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Edward III of England 1312-1377
He introduced lilies into the heraldic field of the English crown. Lilies appeared near the leopard. Interestingly, this title for the royal house was preserved until 1802, until Napoleonic times.
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Numerous wars contributed to the revival of Edward's court of the knighthood. Contemporaries constantly compared Edward with the legendary King Arthur. This comparison was very flattering to the king. Trying to be like the mythical ruler of Britain, Eduard III vowed to revive the Order of the Knights of the Round Table in 1344 and in the same year began the construction of St. George's chapel in Westminster, in which it was planned to place the future order. Thus, in 1348, one of the oldest orders in Europe, the Order of the Garter, was founded. It included the 25 best knights of England, including King Edward and the Black Prince. The twenty-sixth member was declared patron of the Order and throughout England - St. George. The name of the order is explained by the courtly legend of Edward's love for the Countess Salisbury.
Courtyard of Edward III was, perhaps, the most brilliant and rich of the royal courts of Europe of that time. In many respects it was due to Queen Philippe. Clever and beautifully educated queen actively patronized poets and musicians: her personal secretary was the famous poet and chronicler Jean Froissart.
The glory of the mighty King Edward spread far beyond England. Even his enemies, the French, recognized him not only as military talent and chivalrous prowess, but wisdom and justice. And in 1348 the German princes elected Edward III the emperor of the Holy Roman Empire. However, the king refused this title, saying that he considered it his duty to fight for God only because he was rightfully due.
The last decade of the reign of Edward III was years of decline. In 1369, Queen Philip, beloved among the people and among the courtiers, died, to whose opinion the King listened on various questions. After her death, a great influence on the king was acquired by his favorite Alice Perrars. Alice, who sympathized with the fourth son of Edward, John of Gaunt, who was the chief adviser to his father in England, and disliked the Black Prince, sowing strife in the royal family. With the growth of Alice's influence on the king, the indignation of the courtiers grew. In 1376, after accusing him of fraud and taking bribes, the parliament insisted on her being removed from the court. In 1377 the dying Edward again called on the favorite to himself. Edward III died in the castle of Shin, having outlived his eldest son. He is buried in Westminster Abbey next to Queen Philip.
A source : www.piplz.ru