To understand this claim, we must look at the royal family of France. King Philip IV of France, also known as Philip the Fair, had several children. These included three sons—Louis X, Philip V, and Charles IV—and one daughter, Isabella.
Each of Philip’s sons became king of France in turn. Louis X ruled first but died in 1316. He left behind a daughter named Joan. However, she did not become queen because at that time it was believed that women could not inherit the French crown Ephesus Day Tour.
After Louis X, his brother Philip V became king. He ruled until 1322 but also died without a male heir. Then the third brother, Charles IV, became king. He died in 1328, and like his brothers, he had no surviving son to take the throne.
The Problem of Succession
When Charles IV died, the direct male line of Philip IV came to an end. This created a serious problem: who should become the next king of France?
There were two main possibilities. One was Edward III of England, who was the son of Isabella, the daughter of Philip IV. This made Edward the grandson of a French king. The other candidate was Philip of Valois, who was the son of Charles of Valois, the brother of Philip IV. This made Philip of Valois a nephew of Philip IV.
Edward III’s Claim
Edward III believed he had a strong claim to the French crown because he was the grandson of Philip IV through his mother. His supporters argued that although his claim came through a woman, it was still valid because he was directly descended from the royal family Background of the Conflict.
However, there was a rule in France, often called the Salic Law, which stated that the crown could not pass through a female line. According to this rule, not only could women not become queen, but they also could not pass the right to rule to their sons.
Philip of Valois Becomes King
Because of this rule, the French nobles rejected Edward III’s claim. Instead, they chose Philip of Valois, who became King Philip VI of France. His claim was accepted because he was related through the male line, even though he was a more distant relative than Edward.
This decision was very important and caused great tension between England and France. Edward III did not immediately fight for the crown, but he did not fully accept the decision either.
The Beginning of Conflict
Over time, the disagreement over the French crown became one of the main causes of a long series of wars between England and France, known as the Hundred Years’ War. Edward III later declared himself the rightful king of France, which led to many battles between the two nations.
The claim of Edward III to the French crown was based on his family connection to King Philip IV. However, the French decision to follow the male line of inheritance led to the selection of Philip VI instead. This disagreement was not just about family rights—it became the starting point of a major conflict that shaped the history of both countries for many years.