Hundred Years of War.

1.
Controversy Over
Succession
• The French nobility selected
Philip of Valois, a cousin of
the last king through the
male line.
• He founded a new French

dynasty that ruled through
the 16c.
• He was chosen in
preference to King
Edward III of England,
whose mother was the
daughter of the late king,
Philip IV.
• In 1340, Edward claimed the

title “King of France.”
2. Fr. Land Belonging to Br.
Kings
• A longer standing
issue was the
status of lands
within France that
belonged to English
kings.
• Edward was
actually a vassal of
Philip’s, holding
sizable French
territories as fiefs
from the king of
France [it went
back to the
Norman conquest].
3. Conflict Over Flanders
The ‘dagger’
pointing at the
‘heart’ of England!
• Wool industry.
• Flanders wants its

independence
from French
control.
• Asks England for

help.
4. A Struggle for National
Identity
• France was
NOT a united
country before
the war began.
• The French
king only
controlled
about half of
the country.
Other Causes
• Desire to pay back France for
encouraging rebellion in Scotland.
• Encouragement of the Parliament &
the aristocracy.
Military Characteristics
• The War was a series of short

raids and expeditions
punctuated by a few major
battle between England &
France.
• The relative strengths of each
country dictated the sporadic
nature of the struggle.
• First half the victory was almost
always with the English.
• Second half- France.
French Advantages
• Population of about 16,000,000.
• Far richer and more populous

than England.
• At one point, the French fielded

an army of over 50,000 🡪 at
most, Britain mustered only
32,000.
British Advantages
• Weapons Technologies.
• In almost every engagement, the

English were outnumbered.
• Britain’s most successful strategies:
/ Avoid pitched battles.
/ Engage in quick, profitable raids
• Steal what you can.
• Destroy everything else.
• Capture enemy knights to hold for
ransom.
The Longbow as a Weapon
• The use of the
English defensive
position was the use
of the longbow.
• Its arrows had more
penetrating power
than a bolt from a
crossbow.
• Could pierce an
inch of wood or the
armor of a knight at
200 yards!
• A longbow could be
fired more rapidly.
• 6 arrows per
minute.
Battle of Crecy
• King of England- Edward III
• furious battle took place at Sluys in
1340
• attempt to siege the city of Tournai.
• Flanders’ leader Van Arteveldt was
murdered.
• Edward III & Staple towns.
• English army to capture the capital city-
Paris.
• Battle lines near the thick forest of
Crecy.
• Battle of Crecy- absolute victory for the
English.
The British Longbow:
The Battle of Poitiers, 1356
Early English Victories
The Effective Use of the
Cannon at Poitiers, 1356
Battle of Poitiers- 1360
• Black Prince- son of Edward III
• The french provinces of
Aquitaine and Calais were
captured by the English.
• Treaty of Bretigny 1360.
• whole of south western france
now belonged to the English.
Trouble in England
• Peasant Revolt in 1381 was
put down by King Richard II
[r. 1377-1399].
• After charges of tyranny,
Richard II was forced to
abdicate in 1300.
• Parliament elected Henry IV
[r. 1399-1413], the first ruler
from the House of
Lancaster.
• Henry avoided war taxes.
• He was careful not to
alienate the nobility.
• Therefore, a truce was signed
ending French and British
hostilities [for the time being,
at least].
King Henry V (r. 1412-1422)
• Renewed his
family’s claim to
the French throne.
• Feud between two
powerful noble
families - Duke of
Orleans X Duke of
Burgundy.
• At Agincourt in
1415, the English,
led by Henry
himself, goaded a
larger French army
into attacking a
fortified English
position.
• With the aid of the dukes of Burgundy, Henry
gained control over Normandy, Paris, and much
of northern France!
Treaty of Troyes (1420)
• Charles VI’s son [the
future Charles VII], was
declared illegitimate and
disinherited.
• Henry V married
Catherine, the daughter
of Charles VI.
• Henry was declared
the legitimate heir to
the French throne!
• A final English victory
seemed assured, but
both Charles VI and
Henry V died in 1422.
• This left Henry’s infant
son, Henry VI [r. 1422-
1461], to inherit BOTH
thrones.
The French “Reconquest”
• The two kings’ deaths
ushered in the final
stage of the 100 Years’
War [1422-1453].
• Pious and gentle Henry
VI, the French reversed
the situation.
• In 1429, with the aid of
the mysterious Joan of
Arc, the French king,
Charles VII, was able to
raise the English siege
of Orleans.
• This began the
reconquest of the north
of France.
Joan of Arc (1412-1432)
• The daughter of
prosperous peasants from
an area of Burgundy that
had suffered under the
English.
• Like many medieval
mystics, she reported
regular visions of divine
revelation.
• Her “voices” told her to
go to the king and assist
him in driving out the
English.
• She dressed like a man
and was Charles’ most
charismatic and feared
Cannons Used at Orleons
Joan Announces the
Capture of Orleans to the
King
Joan of Arc (1412-1432)
• She brought inspiration and a sense of
national identity and self-confidence.
• With her aid, the king was crowned at
Reims [ending the “disinheritance”].
• She was captured during an attack on Paris
and fell into English hands.
• Because of her “unnatural dress” and claim
to divine guidance, she was condemned
and burned as a heretic in 1432.
• She instantly became a symbol of French

resistance.
The End of the War
• Despite Joan’s capture, the French

advance continued.
• By 1450 the English had lost all
their major centers except Calais.
• In 1453 the French armies captured
an English-held fortress.
• Battle of Castillon
• This was the last battle of the war.
• There was not treaty, only a
cessation of hostilities.
France Becomes Unified!
France in 1453
France in 1337

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1.

• He founded a new French

• In 1340, Edward claimed the

• Flanders wants its

• Asks England for

• The War was a series of short

• Population of about 16,000,000.

• Far richer and more populous

• At one point, the French fielded

• In almost every engagement, the

• She instantly became a symbol of French

• Despite Joan’s capture, the French

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