Eventually, Edward died, here near Carlisle in 1307, en route to deal with Bruce himself. Ironically, at the end of his life, Edward turned thoughtful, even writing that he wanted to promote "pleasantness, ease and quiet for our subjects." But if he really believed this, he must have died a truly disappointed man. One story says the king left orders for his bones to be boiled away from his flesh and carried before his son's army, believing that as long as his bones marched north, the Scots would never be victorious. But Edward Junior was going to need more than his father's shinbone if he was to have any chance of success. He was certainly not the incarnation of the community of the realm. Neither was he the true heir of the Caesar of Britain, the monarch of all he surveyed. He was just a loser.


最终，爱德华魂归西天。1307年，他御驾亲征布鲁斯，行近卡莱尔时，撒手人寰。讽刺的是，在生命的最后时刻，爱德华变得仁慈体恤，他甚至写下了这样的主张。为国民营造愉悦，轻松，宁静的环境，如果这真是他的信仰，那他一定死不瞑目。有传说称，他留下遗嘱，死后将他的骨头从身体中取出，送至前线他儿子的部队。他相信只要自己的遗骨继续向北行进，苏格兰人就没有胜利的机会。但小爱德华如果仅仅依靠先父的遗骨，是毫无胜算的。他显然不是王国的真龙天子，也不是不列颠王位的合法继承人，命运将他推上了王位，他只是个无能昏君。