Why did the French magnates choose Philip VI instead of Edward III as king of France?

When Charles IV of France died in 1328 without a male heir, the French succession was decided by an assembly of magnates rather than a definitive legal rule. They chose Philip, count of Valois (who became Philip VI), over Edward III of England for several reasons:1

• Exclusion of Female Lineage: Although Edward III was closer in blood to the last Capetian king through his mother, Isabella (sister of Charles IV), the French magnates adhered to the principle that descent through a woman could not constitute a valid claim to the throne.213
• Emergence of Custom: This exclusion was supported by the developing custom—later associated with the Salic Law of Succession—which barred women from inheriting the crown and prevented them from transmitting a claim to their male descendants.2
• Political Preference: By selecting a French-born noble from the house of Valois, the assembly ensured the crown remained within the French nobility, avoiding the prospect of an English king ruling France.1

While Edward III initially protested, he eventually withdrew his claim and performed homage to Philip VI before later renewing his challenge, which became a primary cause of the Hundred Years’ War.13