The Hundred Years' War is history. Historical pages of France - The Hundred Years' War What happened then

England and France are two great powers of medieval Europe, controlling the balance of political forces, trade routes, diplomacy and the territorial division of other states. Sometimes these countries formed alliances with each other to fight a third party, and sometimes they fought against each other. There were always plenty of reasons for confrontation and another war - from religious problems to the desire of the rulers of either England or France to take the throne of the opposing side. The results of such local conflicts were civilians who died during robberies, disobedience, and surprise attacks by the enemy. Production resources, trade routes and connections were largely destroyed, and acreage was reduced.

One such conflict erupted on the European continent in the 1330s, when England again went to war against its eternal rival France. This conflict was called the Hundred Years' War in history because it lasted from 1337 to 1453. Countries have not been at war with each other for 116 years. It was a complex of local confrontations that either subsided or resumed anew.

Reasons for the Anglo-French confrontation

The immediate factor that provoked the outbreak of the war was the claims of the English Plantagenet dynasty to the throne in France. The purpose of this desire was that England lost possession of continental Europe. The Plantagenets were related in varying degrees to the Capetian dynasty, the rulers of the French state. The royal monarchs wanted to expel the English from Guienne, which had been transferred to France under the terms of the treaty concluded in Paris in 1259.

Among the main reasons that provoked the war, it is worth noting the following factors:

• The English ruler Edward the Third was closely related to the French king Philip the Fourth (he was his grandson), and declared his rights to the throne of the neighboring country. In 1328, the last direct descendant of the Capetian family, Charles the Fourth, died. Philip VI of the Valois family became the new ruler of France. According to the set of legislative acts “Salic Truth”, Edward the Third could also lay claim to the crown;
• Territorial disputes over the region of Gascony, one of the main economic centers of France, also became a stumbling block. Formally, the region was owned by England, but in fact by France.
• Edward the Third wanted to get back the lands that his father had previously owned;
• Philip the Sixth wanted the English king to recognize him as a sovereign ruler. Edward the Third took such a step only in 1331, since his native country was constantly torn apart by internal troubles and constant internecine struggle;
• Two years later, the monarch decided to get involved in a war against Scotland, which was an ally of France. This step of the English king freed the hands of the French, and he gave the order to expel the British from Gascony, extending his power there. The English won the war, so David II, King of Scotland, fled to France. These events paved the way for England and France to begin preparing for war. The French king wanted to support the return of David II to the Scottish throne, so he ordered a landing on the British Isles.

The intensity of hostility led to the fact that in the fall of 1337 the English army began to advance in Picardy. The actions of Edward the Third were supported by the feudal lords, the cities of Flanders and the southwestern regions of the country.

The confrontation between England and France took place in Flanders - at the very beginning of the war, then the war moved to Aquitaine and Normandy.

In Aquitaine, the claims of Edward III were supported by feudal lords and cities who sent food, steel, wine, and dyes to Britain. This was a major trading region that France did not want to lose.

Stages

Historians divide the 100th war into several periods, taking the activity of military operations and territorial conquests as criteria:

• The 1st period is usually called the Edwardian War, which began in 1337 and lasted until 1360;
• The 2nd stage covers 1369-1396, and is called Carolingian;
• The third period lasted from 1415 to 1428, called the Lancastrian War;
• The fourth stage - the final one - began in 1428 and lasted until 1453.

The first and second stages: features of the course of the war

Hostilities began in 1337, when the English army invaded the territory of the French kingdom. King Edward the Third found allies in the burghers of this state and the rulers of the Low Countries. The support did not last long; due to the lack of positive results of the war and victories on the part of the British, the alliance collapsed in 1340.

The first few years of the military campaign were very successful for the French; they offered serious resistance to their enemies. This applied to battles at sea and land battles. But luck turned against France in 1340, when its fleet at Sluys was defeated. As a result, the English fleet established control in the English Channel for a long time.

1340s can be described as successful for both the British and the French. Fortune took turns turning to one side and then to the other. But there was no real advantage in anyone's favor. In 1341, another internecine struggle began for the right to own the Breton inheritance. The main confrontation took place between Jean de Montfort (England supported him) and Charles de Blois (enjoyed the help of France). Therefore, all the battles began to take place in Brittany, the cities took turns passing from one army to another.

After the English landed on the Cotentin Peninsula in 1346, the French began to suffer constant defeats. Edward the Third managed to successfully pass through France, capturing Caen, the Low Countries. The decisive battle took place at Crecy on August 26, 1346. The French army fled, the ally of the King of France, Johann the Blind, ruler of Bohemia, died.

In 1346, the plague intervened in the course of the war, which began to massively take the lives of people on the European continent. The English army only by the mid-1350s. restored financial resources, which allowed the son of Edward the Third, the Black Prince, to invade Gascony, defeat the French at Pautiers, and capture King John the Second the Good. At this time, popular unrest and uprisings began in France, and the economic and political crisis deepened. Despite the existence of the London Agreement on the receipt of Aquitaine by England, the English army again entered France. Successfully moving deeper into the country, Edward the Third refused to lay siege to the capital of the opposing state. It was enough for him that France showed weakness in military affairs and suffered constant defeats. Charles the Fifth, the Dauphin and son of Philip, went to sign a peace treaty, which happened in 1360.

As a result of the first period, Aquitaine, Poitiers, Calais, part of Brittany, half of the vassal lands of France, which lost 1/3 of their territories in Europe, went to the British crown. Despite such a number of acquired possessions in continental Europe, Edward III could not lay claim to the throne of France.

Until 1364, Louis of Anjou was considered the French king, who was at the English court as a hostage, fled, and his father, John the Second the Good, took his place. He died in England, after which the nobility proclaimed Charles the Fifth king. For a long time he was looking for a reason to start a war again, trying to regain the lost lands. In 1369, Charles again declared war on Edward the Third. Thus began the second period of the 100 Years' War. During the nine-year break, the French army was reorganized, and economic reforms were carried out in the country. All this laid the foundation for France to dominate battles and battles, achieving significant success. The British were gradually driven out of France.

England could not provide adequate resistance, since it was busy in other local conflicts, and Edward the Third could no longer command the army. In 1370, both countries were involved in a war on the Iberian Peninsula, where Castile and Portugal were at war. The first was supported by Charles the Fifth, and the second by Edward the Third and his eldest son, also Edward, Earl of Woodstock, nicknamed the Black Prince.

In 1380 Scotland again began to threaten England. In such difficult conditions, the second stage of the war took place for each side, which ended in 1396 with the signing of a truce. The reason for the agreement between the parties was the exhaustion of the parties physically, morally and financially.

Military operations resumed only in the 15th century. The reason for this was the conflict between Jean the Fearless, the ruler of Burgundy and Louis of Orleans, who was killed by the Armagnac party. In 1410 they seized power in the country. Opponents began to call on the British for help, trying to use them in inter-dynastic strife. But at this time, the British Isles were also very turbulent. The political and economic situation was deteriorating, the people were dissatisfied. In addition, Wales and Ireland began to emerge from disobedience, which Scotland took advantage of by starting military operations against the English monarch. Two wars broke out in the country itself, which were in the nature of civil confrontation. At that time, Richard II was already sitting on the English throne, he fought with the Scots, the nobles took advantage of his ill-conceived policy, removing him from power. Henry the Fourth ascended the throne.

Events of the third and fourth periods

Due to internal problems, the British did not dare to interfere in the internal affairs of France until 1415. It was only in 1415 that Henry the Fifth ordered his troops to land near Harfleur, capturing the city. The two countries are once again plunged into a violent confrontation.

The troops of Henry the Fifth made mistakes in the offensive, which provoked a transition to defense. And this was not at all part of the British plans. A kind of rehabilitation for the losses was the victory at Agincourt (1415), when the French lost. And again a series of military victories and achievements followed, which gave Henry the Fifth a chance to hope for a successful conclusion to the war. The main achievements in 1417-1421 there was the capture of Normandy, Caen and Rouen; An agreement was signed in the city of Troyes with the King of France, Charles the Sixth, nicknamed the Mad. Under the terms of the treaty, Henry the Fifth became the king's heir, despite the presence of direct heirs - the sons of Charles. The title of kings of France was borne by the English monarchies until 1801. The treaty was confirmed in 1421, when troops entered the capital of the French kingdom, the city of Paris.

That same year, the Scottish army came to the aid of the French. The Battle of Bogue took place, during which many outstanding military figures of that time died. In addition, the British army was left without leadership. A few months later, Henry the Fifth died in Meaux (1422), and his son, who was only one year old at that time, was chosen as monarch instead. The Armagnacs took the side of the Dauphin of France, and the confrontations continued.

The French suffered a series of defeats in 1423, but continued to resist. In subsequent years, the third period of the Hundred Years' War was characterized by the following events:

• 1428 – siege of Orleans, a battle called in historiography “The Battle of the Herrings”. It was won by the British, which significantly worsened the condition of the French army and the entire population of the country;
• Peasants, artisans, townspeople, and small knights rebelled against the invaders. Residents of the northern regions of France resisted especially actively - Maine, Picardy, Normandy, where a guerrilla war against the British unfolded;
• One of the most powerful peasant uprisings broke out on the border of Champagne and Lorraine, led by Joan of Arc. The myth of the Maid of Orleans, who was sent to fight against English dominance and occupation, quickly spread among French soldiers. The courage, bravery and skill of Joan of Arc showed the military leaders that it was necessary to move from defense to offense, to change the tactics of warfare.

The turning point in the Hundred Years' War came in 1428, when Joan of Arc with the army of Charles the Seventh lifted the siege of Orleans. The uprising became a powerful impetus for a radical change in the situation in the Hundred Years' War. The king reorganized the army, formed a new government, and the troops began to liberate cities and other populated areas one by one.

In 1449, Raun was recaptured, then Caen and Gascony. In 1453, the British lost at Catilion, after which there were no battles in the Hundred Years' War. A few years later, the British garrison capitulated in Bordeaux, which put an end to more than a century of confrontation between the two states. The English monarchy continued to control only the city of Calais and the district until the late 1550s.

Results and consequences of the war

France has suffered enormous human losses over such a long period, both among the civilian population and among the military. The results of the Hundred Years' War for

French state steel:

• Restoration of state sovereignty;
• Removal of the English threat and claims to the French throne, lands and possessions;
• The process of forming a centralized apparatus of power and the country continued;
• Famine and plague devastated the cities and villages of France, as in many European countries;
• Military spending drained the country's treasury;
• Constant uprisings and social riots exacerbated the crisis in society;
• Observe crisis phenomena in culture and art.

England also lost a lot during the entire period of the Hundred Years' War. Having lost its possessions on the continent, the monarchy came under public pressure and was constantly displeased by the nobles. Civil strife began in the country, and anarchy was observed. The main struggle took place between the York and Lancaster families.

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What could be worse than a war, when hundreds of thousands of people die for the interests of politicians and those in power. And even more terrible are protracted military conflicts, during which people get used to living in conditions where death can overtake them at any moment, and human life has no value. This was exactly the reason, the stages, results and biographies of the characters that deserve careful study.

Causes

Before studying what the results of the Hundred Years War were, we should understand its prerequisites. It all started with the fact that the sons of the French king Philip the Fourth did not leave behind male heirs. At the same time, the monarch’s own grandson from his daughter Isabella was alive - the English king Edward III, who ascended the throne of England in 1328 at the age of 16. However, he could not claim the throne of France, according to Salic law. Thus, France reigned in the person of Philip the Sixth, who was the nephew of Philip the Fourth, and Edward the Third in 1331 was forced to take him a vassal oath for Gascony, a French region considered the personal property of the English monarchs.

Beginning and first stage of the war (1337-1360)

6 years after the events described, Edward the Third decided to compete for his grandfather’s throne and sent a challenge to Philip the Sixth. Thus began the Hundred Years' War, the causes and results of which are of great interest to those who study the history of Europe. After the declaration of war, the British launched an attack on Picardy, in which they were supported by the inhabitants of Flanders and the feudal lords of the southwestern counties of France.

In the first years after the outbreak of the armed conflict, hostilities proceeded with varying success, until the naval battle of Sluys took place in 1340. As a result of the British victory, the English Channel came under their control and remained so until the end of the war. Thus, in the summer of 1346, nothing could prevent the troops of Edward the Third from crossing the strait and capturing the city of Caen. From there the English army marched to Crecy, where the famous battle took place on August 26, ending in their triumph, and in 1347 they captured the city of Calais. In parallel with these events, hostilities unfolded in Scotland. However, fortune continued to smile on Edward III, who defeated the army of this kingdom at the Battle of Neville's Cross, and eliminated the threat of war on two fronts.

The plague pandemic and the conclusion of peace in Bretigny

In 1346-1351, Europe was visited by the Black Death. This plague pandemic claimed so many lives that there was no question of continuing hostilities. The only striking event of this period, sung in ballads, was the Battle of Thirty, when English and French knights and squires staged a massive duel, which was watched by several hundred peasants. After the end of the pestilence, England again began military operations, which were mainly led by the Black Prince, the eldest son of Edward the Third. In 1356 he defeated and captured the French king John II. Later, in 1360, the Dauphin of France, who was to become King Charles the Fifth, signed the so-called Peace of Bretigny on very unfavorable terms for himself.

Thus, the results of the Hundred Years' War at its first stage were as follows:

• France was completely demoralized;
• England acquired half of Brittany, Aquitaine, Poitiers, Calais and almost half of the enemy’s vassal possessions, i.e. John the Second lost power over a third of the territory of his country;
• Edward the Third undertook, on his own behalf and on behalf of his descendants, to no longer claim the throne of his grandfather;
• John the Second's second son, Louis of Anjou, was sent to London as a hostage in exchange for his father's return to France.

Peaceful period from 1360 to 1369

After the cessation of hostilities, the peoples of the countries involved in the conflict received a respite that lasted 9 years. During this time, Louis of Anjou fled from England, and his father, being a knight true to his word, went into voluntary captivity, where he died. After his death, he ascended the throne of France, who in 1369 unfairly accused the British of violating the peace treaty and resumed hostilities against them.

Second phase

Typically, those who study the course and results of the Hundred Years' War characterize the time period between 1369 and 1396 as a series of constant battles, in which, in addition to the main participants, the kingdoms of Castile, Portugal and Scotland were also involved. During this period the following important events occurred:

• in 1370, with the help of the French, Enrique II came to power in Castile, who became their faithful ally;
• two years later the city of Poitiers was liberated;
• in 1372, at the Battle of La Rochelle, the Franco-Castilian combined fleet defeated the English squadron;
• 4 years later the Black Prince died;
• in 1377 Edward the Third died, and the minor Richard the Second ascended to the throne of England;
• from 1392, the king of France began to show signs of madness;
• four years later, a truce was concluded, caused by the extreme exhaustion of the opponents.

Truce (1396-1415)

When the king's madness became obvious to everyone, internecine strife began in the country, in which the Armagnac party won. The situation was no better in England, which entered into a new war with Scotland, which was also supposed to pacify the rebellious Ireland and Wales. In addition, Richard the Second was overthrown there, and Henry the Fourth, and then his son, reigned on the throne. Thus, until 1415, both countries were unable to continue the war and were in a state of armed truce.

Third stage (1415-1428)

Those who study the course and consequences of the Hundred Years' War usually call its most interesting event the appearance of such a historical phenomenon as a female warrior who was able to become the head of an army of feudal knights. We are talking about Joan of Arc, born in 1412, whose personality formation was greatly influenced by the events that occurred in 1415-1428. Historical science considers this period the third stage of the Hundred Years' War and identifies the following events as key:

• the Battle of Agincourt in 1415, which was won by Henry the Fifth;
• the signing of the Treaty of Troyes, according to which the distraught King Charles the Sixth declared the King of England his heir;
• the English capture of Paris in 1421;
• the death of Henry the Fifth and the declaration of his one-year-old son as king of England and France;
• the defeat of the former Dauphin Charles, whom a significant part of the French considered the rightful king, at the Battle of Cravan;
• the English siege of Orleans, which began in 1428, during which the world first learned the name of Joan of Arc.

End of the war (1428-1453)

The city of Orleans was of great strategic importance. If the British had managed to capture it, then the answer to the question “what are the results of the Hundred Years' War” would have been completely different, and the French might even have lost their independence. Fortunately for this country, a girl was sent down to her who called herself Joan of the Virgin. She arrived to the Dauphin Charles in March 1429 and announced that God had commanded her to stand at the head of the French army and lift the siege of Orleans. After a series of interrogations and tests, Karl believed her and appointed her commander-in-chief of his troops. As a result, on May 8, Orleans was saved, on June 18, Joan’s army defeated the British army at the Battle of Pat, and on June 29, at the insistence of the Virgin of Orleans, the Dauphin’s “Bloodless March” began in Reims. There he was crowned, but soon after that he stopped listening to the advice of the warrior.

A few years later, Jeanne was captured by the Burgundians, who handed the girl over to the British, who executed her, accusing her of heresy and idolatry. However, the results of the Hundred Years' War were already predetermined, and even the death of the Virgin of Orleans could not prevent the liberation of France. The last battle of this war was the Battle of Castiglione, when the British lost Gascony, which had belonged to them for more than 250 years.

Results of the Hundred Years' War (1337-1453)

As a result of this protracted inter-dynastic armed conflict, England lost all of its continental territories in France, retaining only the port of Calais. In addition, in response to the question about the results of the Hundred Years' War, experts in the field of military history answer that as a result, the methods of warfare radically changed, and new types of weapons were created.

Consequences of the Hundred Years' War

The echoes of this armed conflict predetermined the relations between England and France for centuries to come. In particular, until 1801, the English and then the British monarchs bore the title of kings of France, which did not in any way contribute to the establishment of friendly ties.

Now you know when the Hundred Years War took place, the causes, course, results and motives of the main characters of which have been the subject of study by many historians for almost 6 centuries.

One of the most famous conflicts of the Middle Ages was the Hundred Years' War. This conflict broke out due to the desire of the kings of England to conquer the French kingdom. In this conflict, two periods are clearly visible: the first - when the throne of France is under threat of conquest by the British, and the second - when the throne is practically conquered by the English kings.

Each of these periods has its own symbolism:

• The first period was marked by the victory of England in Cressy and Poitiers and the capture of the king of France. Here such outstanding personalities as Constable Bertrand Du Guesclin and King Charles V appear.
• The second period began with the Armagnac civil war against the Burgundians, which became the launching pad for England's victory at Acincourt. The throne of France was practically in the hands of England. During this period, awakening in him the will to win.

Beginning of the Hundred Years' War

The long struggle between France and England, known as the Hundred Years' War, was not really a war and lasted over a hundred years (116 years: from 1337 to 1453). Five kings of France and the same number of English sovereigns successively took part in this struggle. Three generations lived in a constant atmosphere of unrest and fighting. The Hundred Years' War is divided into a series of battles followed by periods of relative peace or truce.

After the end of hostilities, looting, famine and plague began, ending in the destruction of cities and towns. Having started this war, England still suffered less than France, on whose lands the battles actually took place. As a result, the two warring parties, having undergone significant changes over a hundred-year period, emerged from such a long conflict.

Three contenders for the French throne

In 1328, the French monarch Charles IV the Fair died, and with him the senior line of the Capetian house ended. After his death there were three contenders for the throne:

1. Philip, Count of Valois, son of Charles de Valois, younger brother of Philip of the Fair. Philippe was one of the leaders of the French bourgeoisie. His father was very influential during the reign of Charles IV, and after his death Philip, Count of Valois becomes regent of the kingdom.
2. Edward III of England: Son of Edward II and Isabella of France, Edward III is the grandson of Philip of the Fair. But at that time it was quite difficult to elevate an English nobleman to the throne of France.
3. Philippe d'Evreux: Grandson of Philip III, who married his cousin Jeanne de Navarro (daughter of Louis X). Philip d'Evreux became king of Navarre, and claims the crown by right of his wife. Philippe d'Evreux became the father of Charles Ploch.

French succession conflict

The peers of France elect Philippe de Valois as King of France. His advantage was that he was not close to either the British or the Navarrese. To beat out the other two contenders, Philippa de Valois invoked the Salic law, which was an old Frankish law that prohibited the transfer of the crown by women.

A new king was elected, but his legitimacy remained rather shaky.

If Edward III calmly accepts his loss in the fight for the crown, then the King of Navarre does not agree with this. Jeanne de Navarro's son, Charles Bud, will never accept exile and will try with all his might to harm Valois.

After his accession to the throne, Philip will begin to assert his power, he will hasten to defeat the Flemish army, which rebelled against his comite Louis de Nevers on Mount Cassel in 1328. Philip will then remind the King of England that he owes him possessions in Guyenne. Indeed, the king of England still owned part of Aquitaine and was therefore a direct vassal of the king of France. The meeting took place in Amiens Cathedral in 1329.

The real reason for the confrontation in the Hundred Years' War

The deference paid by the English ruler to the King of France showed that the conflict of succession was only a pretext for war. Edward III simply wants to maintain his possessions in Aquitaine. And when Philip wanted to take over the Duchy of Guyenne, the last stronghold of the King of England in France, Edward III started a war. At the core of the conflict, the main reason was to expand the royal domain, or, for Edward, to maintain his position.

Philip took Bordeaux in 1337 and was soon supported by the Count of Flanders. Edward III reacted immediately by placing an embargo on the export of English wool, which allowed the Flemings to enrich themselves economically (Flemish cloth was sold throughout Europe). Soon there was a new uprising in Flanders, the rebels of the Count of Ghent sided with the English king.

Then, from Westminster, Edward publicly challenges Philip. A few months later, with his Flemish allies, Edward publicly assumes the title of King of France. In 1339 the first battles took place, Edward destroys the Tierace campaign. Further, English operations were not so successful on the lands of France, but at sea the French fleet of Ekuze was crushed. In 1340, the two sovereigns signed a truce, which was extended until 1345.

War of the Succession of Brittany (1341 - 1364)

Since 1341, another conflict has broken out, pitting the French and the British. A war will break out over the succession of the Duchy of Brittany after the death of Duke John III. This war was called the "War of the Two Joans." There was a clash between two clans:

• Supporters of Charles de Blois and his wife Jeanne de Pentivières (niece of John III), who received the support of King Philip VI.
• Supporters of Jean de Montfort (brother of John III) and his wife Joan of Flanders, who, having taken possession of almost the entire duchy, went to seek an alliance with Edward III.

Events initially seemed favorable for the "protégé" of the King of France when Jean de Montfort was captured following the capture of Nantes. However, his wife, Jeanne de Flandres, organizes resistance and manages to bring back reinforcements from England. The British win at Morlaix. The conflict drags on and the local population suffers atrocities on both sides. In 1364, during the Battle of Aurai, Charles de Blois was killed. The son of Jean de Montfort can now assert his rights to the crown.

French insanity

The French and English resumed hostilities in 1346, when Edward III landed at Cotentin and invaded Normandy. The capture of Normandy happened quickly, and the troops of Edward III approached Paris. Philip VI Valois, king of France, was shocked by such unexpected and rapid actions of the British, he tried his best to quickly gather his army.

It would seem that, despite all the favorable circumstances, the British campaign against Paris this time was unsuccessful. The forces of the English army were weakening, it was difficult to move along the roads of the enemy’s devastated country, while the forces of the French were rapidly increasing and gaining power. Edward's troops were forced to retreat to the county of Ponthieu, which was given to him as an inheritance from his mother, and there Edward hoped to rest and gather his strength.

On August 16, the English army crossed the Seine. The French, having gathered a large and prepared army, followed them. Philip ordered his subjects to destroy all bridges on the Somme behind English lines, and to capture the ford at Blanchetache, which is below Abbeville. But the British forces were still able to capture this crossing and approach Crecy to connect with their fleet. However, there was no fleet in sight, and Edward had no choice but to take the fight to the French, who by that time outnumbered him twice in strength. Edward ordered his army to reinforce themselves and dismount their horses in order to take the battle on foot. So, by order of the monarch, both knights and barons were without horses in this battle.

On August 26, the rested English army awaits the French on the heights. Edward III skillfully organized his troops so that they were ready to withstand the attack of the French cavalry: his archers were placed in such a way that each group stood in an arc. Behind them, carts containing a supply of arrows are also arranged in an arc, helping to protect the horses and riders. Anarchy reigned on the French side! The army left Abbeville early in the morning, the overconfident French think they can easily defeat the enemy, and the organization of the army leaves much to be desired. But, seeing the positions of the British, the king of France became nervous, he tried to send his troops, but in vain - it was already too late. The rearguard, trying to join the vanguard, is such a mess that even the banners cannot be distinguished from one another.

However, three groups are finally formed: the Genoese crossbowmen, the Count d'Alençon's men and, finally, the king's men. A fierce storm broke out, making the land muddy and impassable. In such a situation, how to reload crossbows? The warriors were tired of the difficult journey, because weapons and ammunition weighed up to 40 kg. But they press on through a hail of arrows so dense that “it looked like snow,” Froissart says. People are running from all sides, sweeping away soldiers. The king is furious. The horsemen were given orders to kill the fleeing infantry and attack! The knights fight bravely, of course, but, alas, in vain. The king himself rushes into battle, two horses are killed under him. With the onset of darkness everything ends, the English victory becomes unexpected for the French.

Defeat of Crecy

Crécy marks a turning point in military strategy: bombardiers were introduced into battle for the first time. While not very effective due to their limited field of action, they nevertheless frightened the French troops and cavalry, thereby contributing to disorder in the French army.

In addition to the war, a terrible plague came to France and swept across Europe. Starting in the East, more precisely in the highlands of Iran, where the plague was endemic and began by being carried only by a certain type of rat, it assumed epidemic proportions akin to the forest fire of 1347. The main reason for this rapid spread was the overpopulation of major European countries, which increased the vulnerability of the population. Residents of cities and religious communities were especially affected due to their dense concentration in one area.

The plague spread to Italy, southern France, Spain, and in 1349 reached Germany, Central Europe and England. When asked who was to blame for this cataclysm, some found scapegoats: the Jews. Accused of spreading the disease, they were killed or burned in thousands; bonfires were erected in Strasbourg, Mainz, Speyer and Worms. Then the Pope began to threaten those who persecuted Jews with excommunication. Others saw the plague as God's punishment and encouraged atonement for mistakes made. The plague killed a third of the population before disappearing mid-century.

Black Death

The plague was brought to France in 1348 by merchant ships coming from the East. Since the French did not know the causes of the disease, they did not treat the sick or bury the dead, which continued and increased the scale of infection.

New defeats

After capturing Crecy, Edward begins the siege of Calais. After several months of siege, six townspeople, barefoot, wearing shirts and with ropes around their necks, went to the King of England to entrust their lives and the key to the city into his hands. Thanks to these actions, the destruction of Calais was avoided, and the lives of the townspeople were saved by the intervention of Queen Philippa of Hainault. This was a victory for England, and thus the lands remained English until 1558.

In 1350, Philip VI dies, his son John the Good takes the throne. Almost immediately, the new king is confronted with the intrigues of Charles Bad, King of Navarre, who does not hesitate to plot murders and alliances with England. John II, the Good, captured him at Rouen, but Normandy was still in the hands of the supporters of the King of Navarre. Taking advantage of this conflict, the British carried out two campaigns:

• Henry Lancaster (future king of England) advances to one part of Brittany.
• The son of King Edward, the Prince of Wales, goes to another part of Guyenne. Nicknamed the Black Prince because of the color of his armor, the prince leads bloody expeditions into French villages, plundering and destroying them.

Faced with the raids of the black prince, John the Good is unable to respond because he lacks money. He begins to unite the countries in 1356 in order to raise an army. To effectively pursue the English, he uses only horsemen.

The battle will take place south of Poitiers, in hilly terrain rugged with obstacles, so John II decides that the battle would be better fought with infantry. Believing in their victory, the French set out, and on the hilly terrain they become easy prey for the English archers. As a result, both combat corps begin to retreat randomly. The battle quickly turns in the Black Prince's favor.

Feeling defeated, John decides to send his three eldest sons to Chauvigny. Only the younger Philippe Le Hardy (the future Duke of Burgundy), 14 years old, remained to support his father, he uttered these famous words: “Father, keep to your right, father, keep to your left!”

But the king was surrounded and captured by the enemy. The defeat was disastrous, ten years after Crecy, the kingdom plunged into the worst crisis in its history. In the king's absence, the northern peers meet and decide to release Charles Bud in the hope that he will protect the country from defeat. But the traitor Navarro comes into contact with the British in order to appropriate new fiefdoms for himself.

Urban riots and Jacquerie

Urban unrest: During this time in Paris, the bourgeoisie rebels against the nobility and the Dauphin, the future Charles V. Under the leadership of Etienne Marcel, the leader of the merchants (who was like the mayor of Paris), they demand the abolition of certain privileges and control over taxes. In fact, Etienne Marcel dreams of making his city autonomous, like some Flemish or Italian cities.

One day in 1358, he burst into the Dauphin's room, killing his marshals before his eyes. Poor Dauphin, at 18 years old, is weak and unable to carry a sword. But miraculously, the Dauphin manages to escape, and soon he besieges Paris with his troops. As the Dauphin prepares to hand over the keys to the city to Charles Badou, Etienne Marcel is assassinated. So, the heir to the throne enters the capital unhindered and triumphantly. He would later build the Bastille to keep the rioting Parisians at bay.

Jacquerie: There was a revolt in the countryside due to the unpopularity of the nobility after the defeat at Poitiers and the suffering caused by war and plague. Jacques (nickname of Jacques Bonhomme) set fire to castles and threatened the lords. The repression, especially in the area of ​​Beauvais and Meaux, was terrible and thousands of peasants were killed.

French revolt

Imprisoned in the Tower of London, John the Good promised his captor, Edward III, a ransom of 4 million gold crowns in exchange for his release, as well as all the Plantagenet possessions. But Dauphin Charles, surrounded by the halo of his victory over the bourgeois Parisians, does not want to hear this.

Edward III attempted a new seizure aimed at crowning him at Reims. Exhausted by long marches, the British were forced to leave French territory. The Treaty of Bretigny was signed in 1360, the British received new possessions in France. King Jean-le-Bon was released, but after a few months he surrendered: his son Louis d'Anjou, who had been used as a hostage, escaped to join his wife.

Finally, John II died in captivity in 1364. Charles V was crowned and began the restoration of France. A cultivated collector of rare manuscripts and works of art, loving writers, artists, musicians, he restored the Louvre and founded the royal library. A hard worker, he knew how to surround himself with good ministers. Thanks to the new salt tax, he restores the kingdom's economy. Wisely analyzing the lessons of the failures of Poitiers, he reorganized the army: he abolished the epic cavalcades of the feudal barons! From now on, the main element will be the formation of a militia that is fluent in guerrilla operations, rather than carrying out aggressive front-line battles with a huge number of casualties.

Birth of the Frank

Having paid part of his ransom, Jean-le-Bon is released from captivity. In 1360 he issues a new currency, the franc, to commemorate his liberation. This money complements the Saint Louis gold ecus and the silver pound. The 1360 coin shows the king on horseback; the second coin, issued in 1365, shows the king on foot (“franc on foot”).

Bertrand Du Guesclin, Constable of France

Bertrand Du Guesclin was born near Rennes in 1320. At birth he had dark skin, almost black, and he was so ugly that his father did not want to recognize him. One day a child rebelled against his brothers and overturned a long table, the nun calmed him down and predicted that he would someday become a military commander and that Lilia would bow before him. Later, in a tournament where he was banned from participating, he defeats all his opponents. He cultivates strength of character and sculpts the body of an athlete, which will later bring him a high position with the king.

Indeed, in 1370, Charles V presented Bertrand Du Guesclin with the sword of the constable of France (chief of the armies). Before this date, the proud Bretrand led a group of peasants, which he trained to fight as "guerrillas": an ax hanging around his neck meant pursuing the tormentors of the English and conquering their lands. While Henry de Lancaster leads the mounted campaign in Brittany, Bertrand distinguishes himself during the defense of Rennes. Charles de Blois knighted him in 1357. From this point on, during the conflict of succession to the throne of Brittany, Du Guesclin would constantly be close to Jean de Montfort.

Legend or reality

The legend of the origin of the Guesclin family says that a fleet of Saracen naves, led by a king named Akkin, approached the shores of Breton and devastated the surrounding area. Charlemagne personally took part in the battle and drove the invaders back to sea. The panic was such that the Saracens left their tents and plunder on the shore; Among all this they found a child, Akkin’s own son. Charlemagne baptized him and became his godfather. He assigned mentors to him and made him a knight, giving him the castle of Gley, which became the patrimony of Sir Gley-Akkin.

Constable serving his king

In 1357, Bertrand Du Guesclin was in the service of King Charles V. He participated in all the battles between the royal troops and the English and Navarre. He won his first victory at Cocherel (near Evreux), in 1364, defeating the army of Charles Ploch. In the same year, he was defeated at the Battle of d'Aure while attempting to conquer Brittany.

Guecklen was captured, and the king immediately hastened to pay a ransom for him. Then Bertrand Du Guesclin began to fight the scourge of the time: the “Great Companies”: unemployed mercenaries gathered in Côte d'Or. These famous companies engaged in various outrages. A solution had to be found to get rid of these marauders.

Bertrand Du Guesclin was the only person with enough power to collect them. He gathered them and took them with him to fight in Spain. The future constable led the fight against Peter the Cruel, associated with the English, who disputed the kingdom of Castile with his brother Henry of Trastámara. Du Guesclin successfully participates in the conquest of Castile, but is captured by the Black Prince.

The king paid the ransom again. Freed, Bertrand Du Guesclin managed to defeat his enemy at the Battle of Montiel in 1369.

As for the Big Companies, they gradually fell into decline. From 1370 to 1380, with the help of personally developed tactics of pursuing the enemy in well-defended territories and from fortresses, Bertrand Du Guesclin was able to expel the British from almost all occupied French territory (Aquitaine, Poitou, Normandy). In 1380 he died at the headquarters of Châteauneuf-de-Randon in Auvergne. Charles V buried him, uniquely for a non-king, in the royal Basilica of Saint Denis, next to the kings of France. The king, falling ill, soon joined him.

Appointment of the Dauphin

During the reign of Jean le Bon, it was customary to crown the Dauphin. From now on, the first heir to the crown receives the lands and therefore the title of Dauphin. The first Dauphin would be Charles V, a title that would later serve to designate the heir to the throne of France (usually the king's eldest son).

Charles VI "The Beloved" or "The Fool"

Before his death, Charles V abolished the tax levied on every household, thereby starving the monarchy of resources. When he died, his son Charles VI was only twelve years old.

In fact, his uncles, the Dukes of Anjou, Berry, Burgundy and Bourbon, came to rule the kingdom. Taking advantage of the situation, they waste the kingdom's resources and decide to impose new taxes for their personal gain. In 1383, the Mayotine uprising took place: Parisians, armed with mallets, took to the streets to express their discontent.

In 1388, Charles VI took over the affairs of the kingdom, he begins to pursue his uncles and remembers his father's former advisers, whom the princes call "Marmosets" (among them the constable Olivier de Clisson). To his subjects, Charles VI becomes the "Beloved". In 1392, dramatic changes took place in the king's life. Passing through the forest of Mans, during an expedition against the Duke of Brittany, the king confuses members of his retinue with his enemies and attacks them, brandishing his sword. Six knights were killed before he was bound.

The king's madness intensifies the following year. Residents of the kingdom fear the return of Charles VI's uncles to power. But overcoming attacks of madness, the king’s consciousness periodically clears up, and he rules quite wisely. No one dares to take the king under his guardianship then.

Since 1392, Queen Isabella of Bavaria has presided over the existing regency council. After the clash between the two factions, a serious civil war began:

• Party of Orléans (later called Armagnacs) of Charles VI's brother: Louis d'Orléans (grandfather of the future Louis XII).
• Burgundian party of the powerful uncle Charles VI: Philip the Bold. Duke of Burgundy, Philip inherited the inheritance entrusted by his father John the Good, he receives Flanders through his marriage. Possessing a huge inheritance, his descendants gradually separated from the kingdom of France.

Meanwhile, France is planning a rapprochement with England. King of England, Richard II marries the daughter of Charles VI. The two sovereigns meet, but do not reach a peace agreement. In 1399, Richard II was overthrown by Henry of Lancaster, which was the end of attempts at a truce between the two kingdoms. The rivalry continues to grow between Louis d'Orléans, who leads the French army, and the new Duke of Burgundy, Jean Saint-Pour. The latter killed Louis d'Orléans in 1407 in the Marais district of Paris. This murder marks the beginning of the civil war. The victim's son, Charles d'Orléans, asks for the support of his father-in-law Bernard VII, Count of Armagnac (hence the faction's name).

The Armagnacs and Burgundians compete for the lands and resources of the kingdom, and do not hesitate to turn to the British for help. Jean Sant Perparvian occupies a high position in Paris. The Duke is very popular and has the support of the University and the support of the huge meat corporation led by Simon Kaboche.

In 1413 they implement a major administrative reform: the Kabohi order. But unrest continues among the Parisian bourgeoisie, close to the Armagnacs. Count Bernard VII becomes mayor of Paris and is appointed constable by Queen Isabella of Bavaria.

The fratricidal quarrels that engulfed France did not escape the attention of the new king of England, Henry V Lancaster. The latter takes the opportunity to resume the war; he lands with his troops in Normandy. Henry V is the son of Henry IV, the usurper on whose orders Richard II, the Plantagenet heir, was killed. He wants to reconsider English claims to French lands, and, if possible, regain part of the state lost thanks to the campaigns of Bertrand Du Guesclin.

After landing in France, the British go to Calais. The French army is organized around the Armagnacs. Again, they have the numerical advantage, but despite the defeats at Crécy and Poitiers, the French knighthood did not lose its arrogance and self-confidence.

Despite the advice of the Duke of Berry, the French decide to attack the British in a narrow passage where the army will be impossible to deploy. Tired from a long night of waiting in the rain, the knights are blinded by the sun, their heavy cuirasses make it difficult to move and they are greeted by a volley of English arrows, for which the knights become easy prey. The English infantry in a very short time begins to push back the French knights, inflicting massive blows on them with swords. Prisoners are killed. Agincourt is one of the deadliest battles of the Middle Ages with 10,000 casualties on the French side.

So, many French barons were killed, Charles d'Orléans, the king's nephew and father of the future Louis XII, was captured and will remain in England for 25 years. The French knighthood, which remained the kingdom's elite for two centuries, is dwindling. His undeniable virtues of courage, faith and sacrifice are swept away by military strategy. Once again, a handful of infantry defeated a horde of knights.

Civil War

The inaction of the Armagnac clan, still in power, prompted Henry V to expand the sphere of his interests. He arrives in Normandy and conquers it. In 1417, Jean Saint-Pour and Isabella of Bavaria settled in Troyes, becoming an opposition government to the rule of the Dauphin.

In Paris, Armagnac is associated only with horror. In 1418, a violent riot led to their expulsion from the city. Count Bernard VII and his men are killed in cold blood. On the night of August 20, looting and massacres continued. There are more than ten thousand dead. The Parisian Prevost comes to the Dauphin (the future Charles VII) and organizes his escape. The 15-year-old Dauphin fled to Bourges in the Duchy of Berry, which he had inherited from his great uncle. This was a triumph for Jean Saint-Pourt and his English allies.

The Duke of Burgundy manipulates King Charles VI and his queen Isabella Bavaria. Jean Saint-Pour, who entered into an alliance with the British for the sake of his own interests, is surprised by the English invasion of French territory. He wants to make one last attempt at reconciliation with the Dauphin. Both sides seem inclined to end their rivalry, which only serves English interests.

The meeting took place on the Montero Bridge in 1419, Jean Saint-Pour goes there without protection. It was then that the Dauphin's advisor, Tanguil-du-Châtel, struck him with an axe, and Jean-Saint-Pour was beaten and killed. Naturally, the murder horrifies the country and revives strife between the Armagnacs and the Burgundians.

Charles VI is convinced by the English to disinherit his son, and signs the shameful Treaty of Troyes (1420). The daughter of Charles VI is given to the King of England, who becomes the successor to the throne of France. He made a triumphal entry into Paris with Charles VI. So the English king will sit on the royal throne of France!

The reconciliation between the Armagnacs and the Burgundians was supposed to lead to the restoration of the French. But this did not happen, the murder of Jean San-Pour plunges the country into the darkest times.

Causes and prerequisites for the outbreak of the Hundred Years' War