1340s in England

Events from the 1340s in England.

Incumbents

Monarch - Edward III of England

Events

* 1340
** 25 January - King Edward III of England is declared King of France.cite book|last=Williams|first=Hywel|title=Cassell's Chronology of World History|publisher=Weidenfeld & Nicolson|year=2005|isbn=0-304-35730-8|pages=161–164]
** 24 June - Hundred Years' War: The Battle of Sluys is fought between the naval fleets of England and France. The battle ends with the almost complete destruction of the French fleet.cite book|title=Penguin Pocket On This Day|publisher=Penguin Reference Library|isbn=0-141-02715-0|year=2006]
** 26 July - Hundred Years' War: French victory at the Battle of Saint-Omer.
** Hundred Years' War: Temporary Truce of Espléchin between England and France.
** Approximate date of the anonymous "Ayenbite of Inwyt".
* 1341
** July - Breton War of Succession: England and France support rival claimants to the duchy of Brittany.
** The Queen's College, a constituent college of the University of Oxford, is founded.
* 1342
** 18 August - Breton War of Succession: The English win a decisive naval battle over the Genosese fleet at the Battle of Brest.
** September - Breton War of Succession: Indecisive Battle of Morlaix fought between the French and the English.
** October - Breton War of Succession: England conquers most of Brittany.
* 1344
** 19 June - Three-day "Round Table" tournament held at Windsor Castle.
** Edward III introduces three new gold coins, the florin, leopard, and helm. Unfortunately the amount of gold in the coins does not match their value of six shillings, three shillings, and one shilling and sixpence, so they have to be withdrawn and mostly melted down by August of this year.
** Hundred Years' War: Peace talks, sponsored by the Avignon Pope, fail.
* 1345
** 21 October - Hundred Years' War: English victory over the French at the Battle of Auberoche.
* 1346
** April - Hundred Years' War: French invade Gascony.
** 9 June - Breton War of Succession: At the Battle of St Pol de Leon, Thomas Dagworth's army defeats that of Charles, Duke of Brittany.
** 26 July - Hundred Years' War: English victory over the French at the Battle of Caen.
** 24 August - Hundred Years' War: English victory over the French at the Battle of Blanchetaque.
** 26 August - Hundred Years' War: The English under Edward III and Edward, the Black Prince win a decisive victory over the French at the Battle of Crécy.
** 4 September - Hundred Years' War: English besiege Calais.
** 17 October - Second War of Scottish Independence: England wins a decisive victory over the Scots at the Battle of Neville's Cross.
** Foundation of Pembroke College, University of Cambridge.
* 1347
** June - Hundred Years' War: English defeat a French claimant to the duchy of Brittany.
** 4 August - Hundred Years' War: English capture Calais following the Siege of Calais. The town remains an English possession until 1558.
** 28 September - Hundred Years' War: Temporary truce with France.
* 1348
** 23 April - Edward III creates the first English order of chivalry, the Order of the Garter.
** 28 September - John de Ufford nominated to the Archbishopric of Canterbury by papal bull.
** 14 December - John de Ufford becomes Archbishop of Canterbury.
** Summer - The Black Death reaches England from France.
** November - Black Death reaches London.
** Gonville Hall, the forerunner of Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge was founded.
* 1349
** Black Death reaches northern England. Over 20% of the population have died.
** 18 June - The Ordinance of Labourers issued due to the large number of agricultural workers killed by the Black Death.
** 19 June - Thomas Bradwardine elected to the Archbishopric of Canterbury.
** 25 August - Thomas Bradwardine dies of the Plague.
** October - Hundred Years' War: Small royal force enters Calais to protect the town against capture by France.cite book |last=Palmer |first=Alan & Veronica |year=1992 |title= The Chronology of British History|publisher= Century Ltd|location=London|pages= 102-104|isbn= 0-7126-5616-2]
** 20 December - Simon Islip enthroned as Archbishop of Canterbury.
** Pope Clement VI annuls the marriage of William Montacute, 2nd Earl of Salisbury, and Joan of Kent, on the grounds of her prior marriage to Thomas Holland, 1st Earl of Kent.

Births

*1340
** 6 March - John of Gaunt, 1st Duke of Lancaster (died 1399)
*1341
** 5 June - Edmund of Langley, son of King Edward III of England (died 1402)
** 10 November - Henry Percy, 1st Earl of Northumberland (died 1408)
*1342
** Humphrey de Bohun, 7th Earl of Hereford (died 1373)
** Julian of Norwich, mystic (died 1413)
*1343
** Thomas Percy, 1st Earl of Worcester, rebel (died 1403)
*1345
** 25 March - Blanche of Lancaster, wife of John of Gaunt (d. 1369)
** Eleanor Maltravers, noblewoman (died 1405)
*1346
** Richard FitzAlan, 11th Earl of Arundel (died 1397)
*1348
** John FitzAlan, 1st Baron Arundel (died 1379)

Deaths

*1340
** 4 December - Henry Burghersh, bishop and chancellor (born 1292)
** William Melton, archbishop (year of birth unknown)
*1341
** Richard Folville, outlaw and parson, dies resisting arrest (year of birth unknown)
*1344
** William Montacute, 1st Earl of Salisbury (born 1301)
*1345
** 25 March - Henry, 3rd Earl of Lancaster, politician (b. 1281)
** 14 April - Richard Aungerville, writer and bishop (born 1287)
** 22 September - Henry Plantagenet, 3rd Earl of Leicester (born 1281)
** Richard De Bury, scholar (born 1281)
*1346
**Eustace Folville, outlaw (year of birth unknown)
*1347
** Adam Murimuth, ecclesiastic and chronicler (born 1274)
** John de Warenne, 8th Earl of Surrey (born 1286)
*1348
** John de Stratford, Archbishop of Canterbury (year of birth unknown)
*1349
** 10 April - William of Ockham, philosopher (born 1285)
** 31 May - Thomas Wake, politician (born 1297)
** 26 August - Thomas Bradwardine, Archbishop of Canterbury
** 29 September - Richard Rolle, religious writer (born 1300)

References

ee also