The Hundred Years War was considered to be the las Essay Example

In 1337, Edward III sent Philip VI a declaration of war (Goubert). The Hundred Years War consisted of three major conflicts. The first was the Edwardian war, which was dominated by Edward III of England. The second war was the Caroline war, primarily controlled by Charles V of France. The third and final war was the Lancastrian war, belonging to Henry V of England and his brother John, the duke of Bedford (Encarta). The Edwardian war began disastrously for France but successfully for England. Despite being smaller and poorer than France, England was able to dominate the early stages of the war due to its better-developed taxation processes. France frequently ran out of money due to their complicated and drawn-out tax collection process. However, despite their dominance in the early stages, the English still faced many disadvantages. Since the English declared war and the disputes were over French territories, the battles took place on French soil, resulting in costly transportation charges for the English. Furthermore, due to financial limitations, the English could only afford to send infantrymen and foot soldiers to France, making the development of the longbow crucial for their victories.The longbow was a weapon that allowed English archers to quickly, accurately, and powerfully fire arrows, enabling them to destroy French cavalry charges (Froissart). On May 24, 1337, Philip VI invaded Gascony, which was English territory (Schwarz). In response, Edward III reclaimed his right to the French throne and invaded France from the north. Due to their dominance at sea, the English's destruction of a French fleet at Sluis was expected. This led to the fighting taking place on French soil as the French

were unable to cross the English Channel and invade the English islands (Encarta). The Battle of Crecy in 1346 was another triumph for the English. After this battle, they seized the French port of Calais in 1347. Edward III's son, Edward the Black Prince of Wales, initiated another campaign on French soil in 1355. He marched his troops northward and encountered the new French king, John II, near Poitiers in western France. The Black Prince easily defeated the French cavalry and took John II and one of his sons as hostages. England held John II for ransom. Although the first two proposals were deemed too expensive by the French, they agreed to the third proposition. This resulted in the signing of the Treaty of Bretigny in 1360, which granted one-third of the French kingdom to England (Goubert). In 1364, Charles V began his reign in France.Charles V restored France and appointed two influential leaders, Bertrand du Guesclin and Olivier de Clisson, to lead his armies. Du Guesclin excelled in hit and run raids and successfully managed the unruly French soldiers. Clisson, who initially fought for England in the Edwardian war, returned to the French side for the Caroline war, bringing with him valuable English tactics. Both men held the position of Constable of France. Despite facing leadership difficulties due to the aging Edward III and the ailing Black Prince, the English were further disadvantaged at the start of the Caroline war. Du Guesclin and Clisson led armies to regain control of western France, while Castilian navies assisted in defeating the English navy in 1372 and regaining control of the English Channel. The French and Castilian

navies then instilled fear of invasion by attacking the southern English coast. Charles V's sudden death resulted in his son, 11-year-old Charles VI, becoming the rightful heir to the throne. Philip the Bold, Charles VI's uncle and Duke of Bourgogne, assumed leadership over France.(Froissart) The disruptions in the French kingdom resulted in the cancellation of planned invasions of England in 1385, 1386, and 1387, while the Caroline war concluded with a truce. The Lancastrian war initially favored the English but the region of Bourgogne played a significant role in this conflict. John the Fearless's rule over the French throne began poorly, and the Battle of Agincourt marked the first major battle of the Lancastrian war. Taking advantage of John the Fearless's turmoil, Henry V invaded France and easily defeated the French due to lack of effective leadership similar to that seen in the Caroline war. Philip the Good of Bourgogne supported Henry V's invasion of northwestern France. Disloyal forces assassinated John the Fearless, who was Philip's father—thus explaining Philip's support for the English. The English continued their devastation in northern France until the Treaty of Troyes, although its acceptance was disputed by many Frenchmen in the south. England's ravaging continued until the Battle of Orleans, where Joan of Arc's expertise proved invaluable to the French cause.
(Schlesinger) In 1429, during Charles VII's reign in France, a young peasant girl approached him regarding foreign matters concerning the English.Joan of Arc informed Charles that she had received visions from saints, who instructed her to lead a French soldier expedition to liberate the English-held town of Orleans. Reluctantly, Charles accepted the proposal as he had few alternatives. Despite being

only seventeen years old, Joan of Arc successfully led a disorganized army into Orleans, recapturing it in the name of France. She also achieved victory in the French town of Patay and guided Charles to Reims, where he would reclaim the French throne. Although Joan of Arc's achievements were remarkable, they were limited. Soon after her triumphs, she was captured by the English and executed in 1431 (Schlesinger). In 1435, Philip the Good withdrew his support from the English due to a treaty he signed with Charles VII. This allowed the French to regain territories lost to England in previous battles. Without the assistance of the Bourguignons, England was no match for the larger and more powerful French army. France had developed cannons, which had a devastating impact on England, similar to how the longbow affected France in the previous century. As a result of these French victories, the English were compelled to sign a truce in 1444. The conclusion of the Hundred Years War also resulted in population growth and economic advancement. The toll that war takes on a country was evident at the end of this conflict, with both nations experiencing economic difficulties and declines in population.France was initially impacted by the installation of a centralized government after the war, causing them harm. Conversely, England, having gained control over French territories, could focus on domestic matters. Ultimately, both nations witnessed the downfall of a feudal empire.