The Hundred Years War (which was actually 116 years, from 1337-1453) is probably one of the most, if not the most, significant conflict in medieval Europe. This war sparked early nationalism for England and France, both of which were experiencing their last days of medieval prosperity. The dispute was over the succession of the French throne, in which King Charles IV of France died without a son.
While the direct cause of the war was the break in succession of the Capetian dynasty in France, disputes over land and titles between the English and the French can be traced all the way back to William the Conqueror, a Norman who successfully invaded and conquered England in 1066. Claiming England for Normandy technically made England part of France, and so the king of England was also technically a vassal to the king of France. Following the Norman kings was the Plantagenet dynasty, when Henry II became king in 1154. The Plantagenet kings would continue to add French land to England’s sphere of influence through strategic marriages to French noblewomen.
Almost two centuries later in 1312, enter Edward III, a strong aggressive leader who came to the English throne after executing his mother’s lover, Roger Mortimer. Now Edward III was the closest blood relative to the heirless Charles IV of France (he was Charles’s nephew, through female lineage). The French nobles however preferred to follow the male line, in which Philip the count of Valois (Charles’s cousin), would be crowned Philip VI of France, starting the new Valois dynasty. This conflict of succession would fuel more than 100 years of dispute over the French throne.
Edward won some stunning victories against the French at Crecy and Calais. The English longbow, more accurate and deadly than the crossbow used by the French, was a significant advantage in battle. Edward had a son named Edward the Black Prince, he swept through France plundering and ransacking French land to help with the English cause. During Edward’s reign, England experienced a golden age of medieval prosperity and glory. However, in the mid 14th century, the Black Death swept through Europe, diminishing armies and toppling kings on both sides. The Black Prince would sadly die before his father.
The war would continue between the English king Henry V and the French king Charles VI. Henry V was an amazing military leader. One of the most famous battles of the Hundred Years War was the Battle of Agincourt, where Henry’s army of English longbowmen showered arrow after arrow on the French troops. Henry V’s success in battle ensured his marriage with Catherine of Valois, the daughter of Charles VI.
The war seemed to be going disastrously wrong for France. However, a turning point would come when Joan of Arc, a teenage peasant girl, arrived at King Charles VII’s court, claiming she had received a message from god, telling her to lead the French troops to victory. Eventually Charles VII agreed to enlist her in the army. There are many astonishing tales of bravery about Joan of Arc, and not all of them are true, but the sight of a peasant girl leading an army must’ve been incredibly appalling and empowering. At this point, Henry V also died of disease, leaving the feeble Henry VI as king, someone far more interested in making peace than continuing war. Throughout Henry VI’s reign, England would gradually lose all of its former claims to French land, and England would be preoccupied with the Wars of the Roses. In the end, France emerged victorious.