Edward III of England was crowned after his father, King Edward II of England, was deposed. He restored order to England after the devastating reign of his predecessor and transformed England into Europe's strongest military power. During his fifty year reign, Edward III's focus was mainly on warfare; he declared himself the rightful French monarch and started the Hundred Years' War. He also defied the treaty that granted Scotland's independence from England to instigate the Second War of Scottish Independence. The King's war exploits were halted when the Bubonic plague hit England in 1948 and destroyed over a third of his army.

1. November 13, 1312: Born
2. February 1, 1327: Assumed the throne
3. 1328: Married Philippa of Hainault
4. 1337: Hundred Years' War begins
5. 1340: Claimed the French Crown
6. June 21, 1377: Dies

• November 13, 1312: Born at Windsor

• 1326: Marriage arrangements between Edward and Philippa of Hainault

• 1327: Takes the throne

• 1328: Marries

• 1330: Edward, The Black Prince born

• 1333: Battle of Halidon Hill

• 1335: Battle of Culblean

• 1337: Hundred Years' War begins

• 1338: Invades France | Lionel of Antwerp born

• 1340: Edward claims the French Crown | Battle of Sluys | John of Gaunt born

• 1341: Edmund of Langley born

• 1348: The Black Death sweeps across England

• 1349: Ordinance of Labourers

• 1351: Statute of Labourers

• 1355: Thomas of Woodstock born

• 1356: Battle of Poitiers

• 1360: Treaty of Brétigny

• 1369: Queen Philippa dies

• 1376: Edward, the Black Prince dies

• June 21, 1377: Dies