A Kingdom in Turmoil: England in the 1320s

By the late 1320s, England remained mired in political instability. Conspiracies and rebellions against powerful figures were frequent, and Roger Mortimer—once a rebel himself—had become the very type of authoritarian he had sworn to overthrow. Controlling Queen Isabella, Mortimer manipulated Edmund of Kent, the foolish earl, into a doomed plot to “rescue” the supposedly still-living former king, Edward II. Isabella did nothing to intervene. The execution of Edmund sent shockwaves through the kingdom, while Mortimer tightened his grip on the young Edward III and sought to prolong his regency.

Yet Mortimer underestimated his opponent. Edward III, though young, was formidable. By 1330, he had quietly gathered a loyal faction of young nobles. On the night of October 19, he struck. Despite Isabella’s precautions—new locks on Nottingham Castle—Edward and his allies infiltrated through a secret tunnel. They stormed Isabella and Mortimer’s chambers, killing two guards and capturing Mortimer. Isabella reportedly pleaded, “Fair son, have pity on gentle Mortimer!”

But mercy was not forthcoming. Mortimer was secretly tried and hanged by year’s end. Edward III declared before Parliament that he would now rule justly, ushering in a new era.

The Young King’s Ambitions: Reform and Expansion

At just 18, Edward III was charismatic, chivalrous, and determined to restore order. England had suffered decades of lawlessness: banditry, corrupt justice, and noble factions flaunting private armies. Edward reinstated ousted officials, revoked unjust land grants, and banned duels and armed gatherings in Parliament. He established permanent royal courts in the counties, but taming the unruly nobility required a bolder strategy—redirecting their aggression outward.

Scotland presented an opportunity. Robert the Bruce had died in 1329, leaving a child, David II, on the throne. Disinherited Scottish nobles, led by Edward Balliol, urged Edward to invade. Initially, Edward feigned neutrality, but by 1332, Balliol’s forces—1,500 strong—landed in Fife. At Dupplin Moor, they crushed a larger Scottish army using tactics that would become England’s hallmark: dismounted knights flanked by longbowmen. Balliol was crowned at Scone, but his victory was short-lived. By December, he fled to Carlisle, half-naked, after a Scottish counterattack.

Edward III seized the moment. In 1333, he besieged Berwick and crushed the Scots at Halidon Hill, repeating Dupplin’s tactics. The battle decimated Scottish leadership, and Balliol ceded eight counties to Edward. Yet resistance persisted under guardians like Andrew Murray, son of William Wallace’s ally.

The French Shadow: Escalation Toward War

France’s Philip VI watched uneasily. In 1334, he sheltered David II and pressured Edward over Aquitaine. Edward, undeterred, launched further Scottish campaigns in 1335–36, ravaging the countryside but failing to quell resistance. Meanwhile, Philip prepared for war, mustering ships and exploiting legal disputes to justify confiscating Aquitaine.

The final spark was Robert of Artois, a French noble exiled for forgery and treason. Edward’s refusal to extradite him violated feudal law, giving Philip cause to reclaim Aquitaine. On April 30, 1337, Philip issued a general mobilization—the prelude to the Hundred Years’ War.

Legacy: A King’s Transformation and a War’s Dawn

Edward III’s early reign marked a pivot from chaos to ambition. His Scottish campaigns honed England’s military tactics, while his defiance of France set the stage for a conflict that would define medieval Europe. The boy who overthrew Mortimer became a king who reshaped history—through war, chivalry, and an unyielding will to power.

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