This war arose mainly from two causes:--1, the aid that the French had rendered to the Scots in the late war; 2, Edward's claim to the French crown. Louis X., Philip V., and Charles IV. had died in succession without male issue; and as females were excluded from the throne, Philip of Valois was chosen king (1328), and Edward, though he had claimed the crown, did homage to him for the duchy of Guienne as his liege lord. Edward's claim, as son of Isabella, sister of these three kings, was essentially defective, for he had to contend, that though females were excluded, such exclusion did not apply to their children; but, admitting that such children were eligible, Charles of Navarre, grandson of Louis X. (born after Edward had put forth his first pretension), had a better right than he. After the campaign of 1340 it is probable that Edward would have totally abandoned the enterprise had it not been for a revolution in Brittany, which furnished him with another opportunity of taking up arms. 1340. Edward gained a great victory over the French fleet at SLUYS (June 24). 1345. Henry, earl of Derby, defeated the French at AUBEROCHE, in Perigord (Oct. 23). 1346. =Edward gained a glorious victory over the French at= CRESSY: about 30,000 of the enemy slain (Aug. 26). David II. invaded England, and was defeated and captured at NEVIL'S CROSS, near Durham (Oct. 17). 1347. Calais surrendered to Edward after a siege of 11 months. Truce with France. 1349. England ravaged by a great pestilence called the Black Plague. 50,000 persons are said to have died in London alone. There was a second plague of 1361, and a third in 1369. =Order of the Garter established.= _Statute of Labourers_ passed: labourers ordered to work at the ordinary wages for any one who required their services. 1351. _Second Statute of Labourers_ passed, fixing the wages of labourers and artificers. _Statute of Treason_, defining the crime of high treason. _Statute of Provisions_, forbidding the presentation of benefices by the pope. 1355. =Renewal of the war with France.= 1356. Edward's eldest son, the Black Prince, defeated and captured King John near POITIERS (Sept. 19). 1358. A terrible insurrection of the peasants against the nobles broke out in France. 1360. ~Treaty of Bretigny~, between England and France (May 8). Edward renounced his claim to the crown of France, and the ancient possessions of his family, but he was to hold, in full sovereignty, Calais, Guisnes, Ponthieu, Poitou, Guienne, and their dependencies. 1362. A statute passed, enacting that pleadings in law courts should be conducted in English. 1367. The Black Prince aided Don Pedro of Castile, and gained the battle of NAVARETTE, by which the tyrant was restored to his throne.