When Philip VI of France ascended the throne in 1328, it wasn’t just a domestic matter—it ignited a broader European struggle. Edward III of England, claiming his right as the grandson of Philip IV of France, also sought the crown. The French, naturally, rejected this challenge, but the English were determined. They launched a war that would last a century, forever altering the course of European history. In 1346, at the Battle of Crécy, the English achieved a striking victory. Their lighter, more mobile infantry outclassed the heavily armored French knights, highlighting a fundamental shift in warfare. For the English, it was a triumph of technology and tactics over tradition, and the loss for France was severe—both in terms of morale and manpower.
As the war progressed, the French saw further defeats. In 1356, at Poitiers, the French army was shattered once again, and even King John II was captured. This humiliation led to the Treaty of Brétigny in 1360, which, though temporary, reshaped the map of France. The French had to pay a heavy indemnity, surrender territories, and, in return, Edward III renounced his claim to the throne. But the real stakes of the war were never just about who would wear the crown—they were about what kind of society would emerge from this chaos.
Meanwhile, within France itself, the reign of John II set the stage for a complex game of territorial control. In an effort to consolidate power, he granted Burgundy to his son, Philip the Bold. But what seemed like a strategic move to reinforce central authority inadvertently sowed the seeds of future fragmentation. The region, along with Provence and Brittany, grew increasingly autonomous. Over time, Burgundy became a political force of its own, its influence stretching far beyond the royal court of France. This decentralization of power would continue under Philip's successors, further complicating the delicate balance between monarchy and nobility.
The combination of war, plague, and economic decline left the common people of both England and France in turmoil. Discontent began to boil over. In France, peasants rose up against the nobility, fueled by a desire for social change. Led by figures like Guillaume Caillet, the revolt was eventually crushed by Charles V, who used the opportunity to strengthen royal authority, reclaim lost lands, and solidify the monarchy's grip. A temporary peace was reached with the Treaty of Bruges in 1369, but the underlying tension between the crown and the nobility was far from resolved.
Across the English Channel, a similar unrest brewed. In England, high taxes and the toll of the plague prompted another revolt, this time led by figures like Wat Tyler and John Ball, who called for equality and an end to social hierarchies. The movement, inspired by the radical teachings of John Wycliffe, sought a new social order. When the rebels marched on London, their demand for reform quickly turned violent. But the fragile alliance between the peasants and the monarchy shattered when Wat Tyler was killed by the mayor of London, even though the king had offered to negotiate. The rebellion was crushed, but the message was clear: the social order was not as secure as it once seemed.
As the century wore on, the tides of the war shifted again. The English were dealt another blow at the Battle of Agincourt in 1415, where Henry V decisively defeated the French under Charles VI. This victory led to the Treaty of Troyes, which disinherited Charles VI's son, Charles VII, and left Henry V as the heir to the French throne. Henry's marriage to Catherine of Valois, Charles VI’s daughter, seemed to cement English dominance. The French nobility was split into two groups: one supported Henry VI, the other one supported Charles VII.
But history is never quite as simple as it appears. In the midst of this power struggle, a young peasant girl named Jeanne d'Arc emerged. She claimed divine inspiration and led the French forces to key victories, reigniting French hope and turning the tide of the war. Her speeches and actions galvanized the French people in a way that no king could. Her inspiration also led to the coronation of Charles VII. Yet, despite her pivotal role in the war, the French aristocracy, fearing her growing influence, handed her over to the English. Jeanne was burned at the stake, a martyr for the cause she had helped sustain.
Following Jeanne's death, Louis XI ascended the French throne and ushered in a new era of centralized power. He strengthened the monarchy through professional armies, expanded royal taxation, and reinforced the state's control over its territories. In many ways, it was the end of an old order—the feudal system that had shaped Europe for centuries began to give way to the rise of the modern state.
The Hundred Years’ War was never just a battle for the throne—it was a battle for the very future of Europe. It redefined the relationships between rulers and their subjects, between the monarchy and the nobility, and between the state and the people. In the end, it was not just a war between two nations, but a defining moment in the evolution of Western civilization.
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