The Hundred Years War, Part I

1. What Was the Hundred Years War? 2. First Battles & English Triumphs

1. What Was the Hundred Years War?

• The most notable war of the Middle Ages • The Hundred Years War actually lasted

116 years from 1337 to 1453 • It was a war of succession fought

between England and France

• War of succession: a war or conflict caused by two or more individuals claiming to be the rightful successor to a deceased or deposed monarch

• The disputed crown in the Hundred Years War was that of France

• Two families made claims to the French crown:

• The House of Plantagenet, rulers of the Kingdom of England

• The House of Valois, rulers of the Kingdom of France

• The dispute arose after Charles IV of the House of Capet, died without an heir to the throne

• Actually, the issue of succession first arose in 1316 when Charles’ older brother, Louis X, died without a male heir

• Louis’ brother, Philip, proclaimed that “women cannot succeed to the French throne” and took the crown for himself (Philip V)

• Philip also died without a male heir

• Philip VI of the House of Valois and Edward III of the House of Plantagenet both laid claim to the throne

• Thus began the Hundred Years War

2. First Battles & English Triumphs

• The first major battle of the war was the Battle of Crécy in August 1346

• A force of about 16,000 English and their allies faced off against as many as 80,000 troops from France and her allies

• While English losses were minimal, France and her allies lost some 30,000 men in the battle!

• Edward’s forces won a decisive battle thanks to English longbows and French blunders

• A popular hero of the Battle of Crécy was Edward III’s eldest son, Edward, the Black Prince

• The Black Prince commanded a division of the English forces that set up ahead of the other forces to take the brunt of the French attack

• After the victory at Crécy, Edward marched his forces onto another important victory by capturing the port of Calais

• The English now had a firm foothold in France

• England achieved another major victory in 1356 at the Battle of Poitiers

• The French king, Jean II, was captured by English forces

• France was on her heels...