Contemporary documents and classic studies follow Edward's fortunes on the battlefield, from failure against the Scots to major military successes in France.

A close study of the military and political strategies of Edward III and the Black Prince, whose great victories had by 1360 made England the foremost martial nation of Europe.

Providing an overview to this eventful period of history, this book analyses the three kings of very different qualities and reputations.

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.

"King Edward III is assured of his right to the throne of France, and counters defiance from the French court by vowing to subdue the country. John of France is in league with King David of Scotland, who attempts to divide Edward's forces by besieging the Countess of Salisbury in her castle at Roxburgh. The Scots flee at the approach of the English army, but Edward falls in love with the chaste Countess who, after resisting the king, eventually brings him to his senses by threatening to commit suicide... The French king and prince are subsequently captured by the Black Prince and taken to King Edward to swear fealty." -- p.136.