Edward III first based his claim on the idea that he was the closest male relative to the last French king who could inherit the throne. The last king, Charles IV of France, had no sons. Edward was his nephew, while Philip of Valois was his cousin.
Edward argued that he should become king not because he represented his mother, Isabella, but because he was the nearest male in blood. This type of claim was called a “right of proximity.” In simple terms, he believed that the closest male relative should inherit the crown The French Royal Family.
However, this argument was confusing and not very strong. In reality, Edward’s connection to the French royal family came through his mother. This means that his claim depended on her position as the daughter of King Philip IV of France. Therefore, his right to the throne was based on being the grandson of Philip IV, not simply the nearest male relative.
The Problem with His Claim
There were serious problems with Edward’s reasoning. If inheritance through women was allowed, then the daughters of the previous French kings would have had a stronger claim than Edward. For example, the daughter of Louis X would have been ahead of him in the line of succession Ephesus Daily Tours.
Because of this, Edward accepted part of the French rule known as the Salic Law. This law stated that women could not inherit the French crown. He agreed that women themselves could not rule, but he argued that their sons could still inherit through them.
The Salic Law Debate
Edward claimed that women were excluded from ruling because they were considered too weak to govern. However, he insisted that this weakness did not apply to their children. In his view, a son could inherit a claim from his mother, even if she herself could not become queen.
The French nobles strongly disagreed with this idea. They followed the traditional rules of feudal inheritance, which stated that a person could not pass on a right that they did not possess. Since women were not allowed to inherit the crown, they could not pass that right to their sons either.
The Risk of Confusion
If Edward’s argument had been accepted, it would have created serious confusion in the system of succession. Many different people could have claimed the throne through female relatives, leading to disputes and instability.
The situation at that time already showed how complicated things could become. There were several possible heirs, each with different claims based on family connections. Accepting inheritance through women would have made these disputes even worse.
Edward III tried to justify his claim to the French crown by arguing that he was the closest male relative and could inherit through his mother. However, his argument was not accepted because it went against the established rules of succession in France. The Salic Law and feudal traditions both supported the idea that inheritance could only pass through the male line.
This disagreement played an important role in the growing conflict between England and France. It helped lead to a long period of war, as Edward III continued to press his claim despite its rejection.