100 Years War - The Basics

The Hundred Years’ War was fought between France and England from the years 1337 to 1453. It actually lasted 116 years. It was not a continual war - there were several truces (breaks in fighting) during that time.

The war was fought to settle who would control land in France. English kings claimed fiefs in France as their own. The French did not want the English controlling land in their country. So, war broke over who would control those fiefs. 1337 1420 1450 3

English Land - PINK French Land - Blue

What types of weapons were used? What type of protection was used?

In the middle years of the war England was successful because they had better weapons and war tactics (methods). The English used the longbow which allowed them to shoot faster and further than the French crossbows.

Long bow vs. Crossbow

Battle of Agincourt - Bloodiest Battle in 100 Years War

Battle of Agincourt - Bloodiest Battle in 100 Years War

Both the French and English used commoners in their armies instead of relying an army of noble knights. The commoners were paid for fighting in the army. To large armies of peasants and other commoners The Middle Age armies changed from a small armies of knights. 10

Joan of Arc In 1429, a 17 year old peasant girl led the French to victory over the English at the Battle of Orleans. Joan of Arc gave the French army hope and a sense of national identity and pride. 11

Joan claimed to hear voices from God Joan claimed to hear voices from God. That is where she received her inspiration to fight. She was captured a year later and then branded a heretic. They burned her at the stake because they thought she was a witch. 12

Joan of Arc

Joan of Arc

The French eventually drove the English out of France ENGLAND FRANCE

Overview of the 100 Years War

The Social and Political Impact of the 100 Years’ War - The French kicked the English out of France - The kings raised large armies of commoners to fight. This meant that the feudal lords were no longer needed to supply knights for the army. - If the lords and Knights were no longer needed then that meant their power was transferred to the monarchs and the common people. - Such a power shift caused people to be loyal to the monarch only; Commoners no longer needed to be loyal to lords or knights. The peasants were the ones that were affected the most by the 100 Years’ War. They were the ones that did most of the fighting and bore the tax burden (paid the most taxes). However, after the war they emerged with more influence and power than before and that was one of the factors the led to the eventual decline of feudalism. 17