John of Gaunt III's rule was becoming unpopular due to high taxation and his affair with Alice Perrers, political opinion closely associated the Duke of Lancaster with the failing government of the 1370s. Furthermore, while King Edward and the Prince of Wales were popular heroes due to their successes on the battlefield, John of Gaunt had not won equivalent military renown that could have bolstered his reputation. Although he fought in the Battle of Nájera (1367), for example, his later military projects proved unsuccessful. When Edward III died in 1377 and John's ten-year-old nephew succeeded as Richard II of England, John's influence strengthened.
John of Gaunt Stakes John of Gaunt Stakes The John of Gaunt Stakes is a Group 3 flat horse race in Great Britain open to horses aged four years or older. It is run at Haydock Park over a distance of 7 furlongs and 37 yards (1,442 metres), and it is scheduled to take place each year in late May or early June. The event is named after John of Gaunt, the 1st Duke of Lancaster, who lived in the 14th century. It was formerly open to horses aged three or older, and it used to be classed at Listed level. The minimum age