Editing Edward III of England (section)

== Early reign (1327–1337) ==
=== Mortimer's rule and fall ===
One of Edward's first acts – ''de facto'' Mortimer's – was to lead another campaign to Scotland in July 1327.{{sfn|Nicholson|1965|pp=26–27}} It was not long before the new reign also met with other problems caused by the central position of Mortimer at court, who was now the de facto ruler of England. Mortimer used his position to acquire noble estates and titles, and his unpopularity grew with the humiliating defeat by the Scots at the [[Battle of Stanhope Park]] in the [[county of Durham]], and the ensuing [[Treaty of Edinburgh–Northampton]], agreed with the Scots in 1328.{{Sfn|McKisack|1959|pp=98–100}} The young king also came into conflict with his guardian. Mortimer knew his position in relation to the King was precarious and subjected Edward to disrespect. The King married Philippa of Hainault at [[York Minster]] on 24 January 1328, and the birth of their first child, [[Edward of Woodstock]], on 15 June 1330 only increased tension with Mortimer.{{Sfn|Mortimer|2006|pp=67, 81}} Eventually, the King decided to take direct action against Mortimer.{{Sfn|Prestwich|2005|pp=223–224}} Although up until now Edward had kept a low profile, it is likely that he increasingly suspected that Mortimer's behaviour could endanger Edward's own life, as the former's position became more unpopular. This was exacerbated by his execution of Edward's uncle [[Edmund of Woodstock, 1st Earl of Kent|Edmund, Earl of Kent]]. Contemporary chroniclers suspected, too, that Mortimer had designs on the throne, and it is likely that it was these rumours that encouraged Edward to act against him and his mother, who supposedly maintained a close relationship with Mortimer.{{Sfn|Bothwell|2008|pp=83–84}}

Aided by his close companion [[William Montagu, 3rd Baron Montagu]], and a small number of other trusted men, Edward took Mortimer by surprise and captured him at [[Nottingham Castle]] on 19 October 1330. Mortimer was executed and Edward's personal reign began.{{Sfn|Prestwich|2005|pp=223–224}} The historian [[Mark Ormrod (historian)|Mark Ormrod]] argued that at this point Edward had had "little instruction in the art of kingship",{{Sfn|Ormrod|2000|p=47}} and although he had received several books on the subject on his betrothal to Philippa, "it is extremely doubtful that he read or comprehended these works".{{Sfn|Ormrod|2000|p=47}} His reign, continues Ormrod, was to be guided by his practical, rather than theoretical, experience.{{Sfn|Ormrod|2000|p=47}}

=== War in Scotland ===
Edward III was not content with the peace agreement made in his name, but the renewal of the war with Scotland originated in private, rather than royal initiative.{{Sfn|Prestwich|2005|p=244}} A group of English [[magnate]]s known as The Disinherited, who had lost land in Scotland by the peace accord,{{sfn|Nicholson|1965|pp=57–58}} staged an [[Second War of Scottish Independence#The repelled invasion of Edward Balliol - 1332|invasion of Scotland]] and won a great victory at the [[Battle of Dupplin Moor]] in 1332.{{Sfn|Prestwich|2005|p=244}} They attempted to install [[Edward Balliol]] as king of Scotland in place of the infant [[David II of Scotland|David II]], but Balliol was soon expelled and was forced to seek the help of Edward III. The English king responded by [[Capture of Berwick (1333)|laying siege to]] the important border town of [[Berwick-upon-Tweed|Berwick]] and defeated a large relieving army at the [[Battle of Halidon Hill]],{{Sfn|DeVries|1996|pp=114–115}} even while under threat from foreign raids.{{sfn|Nicholson|1965|p=122}} However, Berwick was taken after the besieged Scots set fire to the town, forcing them to [[Mercy|treat]];{{sfn|Nicholson|1965|p=123}} at one point Edward's queen was under siege in [[Bamburgh Castle]], but this was too late to save the Scots' campaign.{{sfn|Nicholson|1965|pp=125–127}} He reinstated Balliol on the throne and received a substantial amount of land in southern Scotland.{{Sfn|Prestwich|2005|pp=244–245}} These victories proved hard to sustain, as forces loyal to David II gradually regained control of the country.{{Sfn|Ormrod|2000|p=18}} A Scottish uprising in 1334 required the raising of another army and a supporting navy. Edward, having repaired [[Roxburgh Castle]],{{sfn|Nicholson|1965|p=182}}{{efn|Burnt by [[Robert the Bruce]] in 1314.{{sfn|Cornell|2008|pp=234–235}}}} launched a number of ineffective strikes against the Scots.{{sfn|Nicholson|1965|pp=187–188}} In 1338, Edward agreed a truce with the Scots.{{Sfn|Ormrod|2000|p=18}}

[[File:Artist, maker unknown, English - Heraldic panel with the Coat of Arms of Edward III, King of England (reigned 1327–77) - Google Art Project.jpg|thumb|upright|To mark his claim to the French crown, Edward III quartered the arms of France, placing them in the first and fourth quarters. English [[stained glass]], {{circa|1350}} – 1377.{{Sfn|Louda|Maclagan|1981}}]]

One reason for the change of strategy towards Scotland was a growing concern for the relationship between England and France. As long as Scotland and France were in [[Auld Alliance|an alliance]], the English were faced with the prospect of fighting a war on two fronts.{{Sfn|McKisack|1959|pp=117–119}} The French carried out raids on English coastal towns, leading to rumours in England of a full-scale French invasion.{{Sfn|Ormrod|2000|pp=18–19}}

=== Creating a new nobility ===
When Edward took power, he found his family in "complete disarray",{{sfn|Ormrod|1987|p=400}} says Ormrod. His nobility was divided into factions after the troublesome reign of his father and was weakened by line failure among many families.{{sfn|McFarlane|1973|pp=xxiii, 15, 55}} While the lesser baronage was less affected by political misadventure as their seniors, they were also weaker due to their rights being more insubstantive. Edward had to pacify two noble parties: one which had been against his father from the beginning, and another which had opposed Mortimer's and Isabella's minority regime.{{Sfn|Bothwell|1997|p=1111}} James Bothwell argues that, while he managed to reconcile the sides bloodlessly and with minimum acrimony, it was insufficient to leave him secure on his own: he lanced the opposition but had not turned them into a loyalist cadre.{{Sfn|Bothwell|1997|pp=1111–1112}} Only the [[Richard Fitzalan, 3rd Earl of Arundel|Earls of Arundel]], [[John de Vere, 7th Earl of Oxford|Oxford]] and [[Thomas Beauchamp, 11th Earl of Warwick|Warwick]] could be counted on as loyalists.{{Sfn|Raven|2021|p=498}}

To counter the limited loyalty among the aristocrats, following the March 1337 Parliament{{Sfn|Raven|2021|p=498}} Edward created six new [[earl]]s. He also summoned 61 new men to the lords with lesser titles, usually by [[writ of summons]], over the rest of his reign.{{Sfn|Bothwell|1997|p=1112}} These creations – although expensive – received very little ill will among the extant aristocracy, including the royal family.{{Sfn|Bothwell|1997|p=1126}} The 1337 creations were [[Hugh de Audley, 1st Earl of Gloucester|Hugh de Audley]] to the [[Earldom of Gloucester]], [[William de Bohun, 1st Earl of Northampton|William de Bohun]] to that of [[Earl of Northampton|Northampton]], [[William de Clinton]] to [[Earl of Huntingdon|Huntingdon]],  [[Henry of Grosmont]] to [[Earl of Derby|Derby]], [[William Montagu, 1st Earl of Salisbury|William de Montagu]] to [[Earl of Salisbury|Salisbury]] and [[Robert Ufford, 1st Earl of Suffolk|Robert de Ufford]] to [[Earl of Suffolk|Suffolk]].{{Sfn|Raven|2021|p=498}} Of these, Bohun, Clinton, Montagu and Ufford had played leading roles in Edward's coup against Mortimer; they were likewise the greatest beneficiaries in terms of grants and estates.{{Sfn|Bothwell|2001|p=40}} Another common denominator was that most of them had also been trusted companions of Edward before the coup; Ufford, for example, jousted with him and attended him in his homage before [[Philip VI of France]],{{Sfn|Bothwell|2004|p=23}} while Montagu had been his "closest supporter",{{Sfn|Bothwell|2004|p=23}} and had run secret diplomatic missions to the Pope for him before the coup.{{Sfn|Bothwell|2008|p=84}}

James Bothwell has noted that, while these men may have been less well off before they were promoted, they were not less experienced,{{Sfn|Bothwell|2004|p=22}} either politically or militarily.{{Sfn|Raven|2021|p=499}} These promotions were especially important to Edward because it had been from among the earls that his father had created so many bitter enemies, and therefore that was the demography that Edward wanted to reorganise in his favour.{{Sfn|Bothwell|2004|pp=19, 22}} These promotions reinforced his own and the Crown's position and, with war approaching, he created six new recruitment conduits from the regions directly to the royal army.{{Sfn|Raven|2021|p=499}} For the earls themselves, the prospect was not so positive: due to the parlous state of the royal finances, most of them did not receive a minimum of 1000 [[Mark (currency)|mark]]s{{efn|A medieval English mark was a unit of currency equivalent to two-thirds of a [[Pound sterling|pound]].{{sfn|Harding|2002|p=xiv}}}} a year that was promised to them to uphold their new estate. All except Gloucester{{efn|Gloucester was an exception because he had married [[Margaret de Clare]], a co-heiress to the earldom of Gloucester, and this gave him an income of over £2000 a year.{{Sfn|Raven|2021|p=502}}}} had to be satisfied with irregular grants of land to boost their incomes, but these would often not be available until the incumbent died and they [[escheat]]ed to the King.{{Sfn|Raven|2021|pp=501–502}}