Some months after Philip of Valois became King Philip VI of France, Edward III did homage to him for his Duchy of Aquitaine. By performing this ceremony, Edward formally acknowledged Philip’s right as king over France, at least in part.
At that time, Edward was young and had only recently become king of England. He was also engaged in ongoing wars with Scotland, which demanded much of his attention. These circumstances made it difficult for him to resist Philip openly Dispute After the Death of Louis X’s Son.
Edward later used this early homage as a reason for his later actions. In 1339, when he assumed the title of King of France, he argued that his earlier submission was forced by necessity. He claimed that he had no choice at the time and that it did not prevent him from asserting his rights later.
The Weakness of Edward’s Claim
Even if we accept Edward’s excuse for submitting to Philip, his claim to the French crown was extremely weak.
If the Salic Law was fully accepted, Philip VI was clearly the rightful heir because this law excluded women and their descendants.
If the Salic Law was ignored entirely, then the crown should have gone to Joan, the daughter of Louis X (Louis Hutin), which would have made the previous kings’ rule questionable Daily Ephesus Tour.
If the law was partially accepted, excluding women but allowing male heirs through women, then the crown would have belonged to Charles of Navarre, who at the time was only seven years old.
The so-called “proximity of blood” argument, used to support Edward’s claim, was even weaker. It did not explain how Edward was closer in relation to the French kings than other potential heirs. In reality, his claim depended entirely on inheritance through his mother, which the French law and customs did not recognize.
A Claim Based on Females
Ultimately, Edward’s claim relied on the idea that women could transmit the right to their sons. As discussed in earlier cases, this principle was inconsistent with French law, which excluded women from inheriting the throne. Therefore, Edward’s claim was, by all legal and customary standards, completely unfounded.
The Consequences
Although Edward III had little legitimate right to the French crown, his claim became the cause of one of the longest and bloodiest wars in European history. His insistence on claiming the throne led to the beginning of the Hundred Years’ War, which lasted over a century and profoundly shaped both England and France.
This case shows that a claim can be legally weak but politically and militarily dangerous. Edward’s claim, despite being almost entirely baseless, changed the course of history for generations.