The Lasting Effects of The Hundred Years War

Western Civilization: Ancient and Medieval Times

Discuss the Hundred Years’ War: What were its Causes? Why did the War Continue for so Long? What Advantages did each Side Possess? What were the Results of the War for England and France?

From 1337 to 1453, the Hundred Years War was a major conflict waged between the English and the French. The war began over a territory disputes between the English and the French when the French defeated the English in the battle at Castillon, along France to claim English territories (Keen 2014).

The major conflict between England and France Actually began years before the war. When William of Normandy conquered England, he “created a state lying on both sides of the English Channel” (Hundred Y. 2015). The English Kings in the 14th century held the duchy of Guienne located in France and they were tired of paying homage to France because of it. “The status of the duchy of Guyenne (or Aquitaine)-though it belonged to the kings of England, it remained a fief of the French crown, and the kings of England wanted independent possession” (Hundred 2015). They did not want France controlling them any longer. Edward III of England, in particular, was displeased with Phillip VI of France when he did not fulfill his pledge to restore he piece of Guienne that was taken by Charles IV. Other causes of the war included the English taking action to control the territory of Flanders, Philip supporting Scotland against the English, (Hundred Y. 2015) and the English were the closest living heir to the last Capetian king (Charles IV) so they claimed the crown of France belonged to them (Hundred 2015).

This war lasted over a hundred years because it was a series of skirmishes and battles that scattered throughout this time. It was not just one big war that took a hundred years to fight. There were times of peace between battles, but the overall conflict between England and France was not resolved until a hundred years later. For example, there was a time during the war where Edward the “Black Prince” of England held King John II of France as a prisoner. The French came and negotiated the release of their king for three million crowns and some land. The “Black Prince” accepted and released the king. The “Black Prince” passed away and his ten year old son, Richard II was crowned King of England. This issued a ten year period of peace between England and France during the war (Middle 2015).

Some of the advantages that the English had over the French were based in battle strategies and weapons technologies. The English “avoided pitched battles, engaged in quick, profitable raids, stole what they could and destroyed everything else and they captured enemy nights to hold for ransom (Pojer 2015).” Their weapons included the longbow and the crossbow. The longbow was an advantage because of its flexibility, rate of fire and stopping power and the crossbow because there was not a lot of skill needed to use it effectively, it had great power and it had a low labor requirement for the bowmen (Weapons 1987).

Likewise the French had their advantages as well. The French had a population of aroud sixteen million ad used this to their advantage when they were able to field an army of over 50,000 when the most the British ever fielded was about 32,000. The French were also much richer then the English and were able to afford more supplies and resources to replenish their army after each skirmish and battle (Pojer 2015).

The war ended in 1453. By this time the English had lost all of their major centers except Calais and the French had capture one of their fortresses (Pojer 2015). England was no longer a continental power and they began to look at becoming a naval power (Hundred 2012).

While France win the war, they were devastated by the aftermath. Farmlands were destroyed, the population was decreased drastically, there was terrible famine, there were marauders terrorizing the countryside and the Black Death came. Even with all of this Chaos one good this came out of it for France. France was able to unite itself into one solid nation (Hundred 2012).