Wars of the Roses a "sudden narrowing in the direct line of descent" near the end of his reign. His eldest son, Edward, the Black Prince, had died the year before. Edward III was succeeded on the throne by the Black Prince's only surviving son Richard II, who was only 10 years old. Richard's claim to the throne was based on the principle that the son of an elder brother had priority in the succession over his uncles. Since Richard was a minor, had no siblings, and had three living uncles at the time of Edward III's death, there was considerable uncertainty about who
Edward the Black Prince (in the Pyrenees) to Pamplona (the capital of Kingdom of Navarre). When Calveley and other English and Gascon leaders of free companies found that the Black Prince was about to fight for Peter, they withdrew from the service of Henry of Trastámara, and joined the Black Prince "because he was their natural lord". While the prince was at Pamplona he received a letter of defiance from Henry. From Pamplona the prince marched by Arruiz to Salvatierra, which opened its gates to his army, and thence advanced to Vitoria, intending to march on Burgos by this direct route. A body of