Edward III

Description

Edward III (1312–1377) was the most successful European ruler of his age. Reigning for over fifty years, he achieved spectacular military triumphs and overcame grave threats to his authority, from parliamentary revolt to the Black Death. Revered by his subjects as a chivalric dynamo, he initiated the Hundred Years' War and gloriously led his men into battle against the Scots and the French. In this illuminating biography, W. Mark Ormrod takes a deeper look at Edward to reveal the man beneath the military muscle. What emerges is Edward's clear sense of his duty to rebuild the prestige of the Crown, and through military gains and shifting diplomacy, to secure a legacy for posterity. New details of the splendor of Edward's court, lavish national celebrations, and innovative use of imagery establish the king's instinctive understanding of the bond between ruler and people. With fresh emphasis on how Edward's rule was affected by his family relationships—including his roles as traumatized son, loving husband, and dutiful father—Ormrod gives a valuable new dimension to our understanding of this remarkable warrior king. Cover EDWARD OF WINDSOR, 1312–1322 EXILE AND SUCCESSION, 1322–1327 TUTELAGE, 1327–1330 ENGLAND’S LITTLE LION, 1330–1337 FAMILY AND FRIENDS, 1330–1344 SCOURGE OF THE SCOTS, 1330–1338 THE LEOPARD AND THE LILY, 1331–1339 THE EDGE OF THE ABYSS, 1339–1341 BRITTANY AND BACK, 1341–1346 THE WAY OF VICTORY, 1346–1347 FOR ARTHUR AND ST GEORGE, 1344–1355 THE ROAD TO POITIERS, 1347–1356 PESTILENCE AND POLITICS, 1348–1358 THE RANSOMING OF RULERS, 1356–1360 INTIMATIONS OF EMPIRE, 1360–1368 THE HOUSE OF MAGNIFICENCE, 1358–1369 THE THRONE OF PEACE, 1360–1369 RETREAT AND DEFEAT, 1368–1375 A FRAGILE TENURE, 1369–1376 THE YEAR OF SORROWS, 1376–1377 EDWARD THE GREAT THE TITLES AND SEALS OF EDWARD III THE ITINERARY OF EDWARD III, 1325–1377 BIBLIOGRAPHY INDEX