|
Evolution of the Royal Arms of England 
Edward III Reigned 1327 to 1377 Born 1312 Died 1377 Father: Edward II Mother: Isabella Edward III -- In 1340, Edward quartered the ancient arms of France, "Azure semy of fleurs-de-lis or," as part of his claim to the French throne through his mother. Same arms continued for Richard II. The fifty-year reign of Edward III was a dichotomy in English development. Governmental reforms affirmed the power of the emerging middle class in Parliament while placing the power of the nobility into the hands a few. Chivalric code reached an apex in English society but only masked the greed and ambition of Edward and his barons. Social conditions were equally ambiguous: the export of raw wool (and later, the wool cloth industry) prospered and spread wealth across the nation but was offset by the devastation wrought by the Black Death. Early success in war ultimately failed to produce lasting results. Edward proved a most capable king in a time of great evolution in England. |
