Why did Edward I summon knights and burgesses to Parliament?

King Edward I summoned knights of the shire and burgesses to Parliament primarily to secure consent for taxation and to improve communication between the monarchy and his subjects.1

Edward required financial support for the wars he was prosecuting in Scotland and France. By involving representatives from local communities, he fostered the concept of the "community of the realm," operating under the principle that matters affecting everyone should be approved by all. This approach was influenced by both practical political needs and ideas derived from Roman law, which suggested that common dangers should be addressed through remedies agreed upon in common.21

While the 1295 assembly, often called the Model Parliament, is a famous example of this representative structure, Edward’s use of such assemblies helped formalize the process of petitioning the king and established a precedent for the inclusion of the commons in national governance.12