| Ruler | Country | Start of Reign | Age at 1320 |
| Edward II | England | 1307 | 36 | | 1321 Jul | Parliament at Westminster  | | 1321 Oct | Siege of Leeds Castle | | 1322 Qtr 1 | Edward attacks the Marcher Lords | | 1322 Mar 16 | Battle of Boroughbridge | | 1322 Mar 22 | Lancaster Executed | | 1322 May | Parliament at York | | 1322 Aug | Edward advances into Scotland | | 1322 Oct | Edward almost captured | | 1323 Mar | Peace negotiations | | 1325 Mar | Isabella leaves for France | | 1325 Sep | Prince Edward in France | | 1325 Sep 21 | Prince Edward is captured | | 1326 | Oriel College Oxford founded | | 1326 Sep | Isabella and Mortimer land to take the throne | | 1326 Oct | Prince Edward is declared Keeper of the Realm | | 1326 Nov | Edward captured | | 1327 Sep | Edward II murdered at Berkeley Castle | | 1328 Feb 1 | Charles IV of France Dies, followed by Philippe VI |
| | Edward III | England | 1327 | ? | | 1325 Sep | Prince Edward in France | | 1325 Sep 21 | Prince Edward is captured | | 1325 Nov | Edward commands Isabella to return | | 1326 Spring | Marriage arranged between Edward and Philippa | | 1326 Oct | Prince Edward is declared Keeper of the Realm | | 1327 Jan | Edward III takes the throne | | 1328 Jan 24 | Edward III marries | | 1328 Feb 1 | Charles IV of France Dies, followed by Philippe VI | | 1328 May | Treaty of Northampton | | 1329 | Edward agrees to do homage to Philippe |
| | Robert I | Scotland | 1306 | ? | | 1320 Apr | Declaration of Arbroath | | 1322 Jul | The Scots invade | | 1322 Aug | Edward advances into Scotland | | 1322 Oct | Edward almost captured | | 1323 Mar | Peace negotiations | | 1324 Mar 5 | David (II) born | | 1328 May | Treaty of Northampton | | 1329 Jun 7 | David II becomes king of Scotland |
| | David II | Scotland | 1329 | ? | | 1324 Mar 5 | David (II) born | | 1328 Summer | David (II) marries Joan | | 1329 Jun 7 | David II becomes king of Scotland |
| | Philippe V | France | 1316 | ? | | 1322 | Charles IV becomes King of France |
| | Charles IV | France | 1322 | ? | | 1322 | Charles IV becomes King of France | | 1325 Mar | Isabella leaves for France | | 1325 Sep 21 | Prince Edward is captured | | 1325 Nov | Edward commands Isabella to return | | 1328 Feb 1 | Charles IV of France Dies, followed by Philippe VI |
| | Philippe VI | France | 1328 | ? | | 1328 Feb 1 | Charles IV of France Dies, followed by Philippe VI |
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Robert the Bruce
| 1320 | Apr | Declaration of Arbroath | | | | Robert the Bruce drew up the Declaration of Arbroath which defined Scotland's sovereignty and Robert's right to be King. This was sent to the Pope in the hope that he would lift the excommunication order under which Robert was still held for the death of John Comyn in 1306. | | 1322 | Jul | The Scots invade | | | | The two year truce that had been agreed after the failed siege by the English at Berwick expired and Robert the Bruce invaded the north of England. | | Aug | Edward advances into Scotland | | | | In response to Robert the Bruce's attacks in the north of England, Edward called for an army and took them into Scotland. The Scots were prepared for the English and had burnt land and supplies in front of Edward's army making it difficult for the English to survive. | | Oct | Edward almost captured | | | | After returning from Scotland, Edward and Queen Isabella rested at Rievaulx Abbey in Yorkshire. The Scots were still nearby and met the English army led by the Earl of Richmond near Old Byland. The Scots defeated the English army and Edward had to flee to escape capture. Isabella too escaped. | | 1323 | Mar | Peace negotiations | | | | Edward and Robert the Bruce began negotiations for a peaceful settlement of their differences. There were difficulties because Robert claimed the title of King of Scotland but Edward initially refused this because he had inherited the title from his father Edward I. The execution of the Earl of Carlisle had led to the start of negotiations. Carlisle had approached Robert with the intention of preparing the ground for peace talks but had not informed the king of his intentions. His actions were discovered and the king assumed his actions were treasonable. Carlisle was executed as a traitor. | | May | Treaty signed | | | | A thirteen year peace was signed at York between Scotland and England. |
Isabella, She-Wolf of France and death of Edward II
| 1325 | Mar | Isabella leaves for France | | | | Isabella travelled to France to see King Charles IV her brother. Her mission was to bring to an end the disputes over land between France and England. The King agreed to the English reclaiming the lands of Gascony and Ponthieu as long as Edward came to Paris and paid homage. In Paris Isabella met Roger Mortimer who had recently escaped from the Tower of London. She fell in love with him. | | Sep | Prince Edward in France | | | | In England, King Edward was persuaded not to go to France by the Despensers. The Despensers were worried that because their position of power in England was precarious, if Edward left the country they could could easily lose that power. Instead, it was decided that the King's son Prince Edward, only thirteen years old should go to France and pay homage instead. This was a big mistake. | | Sep 21 | Prince Edward is captured | | | | Prince Edward met Charles IV and paid him homage. The French king gave the Prince the title of Duke of Aquitaine and informed the English King that the French were going to retain the Agenais, an area of southwest France. Prince Edward had effectively been captured and his mother, Isabella the English Queen, had begun the plans of removing her husband from the throne of England. | | Nov | Edward commands Isabella to return | | | | At a Parliament called to discuss the situation in France, it was decided to send a petition to Isabella for her return to England. She refused. In France, her brother the King had become annoyed with Isabella's conduct. Isabella left France and went to the court of William II, Count of Hainault who assisted her with preparations to invade England. A promise was made to marry Prince Edward, now Duke of Aquitaine to William's daughter Phiippa. | | 1326 | | Threat of invasion | | | | Preparations were made in England for the threatened invasion from Isabella. Preparations were made difficult because Hugh Despensers was so unpopular. | | Spring | Marriage arranged between Edward and Philippa | | | | Isabella arranged the future marriage between her son Edward and Philippa the daughter of William count of Hainault. Isabella claimed part of Philippa's dowry in advance so that she could finance her invasion of England. | | Sep | Isabella and Mortimer land to take the throne | | | | Isabella, the wife of Edward II and her supporters including Mortimer landed at Orwell in Suffolk. Their aim was to remove Edward II from his throne and place Prince Edward there as the new king. Isabella had no problem in raising an army from those opposed to the King and they advanced on London. Although Edward was in the Tower of London the rest of London was against him and he decided to leave the city and head west with his supporters including the Despensers and the Earl of Winchester. | | Oct | Prince Edward is declared Keeper of the Realm | | | | Isabella entered Bristol and was welcomed by the citizens there. The Earl of Winchester who had taken to the castle decided the best action was surrender. He was executed on the 27th of October as a traitor. | | Nov | Edward captured | | | | The King was captured in Wales at the Abbey of Neath. He had hoped to get some support in Wales but that was not to be the case. The Despensers were also captured. Hugh Despenser was given a short trial and executed as a traitor. Edward was taken to Kenilworth castle and imprisoned. | | 1327 | Jan | Edward III takes the throne | | | | Henry III succeeds to the throne and is crowned at Westminster. | | Apr | Edward II is imprisoned | | | | Edward II was imprisoned in Berkeley Castle. | | Sep | Edward II murdered at Berkeley Castle | | | | Edward was buried at the abbey church at Gloucester. | | 1328 | Jan 24 | Edward III marries | | | | Edward married Philippa of Hainault at York Minster. The marriage was arranged as many were at the time. The arrangement was organised as early as 1323, when she was not nine years old. The Bishop of Exeter visited Hainault to see the girl. | | Feb 1 | Charles IV of France Dies, followed by Philippe VI | | | | After the death of Charles IV the next rightful claimant to the French throne was not clear-cut as there was no male heir. Isabella, the sister of Charles, had married Edward II and their son Edward III had just taken on the rule of England. Isabella put in a claim for her son but in France the first cousin of Charles was chosen. He was Philippe of Valois the grandson of Philippe III of France. |
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| People who played important roles in this time period |
Despenser, Hugh (the younger)
The son of Sir Hugh Despenser (the elder). Hugh the younger was to play an important role at the side of Edward II in military aspects and as an advisor. Initially Hugh has been on the side of the Ordainers who had drawn up Ordinances to limit the king's powers. After the death of Gaveston, Hugh had (more...)
Thomas (Earl of Lancaster)
Son of Edmund Earl of Lancaster and cousin of Edward II king of England, Thomas became one of the most powerful Lords of the time. As one of the leaders of the Lord Ordainers he attempted to limit the powers of the King and to remove Gaveston the King's favourite. Thomas was captured and executed as (more...)
Isabella (of France, Wife of Edward II, she-wolf of France)
Daughter of Philippe IV the king of France. Isabella married Edward II of England in 1308 and their eldest son became Edward III. Isabella was unhappily married to Edward and through a rebellion in 1327 had him imprisoned and ultimately executed and so she became know as the she-wolf of France. Isab (more...)
Mortimer, Roger (of Wigmore)
Roger Mortimer was a Marcher Lord who supported the Earl of Lancaster's fight against Edward II. After the battle of Boroughbridge and the defeat of Lancaster Mortimer was arrested and sent to the Tower of London. After the Parliament at York in May 1322 many of the Lancastrian rebels were executed (more...)
Philippa (of Hainault)
Married Edward III.
Balliol, Edward (King of Scotland 1332)
Edward was the eldest son of John Balliol, the king of the Scots. With help from Edward III Edward Balliol claimed the Scottish throne after defeating David II at Dupplin Muir in 1332. Balliol was forced to relinquish the throne a few months later but was helped back into power in 1333 by Edward III (more...)
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| Battles that took place in this time period |
1322 Mar 16 - Battle of Boroughbridge
Lancaster left his base at Pontract and headed north. At the bridge crossing the river Ure at Boroughbridge he was halted by an army led by Andrew Harcley, the Earl of Carlisle. Harcley held the bridge against Lancaster's attacks and Lancaster was forced to surrender. Lancaster was taken back to Pontefract Castle where Edward had taken control.
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| Building work undertaken in this time period |
Ely Cathedral 1322
The collapse of the central crossing tower of Ely Cathedral allowed the construction of the unique Octagon that took its place.
Peterborough Cathedral 1325
The central tower of Peterborough Cathedral was begun in 1325.
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