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
Edward the Black Prince Prince sustained a heavy loss in the death of his friend Chandos. Several efforts were made by Edward to conciliate the Gascon lords, but they were fruitless and can only have served to weaken the prince's authority. It is probable that John of Gaunt was working against him at the English court, and when he was sent out in the summer to help his elder brother, he came with such extensive powers that he almost seemed as though he had come to supersede him. In the spring Charles raised two large armies for the invasion of Aquitaine; one, under the