The Last Months in the Life of King Edward III of England Seen from a Gero-Medievalist Perspective
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.7146/ageculturehumanities.v10i.147212Keywords:
Old Age, Middle Ages, Power, Gerontology, England, Edward IIIAbstract
In comparison with Antiquity and Modernity, the topic of old age in the Middle Ages has received comparatively less attention, although significant progress has been made during the past 15 years. This article focuses on a case study that deals with the final years, and especially the final months, of the life of King Edward III of England. A qualitative case study is undertaken from a “gero-medievalist” perspective, which involves the application of modern gerontological theories, concepts, and questions to a medieval topic and sources from that period. Seven aspects arising from the historical sources themselves are investigated. Edward III’s old age, increasingly overshadowed by progressive illness, differed considerably from the life he led in his younger years. A gradual process of disengagement from government started from his 50th birthday onward. Although a ruler’s capabilities mattered more than his exact chronological age, chronological thresholds in the course of life did gain in importance during the 14th century. After the death of many relatives and persons who were close to him, Edward entered into a rather small social convoy that many contemporaries considered to be detrimental to him and his kingdom. Above all, clerics criticized the perceived lack of morality in his age-inappropriate relationship with his young mistress, Alice Perrers. During Edward III’s later years, both established and novel mechanisms were applied to compensate for the king’s increasing inability to reign. Modern theories and concepts that refer to fundamental anthropological phenomena can also be effectively applied to historical topics and sources, resulting in insights which otherwise would remain unseen. In turn, historical sources stemming from the premodern period can be regarded as relevant material for modern theories, concepts and questions.
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