History of the English line of succession Prince Louis of France as king. However, with John's death, his barons saw his young son as a safer option. John's eldest son became Henry III, and the French were driven away from the country. On Henry III's death, on 16 November 1272, the throne passed to his eldest son, Edward I. On Edward I's death, on 7 July 1307, the throne passed to his eldest son, Edward II. On the day of Edward II's abdication, 25 January 1327, the throne passed to his eldest son, Edward III. The succession to Edward III was governed according to his entail to
Edmund of Woodstock, 1st Earl of Kent he had two children: Thomas (b. 1300) and, when the king was sixty-two, Edmund. Edmund was born at Woodstock in Oxfordshire on 5 August 1301, and was therefore referred to as Edmund of Woodstock. Son of the English king, he was also, through his mother, grandson of Philip III of France. On 7 July 1307, before Edmund had turned six, King Edward I died, leaving Edmund's half-brother Edward to succeed as King Edward II. Though not resident in the two boys' household, Edward I had taken great interest in the princes' upbringing and well-being. Before he died, the king had