What was the cause of the Hundred Years War?
The Hundred Years War was a complex and multifaceted conflict that lasted for nearly two centuries, from 1337 to 1453. The war was fought between England and France, with periods of relative calm punctuated by episodes of intense fighting. So, what were the underlying causes of this long and devastating conflict?
Historical Background
To understand the causes of the Hundred Years War, it is necessary to examine the historical background of the region. England and France had been close allies since the Norman Conquest of 1066, but tensions had been building between the two powers for centuries. King John’s (1199-1216) disregard for French rights and claims to French territory during the Angevin Empire era (1135-1189) created long-term resentment among the French aristocracy.
Salic Law
The French Salic Law, instituted in the 6th century, excluded women and their descendants from inheriting the French throne. When King Charles IV (1294-1328) died without a male heir in 1328, his daughter, Isabella, and her husband, King Edward III (1327-1377), claimed the French throne based on Isabella’s alleged right as Charles’s granddaughter. Philip VI of Valois, Charles’s nephew, contested the claim, arguing that the Salic Law barred Isabella’s inheritance. This led to a dynastic dispute over the French throne.
English Claim to French Throne
In 1339, King Edward III issued the Stanford Charter, proclaiming his son, Edmund, as the Duke of Normandy, with the intent of gaining leverage over Philip VI. Philip responded by stripping the Norman nobility of their land and titles. This precipitated a crisis in international relations between the two monarchs, which would continue to escalate.
**The initial conflict (1324-1327):
Before the Hundred Years War began, John of Brittany (1250-1317) had claimed the Dauphiné, a region in southeastern France. Philip VI, hoping to maintain his authority and undermine Edward III’s French claims, backed the pretender Raymond Count of Tolosa and supported his rival David II of Scotland‘s claims to the English throne.
To counter these moves, Edward III began secretly building a strong military around 1325, but King Charles IV of France‘s (1328-1328) untimely death prevented further action.
The Hundred Years War (1337-1360)
Edward III officially recognized his claim to the French throne in 1340, declaring his niece, Blanche (1340-1359), the Queen of Navarre and Duke of Lancaster, and stating that she would marry to Louis, the Young (1342-1362), Duke of Orleans. Louis renounced his claims, ending the dynastic conflict on the French throne. With the marriage of Blanche and Louis, Edward’s claim was neutralized. However, this failed attempt to end the war escalated tensions and ultimately led to the full-scale war:
- Battle of Morlaix (1342): The first formal battle of the war began with English raids in Northern France, resulting in devastating losses for the French navy.
- Black Prince’s Raids (1345-1357): Edward’s eldest son, The Black Prince (1330-1376), conducted lightning-fast campaigns, striking multiple targets across France.
- The English army led by Jean Châlus, Earl of Kent (1323-1353), who marched into the French kingdom. The Earl’s capture sparked the English victory.
After the French victories in:
- The Battle of Poitiers (1356): John the Good of France was defeated, taken prisoner, and later exchanged for Richard of Bordeaux.
- Crécy (1346) and Calais (1347):
- Edward III: Focused on supporting rebels in Flanders, ultimately securing their submission, leaving him exhausted.
The mid-1350s crisis:
English failures
- John Chalus’s defeats led Edward III to rely more on his French vassals.
- Internal crisis led to English aristocratic factionalism
Edward’s withdrawal in 1365 from his campaigns
In the face of repeated disappointments and growing fatigue:- 1369-1371: English withdrawal and return to Flanders.
It is significant to realize that Edward III has never really sought a "Hundred Years War."
Later Conflict (1405-1453)
The Armagnac-Burgundian conflict
During the French Crown’s power vacuum:
The succession crisis of John II of France (1380-1422)
- John sought to legitimize his dynasty through an alliance with Philip of Burgundy
Burgundy-Savoy-Genova
- In exchange for an alliance with French, Edward III had expected Philip’s loyalty and requested military assistance for his Flanders expedition in 1374
To prevent further damage:
- Peace negotiations and mediation
- Peace accord between Charles V of France (1337-1380)‘s cousin Blancheflor of Savoy (1328-1359) from The Peace Treaty
Legacy**
The Hundred Years War and the succession crisis were driven by various factors. Tensions built upon existing distrust and territorial claims between monarchs and the complexities and contradictions between Salic and Norman traditions.
It will be significant to see as we can better comprehend it by highlighting these specific themes and examining how each episode and each ruler shaped both the English and French roles.
Please keep in mind that you will always use a wide variety of credible sources in order to give a thorough, impartial viewpoint.
Note: *Bullets represent points mentioned without direct referencing.
For full information about this period history, visit **Sourcebook of the Hundred Years’ War**, and a fascinating collection of essays. Additionally, read about **Crusade of The Hermit**, **Foulques V** (1397-1406).
Sources: * [Maurice Keen**, **A History of Medieval Warfare**, * Oxford History of England**]*;
* **A Brief Historical Account of the Hundred Years’ War**, [Benedict Wiedemeyer];
* [Paul F. Baum,]** **Hundred Years of War between England and France**, **[Johan Huizinga,***The Waning of a Middle Ages***]* **Historical Review, by **P. Vilaça***, ***D. W. Jagger***.
Remember: there are different ways of evaluating historical records and **source analysis**, please **fact-checking** in relevant resources before publishing information publicly.
