edward III’s reign as the more impressive achievement:
### 1. Military Glory and National Myth-Making
- Edward I conquered Wales and very nearly conquered Scotland. His campaigns were brutal and effective, but by his death in 1307 Scotland had slipped away again under Robert Bruce.
- Edward III restarted the Hundred Years’ War and won two of the most famous victories in English history:
- Crécy (1346)
- Poitiers (1356, where he captured the French king John II)
- He also won the naval battle of Sluys (1340) and his son (the Black Prince) won at Nájera in Spain (1367).
These victories created an enormous boost to English national pride and created the chivalric legend of the age of the knights that still dominates popular imagination (think Order of the Garter, founded 1348). Edward I was feared; Edward III was celebrated.
### 2. Territorial Extent at Peak
- At its greatest extent under the Treaty of Brétigny (1360), Edward III’s domains included:
- All of England
- Roughly half of modern France (Aquitaine in full sovereignty, plus Calais, Ponthieu, and huge swathes as “duke and sovereign”)
- Nominal homage from Scotland (after the battle of Neville’s Cross (1346) and capture of David II
This was the largest territory ever ruled by an English king since 1066. Edward I never came close to controlling that much of France.
### 3. Domestic Stability and Popularity
- Edward I faced constant baronial opposition, heavy taxation protests, the 1297 Confirmatio Cartarum crisis, and expelled the Jews in 1290 (largely to seize their assets).
- Edward III, after the coup that ended his mother Isabella and Mortimer’s regency in 1330, ruled with remarkable domestic harmony for decades. Parliament granted him generous taxation for the French war with relatively little resistance until the 1370s, when he was old and sick. He is one of the few Plantagenet kings who was genuinely popular in his prime.
### 4. Institutional and Cultural Legacy
- Founded the Order of the Garter (1348) – still Britain’s highest order of chivalry.
- Reign saw the decisive shift of the English court and law to the English language (rather than French).
- Emergence of the Commons as a real power in Parliament.
- The Black Death (1348–50) happened on his watch, yet the kingdom recovered remarkably well and the war effort continued.
### 5. How Historians Rank Them
In most modern rankings of English/British monarchs (e.g., BBC History polls, Ian Mortimer’s studies, Michael Prestwich’s biographies, etc.) Edward III consistently appears in the top 5–7 medieval kings, often just behind or alongside Henry II and Edward I. Edward I is almost always placed slightly lower than his grandson.
Typical recent verdicts:
- Marc Morris (biographer of Edward I): “Edward I was the most successful English king of the Middle Ages until his grandson came along.”
- Ian Mortimer: “Edward III achieved more in war, in diplomacy, and chivalric prestige than any other English king except possibly Henry V.”
- W. M. Ormrod (author of the definitive modern biography of Edward III): calls his reign “the greatest in medieval English history.”
### The Counter-Arguments for Edward I
- He was the more ruthless state-builder: Hammer of the Scots, Welsh castles, legal reforms (Statutes of Westminster, Quo Warranto inquiries).
- He left a more solvent crown and a more centrally governed kingdom.
- Edward III’s gains in France were largely lost again by 1453, whereas Edward I’s Welsh conquest stuck permanently.
But even acknowledging those points, most historians conclude that Edward III’s reign was the zenith of medieval English power and prestige.
### Summary
Yes — English historical memory and modern scholarship both judge Edward III’s 50-year reign as greater than his grandfather’s 35-year reign. Edward I was the fearsome conqueror and law-giver; Edward III was the chivalric superstar who made England, for a brief shining moment, the dominant military power in western Europe.
READ
QUEEN ISABELLA:
DANSE MACABRE
"DEMANDING JUSTICE"
BY J. BECK
(2017)
https://youngsopranos.blogspot.com/2025/11/queen-isabella-danse-macabre-demanding.html?m=1
(I CREATED & DEVELOPED
THIS POETRY/NARRATIVE
FORM OF "HAIKU-SONNETS")
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