Edward III (13 November 1312 – 21 June 1377), also known as Edward of Windsor before his accession, was King of England from January 1327 until his death in 1377. He is noted for his military success and for restoring royal authority after the disastrous and unorthodox reign of his father, Edward II. Edward III transformed the Kingdom of ...
- 25 January 1327 – 21 June 1377
- Isabella of France
Mar 10, 2023 · Edward III, byname Edward of Windsor, (born November 13, 1312, Windsor, Berkshire, England—died June 21, 1377, Sheen, Surrey), king of England from 1327 to 1377, who led England into the Hundred Years’ War with France. The descendants of his seven sons and five daughters contested the throne for generations, climaxing in the Wars of the ...
Edward III © Edward was king of England for 50 years. His reign saw the beginning of the Hundred Years War against France. Edward was born on 13 November 1312, possibly at Windsor,...
Edward III, known as Edward of Windsor, (born Nov. 13, 1312, Windsor, Berkshire, Eng.—died June 21, 1377, Sheen, Surrey), King of England (1327–77). His mother, Isabella of France, deposed his father, Edward II, and crowned the 15-year-old Edward in his place.
- Succession
- Regency
- Scotland
- France: The Hundred Years' War
- Domestic Events
- Knights & Chivalry
- Death & Successor
Edward III was born on 13 November 1312 CE at Windsor Castle, the son of King Edward II of England and Isabella of France (b. c. 1289 CE), the daughter of Philip IV of France (r. 1285-1314 CE). Edward's parents had married largely for diplomatic reasons and to produce an heir. In this latter respect, the marriage was a success and four children wer...
With his father's demise, the young Prince Edward, aged just 14, was declared king with Isabella and Mortimer acting as his regents. Edward III thus became the final part of the trio that completed the 'Edwardian' period of medieval England (1272-1377 CE). The coronation took place on 1 February 1327 CE, as usual, at Westminster Abbey. There follow...
Scotland's independence had been secured in the 1328 CE Treaty of Northampton, but Edward had not given up on the dream of his grandfather, Edward I of England (r. 1272-1307 CE), to conquer the country. When the Scottish king Robert the Bruce died in 1329 CE after a 23-year reign, his successor was David II (r. 1329-1371 CE), then only five years o...
Edward III held lands in France and he could even make a strong claim to the French crown via his mother Isabella. The current French king was Philip VI of France (r. 1328-1350 CE) who had succeeded his cousin Charles IV of France (r. 1322-1328 CE) even if, when Charles had died, it was Edward who was his closest male relative, being Charles' nephe...
From 1341 CE the English Parliament was beginning to take the form it has today with two separate houses sitting, the lower and the upper house (what would become the House of Commons and House of Lords respectively). The Parliament was able to push for more powers as the king became more desperate for funds, and these included the Houses first app...
During the good times of the victories in France, Edward's court became famous for its pageantry, extravagant clothing and chivalry. Medieval literature boomed, too, with the celebrated poet Geoffrey Chaucer, (c. 1343-1400 CE) a member of the king's inner circle from 1367 CE onwards. Edward, a keen student of history, seemed intent on creating a ne...
By the end of his reign, Edward was becoming increasingly unpopular and perhaps his mind was suffering from his age. There were no more victories in France to cheer, the state coffers and just about everyone else's were empty, and the king's scheming mistress, Alice Perrers - Queen Philippa had died of illness in 1369 CE - proved unpopular at court...
- Mark Cartwright
- Publishing Director
Apr 26, 2022 · Edward III transformed the Kingdom of England into one of the most formidable military powers in Europe; his reign also saw vital developments in legislation and government—in particular the evolution of the English parliament—as well as the ravages of the Black Death.
Edward III of England. Edward III (November 13, 1312 – June 21, 1377) was one of the most successful English monarchs of the Middle Ages. Restoring royal authority after the disastrous reign of his father, Edward II, he went on to transform the Kingdom of England into the most efficient military power in Europe.