What events are numismatists refering to when identifying Edward III Pre-Treaty, Treaty and Post-Treaty coinages¹...
Third Period "Florin" Coinage (1344-1351).
This coinage occurred during a series of significant English military victories over the ruling French house of Valois in 1346. Employing his formidable arsenal of longbowmen, Edward began his campaign with the sacking of Caen (26 July), before triumphing at the battles of Blanchetque (24 August); and more famously Crecy 926 August); before repulsing an invading French force at Neville's Cross near Durham (17 October), and finally the besieging and capture of Calais in August 1347. Minor skirmishes also occurred at this time, resulting in English victories, such as during the Breton War of Succession against Charles of Blois at La Roche-Derrien (1347) and over the Castillians at the naval battle of Winchelsea in August 1350.
Fourth Coinage: the "Pre-Treaty" Coinage (1351-1361).
This period marks a reduction in the military activity across the Channel with only minor skirmishes resulting in small French victories at the siege of Saint-Jean-d'Angely (February-August 1351), Ardres (6 June 1351), and Montmuran (1354); and similarly small English military victories at Mauron (14 August 1352), and Comborn (1353). However, the opposing armies once again met on 19 September 1356 on the fields of Nouaille, near Poitiers. The result was a decisive victory for the English, with Edward the Black Prince capturing not only the French King Jean II, but also his son and most of the ruling nobility. Seeking to capitalise on the chaos now enveloping the French kingdom, King Edward sought to capture Rheims and Paris. Unsuccessful in those sieges, he moved his army to Chartres and agreed to open treaty negotiations with the French dauphin Charles at Bretigny in April 1360.
"Transitional Treaty" Period (1361).
Following the ratification of the Treat of Bretigny in October 1360, Edward renounced his claim to the French throne in trade for the expansion of his territories in Aquitaine, prompting him to restyle as "Lord" of this new principality. Both of these events would subsequently be reflected on the larger denominations of the coinage. A King's ransom was set for the return of Jean II at three million gold ecus, with one million required for his release on bond.
"Treaty" Period (1361-1369).
Regional hostilities continued during this period, with Edward, the Black Price embroiling himself in the Castillian and Breton Wars of Succession. His proxy campaigns favoured Pedro I over his half-brother Henry II, who was supported by Bertrand du Guesclin, the Constable of France under Charles V. The sides met at Cocherel on 16 May 1364, resulting in a minor defeat for Edward. The Black Prince was soon avenged at Auray (29 September 1364), routing the French battle line, and in the process capturing du Guesclin. Pedro once more relied on the assistance of the Black Prince's forces at Najera (3 April 1367). However, the victory was decidedly pyrrhic for Edward, as Henry II escaped, only serving to galvanize his appeal amongst the Castillian nobility. Worst still, Pedro could not afford to pay back the costs of his hired mercenary army. As a consequence, the Black Prince was forced to levy a tax on his Gascon nobles. Understandably disaffected, his noblemen made discrete approaches to Charles V. The French king, entirely aware of the consequences of affecting his own sovereignty over the English held Aquitaine, not just on the Treaty of Bretigny, but on wider relations between the two kingdoms, weighed his decision on the basis of Henry II's surviving claim to the Castillian crown. Calculating that an alliance with Castille would enable France to challenge English supremacy on the continent, the Battle of Montiel (13 April 1369) would prove decisive. Pedro had been killed; the crown secured for Henry II. England and France were once more on the brink of war.
"Post-Treaty" Period (1369-1377).
With hostilities formally returning in May 1369, Charles V continued to provoke dissent amongst the Gascon nobility throughout the summer of 1369, finally "confiscating" Aquitaine from Edward in November. The "Caroline Campaign" had begun. Edward III retaliated by restoring his claim to the French throne and titles, adding them back on to his coinage. The French forces, having learned the all-too-costly lesson of open warfare against the English and their dreaded longbowmen, resorted to guerrilla warfare, and a propaganda war to win the hearts and minds of the local inhabitants of English controlled territories. Limoges almost immediately surrendered to the French, only to be promptly besieged by the Black Prince's forces in September 1370. Although successfully recaptured, it was suggested at the time that Edward's subsequent punishment of the inhabitants went beyond the chivalric code, damaging the English cause at the time. At Pontvallain (4 December 1370 - unusually late in the campaigning season), one of the larger skirmishes of this period resulted in a French victory, undoubtedly precipitated by the collapse in military cohesion amongst the commanders of the English force. Worse was to befall the English at La Rochelle (22-23 June 1372), when the Castillian fleet defeated the English ships commanded by Lord Pembroke, dealing a significant blow to English naval supremacy and once again bringing into question the invincibility of the English force. Whilst the Earl of Salisbury avenged this defeat the following season in a hit-and-run raid on the Castillian fleet at Saint-Malo, and with the King's son John of Gaunt staging a raid on French lands resulting in plunder but little else, the remainder of Edward III's reign was characterised by French dominance on the mainland including the symbolic loss of Poitou after the Battle of Chiset (21 March 1373). A further blow to the English aspirations, and military adventure in France was the death in 1376 of Edward III's eldest son, Edward the Black Prince.
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