| Who is it? | King of England |
| Birth Day | November 13, 1312 |
| Birth Place | Windsor Castle, British |
| Age | 707 YEARS OLD |
| Died On | 21 June 1377(1377-06-21) (aged 64)\nSheen Palace, Richmond |
| Birth Sign | Sagittarius |
| Reign | 25 January 1327 – 21 June 1377 |
| Coronation | 1 February 1327 |
| Predecessor | Edward II |
| Successor | Richard II |
| Regent | Isabella and Roger Mortimer (1327—1330) |
| Burial | 5 July 1377 Westminster Abbey, London |
| Spouse | Philippa of Hainault |
| Issue Detail | Edward, the Black Prince Isabella, Countess of Bedford Joan Lionel, Duke of Clarence John, Duke of Lancaster Edmund, Duke of York Mary, Duchess of Brittany Margaret, Countess of Pembroke Thomas, Duke of Gloucester |
| House | Plantagenet |
| Father | Edward II of England |
| Mother | Isabella of France |
| Religion | Catholicism |
Edward III of England, often hailed as the King of England, has an estimated net worth ranging from $100K to $1M in 2024. As one of the prominent figures in British history, Edward III held the throne from 1327 until his demise in 1377. Renowned for his victories in the Hundred Years' War and his influential reign, Edward III amassed considerable wealth throughout his rule. Although the specifics of his financial standing remain subject to speculation, it is widely acknowledged that his net worth would have been substantial, showcasing his immense power and authority as the ruler of England during his time.
Edward III was not a statesman, though he possessed some qualifications which might have made him a successful one. He was a warrior; ambitious, unscrupulous, selfish, extravagant and ostentatious. His obligations as a king sat very lightly on him. He felt himself bound by no special duty, either to maintain the theory of royal supremacy or to follow a policy which would benefit his people. Like Richard I, he valued England primarily as a source of supplies.
— William Stubbs, The Constitutional History of England
Influential as Stubbs was, it was long before this view was challenged. In a 1960 article, titled "Edward III and the Historians", May McKisack pointed out the teleological nature of Stubbs' judgement. A medieval king could not be expected to work towards some Future ideal of a parliamentary monarchy as if it were good in itself; rather, his role was a pragmatic one—to maintain order and solve problems as they arose. At this, Edward III excelled. Edward had also been accused of endowing his younger sons too liberally and thereby promoting dynastic strife culminating in the Wars of the Roses. This claim was rejected by K.B. McFarlane, who argued that this was not only the Common policy of the age, but also the best. Later biographers of the king such as Mark Ormrod and Ian Mortimer have followed this historiographical trend. The older negative view has not completely disappeared; as recently as 2001, Norman Cantor described Edward III as an "avaricious and sadistic thug" and a "destructive and merciless force."
Through the steady taxation of Edward III's reign, parliament – and in particular the Commons – gained political influence. A consensus emerged that in order for a tax to be just, the king had to prove its necessity, it had to be granted by the community of the realm, and it had to be to the benefit of that community. In addition to imposing taxes, parliament would also present petitions for redress of grievances to the king, most often concerning misgovernment by royal officials. This way the system was beneficial for both parties. Through this process the commons, and the community they represented, became increasingly politically aware, and the foundation was laid for the particular English brand of constitutional monarchy.
