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Greetings {{first name | Producer}},
Welcome to the Weekly Herald for the week of 21 June 2026.
Each week, we return to the chronicles of the Middle Ages, marking anniversaries, revisiting battles, and tracing the enduring consequences of medieval history.
This week in the Middle Ages, the long reign of King Edward III of England draws to a close, a monarch whose victories and ambitions helped define the opening phase of the Hundred Years’ War and reshape England’s place in Europe.
In Scotland, Robert the Bruce’s cause begins its defining confrontation at Bannockburn, while across the Channel, England secures a decisive naval victory at Sluys, asserting English dominance at sea and shifting the balance of the war with France.
Richard III seizes the English throne amid the turmoil of the Wars of the Roses, a controversial rise that will echo through English history long after his reign.
And in the heart of Christendom, the Western Schism deepens as rival papal claimants fracture the unity of the Church, leaving Europe divided by competing visions of spiritual authority.
Edward III (Public Domain)
The End of a Long Reign: Edward III of England Dies (1377)
On 21 June 1377, England lost one of its longest ruling medieval monarchs: Edward III.
By the time of his death at age 65, Edward had ruled for over five decades and fundamentally reshaped English politics and warfare. His reign saw the opening phase of the Hundred Years’ War, including major English victories such as Crécy and Poitiers, and the rise of his son, the Black Prince as a legendary military figure.
But Edward’s final years told a different story. The once-dominant king became increasingly withdrawn, and real power shifted to his sons and their factions at court. When he died at Sheen Palace, England stood on the edge of transition—one king ending, another era beginning with Richard II, still a child.
Edward III’s legacy is a paradox: military triumph and political instability, expansion abroad and uncertainty at home. His death didn’t just end a reign—it marked the closing of the high medieval English war machine he had built.
📚 Explore the legacy of Edward III:
– Edward III: The Perfect King by Ian Mortimer
– Edward III and the Triumph of England by Richard Barber
THIS WEEK IN THE MIDDLE AGES
23-24 Jun 1314 - Bannockburn ignites Scottish independence
The First War of Scottish Independence reaches its defining clash as Robert the Bruce faces the English crown near Stirling.
🎧 If you want the full battlefield breakdown, listen to the Battle of Bannockburn episode.
26 Jun 1409 - The Western Schism fractures Christendom
At unity the Council of Pisa a third pope is elected, deepening the crisis: multiple rival popes now claim legitimacy, pulling Europe’s spiritual authority in competing directions.
📜 Read the Western Schism article and discover how it started and the dramatic conclusion
24 Jun 1340 - English sea power reshapes the Channel
Edward III delivers a crushing naval victory over France at Sluys, clearing the Channel and setting the stage for the Hundred Years’ War and English campaigns on the continent.
🎧 Learn about the naval tactics and battle in our Battle of Sluys podcast episode
26 Jun 1483 - Richard III takes the crown
Amid the dynastic turmoil of the Wars of the Roses, Richard III claims the English throne. His reign will become one of the most debated and dramatized in English history, shaped by enduring controversy over legitimacy and power.
🎧 Discover the rise and fall of Richard III in our podcast episode, the last King of England to die in battle.
THE ILLUMINATION
Bayeux Tapestry, Scene 39 (Public Domain)
40 - ET HIC MILITES FESTINAVERUNT HESTINGA UT CIBUM RAPERENTUR
(40 - and here the knights have hurried to Hastings to seize food)
THE HERALD'S LEXICON
Word of the Week: GARDEROBE
A medieval castle toilet/privy, often built into or projecting from a wall.
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FROM THE ARCHIVES
The Medieval Papacy series continues to cover the popes of the Middle Ages. If you missed any articles you can find them on the Medieval Papacy Page.
On the battlefront, the Medieval Warfare series is covering all the famous (and forgotten) battles of the Middle Ages. View the archives and learn more about the battles.
PODCAST OF THE WEEK
Pope Stephen wasn’t the only pope to be caught up in controversy. Discover a few others who fall well short of sainthood.
The Royal Question of the Week
What deadly 1355 riot involving Oxford scholars started simply because heavily armed students complained about the poor quality of a tavern's wine?
- Answer
“What is better than wisdom? Woman. And what is better than a good woman? Nothing.”
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