Editing Edward III of England (section)

== Early life (1312–1327) ==
Edward was born at [[Windsor Castle]] on 13 November 1312, and was described in a contemporary prophecy as "the boar that would come out of Windsor".{{Sfn|Mortimer|2006|p=21}} The reign of his father, Edward II, was a particularly problematic period of English history.{{Sfn|Chaplais|1994|p=5}}{{Sfn|Haines|2003|pp=36–39}}{{Sfn|Phillips|2011|p=9}}{{Efn|For an account of the political conflicts of Edward II's early years, see John Maddicot's 1970 monograph, ''Thomas of Lancaster, 1307–1322''}} The King had alienated several [[English peerage|English nobles]] and Scottish allies by abandoning [[Edward I of England|his father]]'s [[First War of Scottish Independence|war with Scotland]] soon after his accession, and continued to lose battles against the Scots intermittently.{{Sfn|Tuck|1985|p=52}}{{Sfn|Phillips|2011|pp=17–19}} Also controversial was the King's [[patronage]] of a small group of royal [[favourite]]s rather than his nobility generally. This, says the historian [[Michael Prestwich]], "unbalanced the whole system of royal patronage".{{Sfn|Prestwich|1980|p=80}} However, the birth of a male heir in 1312 – the future Edward III – soon improved Edward II's relations with the French, and a moderate element within the nobility temporarily quelled baronial opposition.{{Sfn|Prestwich|2005|p=189}} The young prince was created [[Earl of Chester]] at only twelve days old, and by January the following year had been provided with an entire household.{{Sfn|Mortimer|2006|p=23}} An early influence on Prince Edward was the [[Bishop of Durham]], [[Richard de Bury]], one of the century's major [[bibliophile]]s. Originally a tutor, he appears to have become a mentor to the King. Under Bury's tutelage, Edward learned to write and to read French and Latin. He would have had access to famous contemporary works, such as [[Vegetius]]'s ''De Re Militari'', which had been translated into [[Anglo-Norman language|Anglo-Norman]], as well as the ''[[Mirror for Princes]]'' and various [[psalters]] and religious texts.{{Sfn|Purcell|2017|p=32}}

Since the [[Norman Conquest]] had united the [[Duchy of Normandy]] and its French estates with those of the Crown and the land of England, English kings had held several territories, including [[Poitou]], [[Aquitaine]], [[Normandy]], [[Duchy of Anjou|Anjou]] and [[Maine]], and these holdings – at one point covering more of France than that held by the French king – had frequently led to conflict.{{sfn|Curry|2003|pp=1–2}} In 1325, Edward II was faced with a demand from his brother-in-law [[Charles IV of France]] to perform [[homage (feudal)|homage]] for the English [[Duchy of Aquitaine]].{{Sfn|Tuck|1985|p=88}} The King was reluctant to leave the country, as discontent was once again brewing domestically, particularly over his relationship with the favourite [[Hugh Despenser the Younger]].{{Efn|For an account of Edward II's later years, see Natalie Fryde's 1979 ''The Tyranny and Fall of Edward II, 1321–1326''.}} Instead, he had his son Edward created [[Duke of Aquitaine]] in his place and sent him to France to perform the homage.{{Sfn|Mortimer|2006|p=39}} The young Edward was accompanied by his mother Isabella, who was King Charles's sister and was meant to negotiate a peace treaty with the French.{{Sfn|Prestwich|2005|p=213}} While in France, Isabella conspired with the exiled [[Roger Mortimer, 1st Earl of March|Roger Mortimer]] to have Edward II deposed.{{Sfn|Prestwich|2005|p=216}} To build up diplomatic and military support for the venture, Isabella had her son engaged to the twelve-year-old [[Philippa of Hainault]].{{Sfn|Mortimer|2006|p=46}} An [[Invasion of England (1326)|invasion of England]] was launched and Edward II's forces deserted him completely. Isabella and Mortimer summoned [[Parliament of 1327|a parliament]], and the King was forced to relinquish the throne to his son, who was proclaimed king in London on 25 January 1327. The new king was crowned as Edward III at [[Westminster Abbey]] on 1 February at the age of 14.{{Sfn|Mortimer|2006|p=54}}{{Efn|The later fate of Edward II has been a source of much scholarly debate. For a summary of the evidence, see pages 405–410 of Mortimer's 2006 monograph, ''The Perfect King: The Life of Edward III, Father of the English Nation''}}