King Edward III of England
| Edward III | |
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Edward III, detail from his bronze effigy in Westminster Abbey
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| King of England (more...) | |
| Reign | 25 January 1327 – 21 June 1377 |
| Coronation | 1 February 1327 |
| Predecessor | Edward II |
| Successor | Richard II |
| Born |
13 November 1312 Windsor Castle, Berkshire |
| Died | 21 June 1377 (aged 64) Sheen Palace, Richmond |
| Burial | Westminster Abbey, London |
| Spouse | Philippa of Hainault |
| Issue Detail |
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| House | Plantagenet |
| Father | Edward II of England |
| Mother | Isabella of France |
| Religion | Catholicism |
Edward III (13 November 1312 – 21 June 1377) was King of England from 25 January 1327 until his death; 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 England into one of the most formidable military powers in Europe. His long reign of 50 years was the second longest in medieval England and 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 was crowned at age fourteen after his father was deposed by his mother, Isabella of France, and her lover Roger Mortimer. At age seventeen he led a successful coup against Mortimer, the de facto ruler of the country, and began his personal reign. After a successful campaign in Scotland he declared himself rightful heir to the French throne in 1337 but his claim was denied. This started what became known as the Hundred Years' War. Following some initial setbacks the war went exceptionally well for England; victories at Crécy and Poitiers led to the highly favourable Treaty of Brétigny. Edward's later years were marked by international failure and domestic strife, largely as a result of his inactivity and poor health.
Edward III was a temperamental man but capable of unusual clemency. He was in many ways a conventional king whose main interest was warfare. Admired in his own time and for centuries after, Edward was denounced as an irresponsible adventurer by later Whig historians such as William Stubbs. This view has been challenged recently and modern historians credit him with some significant achievements.
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Wikipedia