Edward III Biography

Edward III 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 reign of his father, Edward II. 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. He is one of only six British monarchs to have ruled England or its successor kingdoms for more than fifty years.

Edward was crowned at age fourteen after his father was deposed by his mother and her consort 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 due to the Salic law. This started what would become 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. Source: Wikipedia

Biography Snapshot
Name:
Edward III
Nationality:
Kingdom of England
Date of Birth:
November 13, 1312
Astrological Sign:
Scorpio
Date of Death:
June 21, 1377
Age at Death:
64
Marriages
Edward III Timeline
  • 1327-01-25
    King Edward III accedes to the English throne
  • 1327-02-01
    Teenaged Edward III is crowned King of England, but the country is ruled by his mother Queen Isabella and her lover Roger Mortimer.
  • 1336-08-12
    English King Edward III ends wool export to Flanders
  • 1340-01-26
    English king Edward III proclaimed king of France
  • 1346-08-26
    Battle of Crécy, south of Calais in northern France; Edward III's English longbows defeat Philip VI's army, cannons used for first time in battle
  • 1346-10-17
    Battle of Neville's Cross: King David II of Scotland is captured by Edward III of England at Calais, and imprisoned in the Tower of London for eleven years.
  • 1350-08-29
    Battle of Winchelsea (or Les Espagnols sur Mer): The English naval fleet under King Edward III defeats a Castilian fleet of 40 ships.
Cite this page
APA Style

Edward III. (2023). The HistoryHop.com website. Retrieved 2:47pm UTC, Apr 1, 2023, from www.historyhop.com/famous-people/edward-iii/bio.

Harvard Style

Edward III. [Internet]. 2023. The HistoryHop.com website. Available from: www.historyhop.com/famous-people/edward-iii/bio [Accessed 01 Apr 2023].

MLA Style

"Edward III." Bio. The HistoryHop.com website, 2023. Web. 01 Apr 2023.

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