14. Attacked by the legendary Order of Assassins for threatening the peace process in the Middle East, Edward I of England was almost killed by a poisoned blade in 1272
Edward I (b. 1239), also known as Edward Longshanks and “The Hammer of the Scots”, reigned as King of England from 1272 until his death in 1307. Initially rebellious against his father, Edward partook in the Ninth Crusade as an act of penance in the hope of reclaiming Jerusalem which had fallen in 1244 to the Muslims. A futile endeavor, with the Christian capital of Acre unable, even with Edward’s forces, to repel the superior numbers of Baibars, Sultan of Egypt. Nevertheless, Edward became a fierce adversary of his opponents, leading raid after raid upon their numbers in conjunction with the Mongol invasion from the East.
Opposing the proposed truce offered by Hugh III of Cyprus, the nominal King of Jerusalem, Edward was overruled and a ten-year peace was agreed in May 1272. Threatening to undermine the fragile peace, Edward faced an assassination attempt by a Muslim “hashashin” in June of that year. Although successfully fighting off his would-be killer, Edward was struck in the arm during the ensuing melee. Forcing the Englishman to abandon plans for a campaign, the dagger is believed to have been laced with poison, weakening, and indeed almost killing Edward and incapacitating him for many months.