Edward and Scotland

 E3 resented Treaty of Northampton

o Robert I the Bruce d. 1329 leaving 5-year old David II on throne
o E3 aids Scot nobles exiled by Robert to put Edward Balliol (John’s son) on throne
 David flees to France, but Balliol resented as puppet
 1341: David returns as king
 1346: David invades England to fulfill Auld Alliance w/ FR
o Oct 17, 1346: Badly defeated at Battle of Neville’s Cross  king captured
o Prisoner for 11 years until ultimately ransomed in 1357 for 100,000 marks

First Phase of War (1340-42)

 Naval Battle of Sluys (June 1340) – all but destroys French navy
o Little headway on land, runs out of resources
o Truce in 1342, Edward returns to England
 Rebuild Windsor Castle
 Institutes Order to the Garter (Britain’s highest knighthood)

Second Phase (1346-47)

 Lands in Normandy w/ 16-year old heir, Edward the Black Prince
o Leads plundering raid to Paris, but little purpose
 Philip VI tries to cut off E3 retreat  Battle of Crecy (Aug 26)
o French lose 14,0000 of 35,000; English 200 of 16,000
 Besiege Calais Sept 46, surrenders in August 47
o Ejects most French, replaced with English colonists
o Base for future invasions (holds until 1558)
 Victories in Gascony, Brittany, Scotland
o $ trouble  truce in Sept 1347
 Tournaments and revelry at court, but Black Death strikes 1348-1349
 Parliament opposed to more taxes, wants peace
o Can’t conclude lasting peace
o Statute of Laborers (1351) – prohibit wage increases; prohibit movement of laborers from home in
search of better conditions
 Poorly enforced
o General anticlericalism
 Statute of Provisors (1351) – limited papal authority over making appointments in English
church
 Statue of Praemunire (1353) – forbade appeals to Rome over patronage
Third Phase (1355-1360)
 Jan/Feb 1356: raids Scotland
o Balliol formally surrenders Scotland, but repudiated by Scots
o Unsuccessful raids from Calais
 Black Prince – victory at Poitiers (Sept 19, 1356) – captured John II
o French lose 2500 dead/2600 captured of 40,000; English lose 1000 of 12,000
o Truce in 1356
 Treaty of London (1359): John forced to surrender so much land that French nobles refuse
o John maintained in magnificent captivity
 After French repudiation, E3 lands at Calais
o Besiege Reims to be crowned king of France
o Reims resists  to Burgundy to Paris = unsuccessful
 Treaty of Calais (Oct 1360): E3 renounces claim to crown in return for all of Aquitaine
 Black Death returns 1361, 1369  social and economic disturbances
o Attempts to enforce Statute of Laborers
o 1366: E3 formally repudiates papal feudal supremacy

Fourth Phase (1364-1375)

 Charles V repudiates Treaty of Calais  E3 resumes title of King of France
o Leaves fighting mostly to Black Prince, John of Gaunt (duke of Lancaster)
 Little success w/ little $
 French national feeling growing
o English lose most of Aquitaine
 E3 extends his attacks on wealth of church
 Poor health forces him home in 1371
o Attempts invasion in 1372, but frustrated by wind from landing
o 1373: John marches length of France: Calais  Bordeaux w/ little impact
 Final Truce signed 1375
o England keeps Calais, Bordeaux, 2 other minor cities
 Final years of dotage after Queen Philippa d.1369
o Alice Perrers – greedy mistress and new power broker
o 2 parties at court behind Black Prince, John of Gaunt
 1374: Gaunt returns to England, works w/ Alice to dominate gov’t
 Not well-run or successful
 Good Parliament (1376): popular indignation vs. John
o Alice removed; John’s allies impeached
o Black Prince’s death (June 8) before Parliament ends, means they lose primary supporter
 John restored to power
 Reverses Good Parliament decisions by 1377 and E3 death

Edward III’s Character

 Extraordianary vigor, tactician, consummate knight
o Most brilliant court in Europe
o E3 head of gallant kings who win fame in France
 Military glory #1 ambiion
 Not a bad ruler: liberal, kind, good-tempered, accessible
o Open to subjects’ petitions and gives power to Parliamnet
o Needs $ for French wars
 Weaknesses: extravagant, frivolous, self-indulgent : ambitions transcend resources