4.4 The Hundred Years' War - T -

• History
• Middelbare school
• havo, vwo
• Leerjaar 1

AGE 4: The Time of cities and states

4.4  the Hundred Years' War

Theory

What you need to be able to explain /  do after this lesson

• how the Hundred Year’s War caused feelings of nationalism
• explain the difference between short and long term effects of the Hundred Years’ War
• explain why centralisation increased more in France than in England

people in this lesson

Edward III

king

England

Philip VI

king

France

Joan of Arc

military leader

France

Important dates in this lesson:

1302: States-General established in France

1337 - 1453: the Hundred Years' War

1346: Battle of Crécy

1429: Siege of Orléans

1431: Joan of Arc burned at the stake

Word Duty

Feudal homage: a promise of service to a feudal lord

Mercenaries: people who were hired to fight for money

Nationalism: feelings of pride for your country

Heresy: beliefs that are against the ideas of the Catholic Church (Dutch: ketterij)

Centralisation: when a ruler wants to govern his country from one central place or city

State: an adjoining territory that is governed from one central place

States-General: a meeting of representatives from the three social classes in France

Parliament: a meeting of English noblemen (today: the people's representatives)

KEY WORDS

In this lesson:

Cause of the war:

• The war began because of a dispute over the French throne between Edward III and Philip VI.

The course of the war:

• At first, the English were successful and won the battle of Crécy. They conquered large parts of France. They even took Paris.
• But with Joan of Arc, the French successfully drove the English out of France.
• Later, Joan was accused of heresy and sentenced to death.

Effects of the war:

• The Hundred Years' war increased feelings of nationalism.
• In France, the king became more powerful. He hardly consulted the States General anymore.
• In England, the nobles in parliament gained more power. The king lost power.

Between 1337 and 1453, a number of wars were fought out between the English and French kings. All the battles took place on French territory. Together, these wars are called the Hundred Years’ War. They proved to be very important for the development of England and France.

4.4.1

An 18th century  painting by Benjamin West depicting Edward III of England (r. 1327-1377) crossing the Somme river in 1346  in his campaign during the Hundred Years' War (1332-1453 ) against France. (Windsor Castle Collection)

The wars between France and England raged from 1337-1453, so actually it lasted for 116 years. Historians use the name ‘Hundred Years’ War however, as a convenient term.

Fighting over the crown

In the first half of the fourteenth century, King Edward III of England (1327-1377) possessed a big piece of land in the south of France called Aquitaine. Possessed? Actually it was lent to him as a vassal of King Philip VI of France (1328-1350). In 1337, Edward refused to pay feudal homage to King Philip VI. This meant that he did not promise service to his feudal lord. Because of this, Philip wanted to take back Edward’s land in Aquitaine. Instead of giving up the land, Edward declared that he should be the rightful King of France rather than Philip. As you can see in source 4.4.2, he was the grandson of Philip IV of France. Unfortunately for him, family lines did not descend by female lines in France. Philip IV’s nephew was chosen to rule instead.

4.4.2

Family ties between Edward III and the French crown.

4.4.3

animation showing the progress of the Hundrted Years' War

4.4.4

Coat of arms, symbols of France (top) and England (bottom).

Defending trade routes

As mentioned in lesson 4.1, England sold a large amount of wool in Bruges. In return, English merchants bought woollen sheets and cloth. The English also bought a lot of wine from Aquitaine. Because of this, Edward III did not want to lose his land in France. Expanding his territory would even make trade with Bruges and its surroundings easier and safer. Last but not least, Philip VI supported the Scottish, who were at war with England. All these factors were more than enough for Edward to declare war on France.

4.4.5

15th century painting of a battle for the French city of Caen.

The French language had a permanent influence on English. The English language for example, has many doublets: Two or more words with the same meaning. Examples of doublets are: ‘fragile’ and ‘frail’ from the French word ‘fragile’ or ‘guarantee’ and ‘warrantee’ from the French word ‘garantie’. Doublets formed because many French words were borrowed more than once.

Some French words were also changed into English words. Keep in mind that the French do not pronounce the letter ‘h’ when you compare the English word ‘war’ with the French word ‘guerre’ for example.

English troops and their weapons

During the first phase of the war, the English troops were able to conquer many French cities, even though they were often outnumbered. The English army consisted mostly of bowmen from Wales. They used longbows. You can see the use of longbows in source 4.4.8. These large bows were about two meters long. They could fire arrows with great force and over large distances. Skilled soldiers could fire up to twelve arrows a minute with great accuracy. Besides having better weapons, the English employed cheap mercenaries: people who were hired to fight for money. The French army was made up of knights. They wore heavy armour and used crossbows which made them slower.

4.4.6

Dvd cover of a documentary about the Hundred Years' War

4.4.7

Cover of a modern book about the weapons and uniforms of soldiers of the Hundred Years' War

The Battle of Crécy

The Battle of Crécy in 1346 was one of the most important battles of the Hundred Years’ War. The French used crossbows. Although only around 14,000 soldiers fought on English side, they were victorious over the 25,000 French soldiers. Estimates state that less than 300 English soldiers were killed.

The battle was typical of the first phase of the war.

4.4.8

The Battle of Crécy as painted in a chronicle by Jean Froissart (14th century).

4.4.9

Modern illustration of the battle strategy of the Battle of Crécy

The French fight back

At the beginning of the fifteenth century, not much was left of the French kingdom - even Paris was taken by the English. Then, something unexpected happened: a French girl named Joan of Arc (1412-1431) said that God had spoken to her. She gradually brought back morale and gave the French soldiers more confidence. After a decisive victory at Orléans, the French slowly reconquered terrain. Within twenty years, the English were completely driven out of France.

4.4.10

Joan of Arc is leading the French army during the siege of Orléans. 19th century painting.

4.4.11

Joan of Arc appears invincible in a romantic depiction by 19th-century artist August Gustav Lasinsky. She turned the tide of the Hundred Years War, setting the stage for Charles VII’s defeat of Henry VI’s lieutenants.

National heroine Joan of Arc

Joan of Arc is probably one of the most famous women in history. She was born in a small French village around 1412. It was said that from the age of twelve she saw visions. A number of saints told her she would be able to drive out the English. At the time, the French King Charles VII only controlled parts of southern France. He was desperate for solutions.

When she was about sixteen years old, Joan of Arc managed to win Charles’ trust. Noblemen placed her at the command of the French troops. She proved successful: In 1429 a siege to reconquer the city of Orléans from the English ended in victory. This made the French troops more confident. Soon they conquered more territory.

Joan of Arc was arrested by allies of the English king two years after her crucial victory at Orléans. An English bishop accused her of heresy. This means she has beliefs that are against the ideas of the Catholic Church. For this, she was burned to death. In France she is still considered a national heroine today.

4.4.12

Joan of Arc burned at the stake. Painting by Jules Lenepveu (1819-1898), 1889. Pantheon, Paris

4.4.13

St. Joan of Arc is depicted in a stained-glass window at Immaculate Conception Church in Westhampton Beach, N.Y.

Saint Jeanne d’Arc, The Maid of Orleans is a recognized Saint of the Roman Catholic Church. Although she was excommunicated and burned at the stake for heresy by local officials in 1431, central Church officials would later nullify her excommunication, declaring her a martyr unjustly executed for a secular vendetta. Her legend would grow from there, leading to her beatification in 1909 and her canonization in 1920.

4.4.14

Beatification of Joan of Arc by pope Pius X, 1909

Effects of the war

The English had started the war because King Edward wanted to become King of France as well. In the end, the English lost all their territory in France. Both countries suffered huge losses of men. Because all the battles were fought in France, the French economy suffered most.

Despite all the losses, the war had established a feeling of nationalism in both countries. People in France felt proud to be French and had hard feelings about the English and vice versa.

An example of English nationalism can be found in their increasing use of English language. Before 1337, French had been the language of literature and the spoken language of nobles in England. English already existed, but French was used for all official matters. This changed during the Hundred Years’ War. The French language slowly became seen as the language of the enemy. Schools began to use English in classrooms. By the second halve of the fourteenth century, letters, laws and wills were written in English.

4.4.15

15th century painting of the Battle of Agincourt during the Hundred Years' war

The French language had a permanent influence on English. The English language for example, has many doublets: Two or more words with the same meaning. Examples of doublets are: ‘fragile’ and ‘frail’ from the French word ‘fragile’ or ‘guarantee’ and ‘warrantee’ from the French word ‘garantie’. Doublets formed because many French words were borrowed more than once.

Some French words were also changed into English words.  Compare the English word ‘war’ with the French word ‘guerre’ for example.

Political consequences

The French kings won most battles after the Hundred Years’ War. They were able to take back some of their land from their vassals. This process was called centralisation: the King wanted to govern his country from one central capital city. Like England, France became an organised state: an adjoining territory that is governed from one central place. Before the Hundred Years’ War, in 1302, the French had established the States-General, a meeting of representatives from the three social classes. During the war, the French kings had often asked this meeting for advice. After the war, the States-General hardly ever met again.

This contrasts the developments in England. The English kings lost a lot of power to the nobles. The English parliament, a meeting of English noblemen, gained a lot of influence after the war.

4.4.16

the French Estates General in 1506. Painting made in the 19th century.

The word ‘parliament’ comes from the French word ‘parler’. It means ‘to talk’ or ‘to discuss’.

4.4.17

Parliament of the UK, today. Instead of only nobles, today the members are elected by the people. 

Summary 4.4

Fill in the gaps to make a summary

Finished with the summary?
Now make a printscreen of the finished summary
and upload it here.

You have finished with this lesson, meaning:
- You have read the texts
- You have made the summary
- You have done the practise questions.
Are you well prepared for a quiz / test or do you need extra help?

If you still need help, if something is not clear, you can ask your question here.

congratulations