Two sides to violent king

I WRITE to correct the misleading impression of my views conveyed in your article ‘Academic claims Edward I was misunderstood’ (News, 18 November).

I believe that from 1292 ­Edward I behaved towards the Scots in a manner that was heavy-handed, uncompromising and at times violent. This reflected a fault in his personality that in certain respects also adversely affected his rule within England. However, my work simultaneously argues that, to his English subjects, Edward was a highly dutiful king whose deeply held and coherent political views led to much higher internal political achievement than he has latterly been given credit for.

Dr Caroline Burt, 
University of Cambridge