On This Day in History: King Edward III Dies (1377)

After one of the longest reigns in English history — 50 years — King Edward III of England died on June 21, 1377.  His reign was one of highs and lows.  He was controlled by his mother and her lover, Roger Mortimer, during the years before he reached maturity.  As he reached adulthood, he had Mortimer executed and his mother, Queen Isabella, exiled.  He waged wars with the Scots and the French (including the landmark siege of Calais in 1347) and fought battles against his own countrymen over taxes and religion.  The nobles in England wrested some control from the king during the Parliamentary session of 1341, but Edward generally exercised power unchecked over his subjects.

Although he was lauded for his military might, Edward’s reign also saw the rise of the Black Plague in England and the death of his popular son and heir, The Black Prince.  As he grew older, Edward faced instability in the ranks of his councilors and military woes.  He was increasingly controlled by his mistress, Alice Perrers, and suffered serious illnesses.  He eventually died of what most historians believe was a stroke in 1377 at the age of 64, leaving the kingdom to a ten-year-old successor: his grandson, King Richard II.  Edward was considered a successful, heroic king by his contemporaries, likened to the mythical King Arthur.