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After 50 years as King, Edward III died on the 22nd June this year. During his rule, due to the Black Death, the population
of the country had halved. The barons had gained more power and he had begun a long struggle with France. Also the peasants, now there were fewer of them,
began to get more power too. Barons and nobles couldn't pick and choose who to employ. They had to have who was available. This meant peasants could wait for
the best offer.
Knights had become more important too as a result of fighting
in the Hundred Years’ War. Each knight would have a tunic-like cloak over their armour and these would be in different colours for each knight. This is where
we get the phrase “a coat of arms”.
Some peasants were able to move up a class. They became merchants selling their wares. With fewer families in villages, the farmers and craftsmen
produced more goods than they needed. They could sell them outside of the village community and make money and, eventually, move away from the baron’s land and
into towns.
In very simple terms, feudalism, which had lasted for over 300 years, was going.
Edward III's eldest son, Edward the 'Black Prince', had died in 1376, so the succession passed to Edward's grandson, Richard II, who was only
10 years old. His uncle, John of Gaunt, was the most powerful noble and he, effectively, was in charge at this time.
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