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'''The Hundred Years War''', between [[England]] and [[France]], lasted from 1337 AD to 1453 AD.<ref> There is no apostrophe after Years. In 1821 the French historian Charles O. Desmichels labelled the war "the Hundred Years War." The term was first used by English historians in 1870. The "Second Hundred Years War" was the warfare between Britain and France from 1689 to 1815. </ref>  This war began when the last [[Capetian]] king died without leaving a successor, and English King [[Edward III]] claimed the French throne. The war went badly for the French, loosing every major battle fought: [[Battle of Crecy]], the [[Battle of Poitiers]] and the [[Battle of Agincourt]] as portrayed in [[Shakespeare's Henry V]].  The English [[Longbow]] was too much of a tactical advantage.

'''The Hundred Years War''', between [[England]] and [[France]], lasted from 1337 AD to 1453 AD.<ref>There is no apostrophe after Years. In 1821 the French historian Charles O. Desmichels labelled the war "the Hundred Years War." The term was first used by English historians in 1870. The "Second Hundred Years War" was the warfare between Britain and France from 1689 to 1815.</ref>  This war began when the last [[Capetian]] king died without leaving a successor, and English King [[Edward III]] claimed the French throne. The war went badly for the French, loosing every major battle fought: [[Battle of Crecy]], the [[Battle of Poitiers]] and the [[Battle of Agincourt]] as portrayed in [[Shakespeare's Henry V]].  The English [[Longbow]] was too much of a tactical advantage.

By 1429 the French were largely defeated, but [[Joan of Arc]] rallied the French and gave them a sense of pride.  Even her death couldn't shake that spirit.  After a 5 year truce negotiated in 1444 expired, the English were basically defeated by political changes.  The French civil war had ended and England with a population of 2 1/2 million could never hope to defeat a united France with 15 million.  Furthermore, during that time the French developed a standing army and an upgrade in artillery tactics.

By 1429 the French were largely defeated, but [[Joan of Arc]] rallied the French and gave them a sense of pride.  Even her death couldn't shake that spirit.  After a 5 year truce negotiated in 1444 expired, the English were basically defeated by political changes.  The French civil war had ended and England with a population of 2 1/2 million could never hope to defeat a united France with 15 million.  Furthermore, during that time the French developed a standing army and an upgrade in artillery tactics.

The war languished until the accession to the English throne in 1413 of the young Henry V  (1387–1422), who was ambitious for military glory. In France the incompetent and intermittently insane Charles VI was on the throne, and civil war had broken out between the Orleanist and the Burgundian factions. Henry V revived the English claim to the throne of France. He invaded Normandy with an army of about 10,000 and won a great victory at [[Agincourt]], Oct. 25, 1415, repeating the tactics of Crécy and Poitiers against a large army of French knights who had learned nothing from the past. Henry then completed the conquest of Normandy, and the French cause seemed hopeless. On May 21, 1420, after the murder of John, Duke of Burgundy, by the Armagnacs, the new Duke Philip, aided by the queen, secured the signing of the Treaty of Troyes between Henry and Charles VI. Henry married the princess Catherine, secured the regency of France, and was declared heir to the French throne. But in 1422 both kings died, and the infant son of Henry and Catherine was proclaimed king of France and England. His uncles, the dukes of Gloucester and Bedford, were installed as regents. The Duke of Bedford, with Burgundian cooperation, was able to complete the conquest of France north of the Loire River.  

The war languished until the accession to the English throne in 1413 of the young Henry V  (1387–1422), who was ambitious for military glory. In France the incompetent and intermittently insane Charles VI was on the throne, and civil war had broken out between the Orleanist and the Burgundian factions. Henry V revived the English claim to the throne of France. He invaded Normandy with an army of about 10,000 and won a great victory at [[Agincourt]], Oct. 25, 1415, repeating the tactics of Crécy and Poitiers against a large army of French knights who had learned nothing from the past. Henry then completed the conquest of Normandy, and the French cause seemed hopeless. On May 21, 1420, after the murder of John, Duke of Burgundy, by the Armagnacs, the new Duke Philip, aided by the queen, secured the signing of the Treaty of Troyes between Henry and Charles VI. Henry married the princess Catherine, secured the regency of France, and was declared heir to the French throne. But in 1422 both kings died, and the infant son of Henry and Catherine was proclaimed king of France and England. His uncles, the dukes of Gloucester and Bedford, were installed as regents. The Duke of Bedford, with Burgundian cooperation, was able to complete the conquest of France north of the Loire River.  

==Joan of Arc==

==Joan of Arc==

In 1428, while Bedford was besieging Orléans, the apathetic Dauphin and his despairing army were galvanized into action by [[Joan of Arc]] (1412-31), and the siege was broken by the French in the following year.

In 1428, while Bedford was besieging Orléans, the apathetic Dauphin and his despairing army were galvanized into action by [[Joan of Arc]] (1412–31), and the siege was broken by the French in the following year.

Charles was crowned as Charles VII at Reims in 1429, and in 1435 at Arras he was able to buy a separate peace with Philip of Burgundy. Bedford died the same year, and the English cause was lost. A series of truces followed, until hostilities broke out about the middle of the century. The restored French army advanced steadily. Normandy was soon regained, then Guyenne was invaded. Bordeaux fell to the French in 1453, and the war ended with Calais alone remaining in the hands of the English.

Charles was crowned as Charles VII at Reims in 1429, and in 1435 at Arras he was able to buy a separate peace with Philip of Burgundy. Bedford died the same year, and the English cause was lost. A series of truces followed, until hostilities broke out about the middle of the century. The restored French army advanced steadily. Normandy was soon regained, then Guyenne was invaded. Bordeaux fell to the French in 1453, and the war ended with Calais alone remaining in the hands of the English.

==Memory and impact==

==Memory and impact==

Lowe (1997) argues opposition to the war helped to shape England's early modern political culture. Although 1anti-war and pro-peace spokesmen generally failed to influence outcomes at the time, they had a long-term impact. England showed decreasing enthusiasm for a conflict deemed not in the national interest, yielding only losses in return for the economic burdens it imposed. In comparing this English cost-benefit analysis with French attitudes, given that both countries suffered from weak leaders and licentious soldiers, Lowe notes that the French understood that warfare was necessary to expel the foreigners occupying their homeland. Of course, Joan of Arc had a higher and more durable charisma quotient than Henry V. Furthermore French kings found alternative ways to finance the war - sales taxes, debasing the coinage - and were less dependent than the English on tax levies passed by national legislatures. English anti-war critics thus had more to work with than the French.<ref> Ben Lowe, ''Imagining Peace: A History of Early English Pacifist Ideas, 1340-1560''  (1997)</ref>  

Lowe (1997) argues opposition to the war helped to shape England's early modern political culture. Although 1anti-war and pro-peace spokesmen generally failed to influence outcomes at the time, they had a long-term impact. England showed decreasing enthusiasm for a conflict deemed not in the national interest, yielding only losses in return for the economic burdens it imposed. In comparing this English cost-benefit analysis with French attitudes, given that both countries suffered from weak leaders and licentious soldiers, Lowe notes that the French understood that warfare was necessary to expel the foreigners occupying their homeland. Of course, Joan of Arc had a higher and more durable charisma quotient than Henry V. Furthermore French kings found alternative ways to finance the war - sales taxes, debasing the coinage - and were less dependent than the English on tax levies passed by national legislatures. English anti-war critics thus had more to work with than the French.<ref>Ben Lowe, ''Imagining Peace: A History of Early English Pacifist Ideas, 1340-1560''  (1997)</ref>  

==Bibliography==

==Bibliography==

*  Allmand, Christopher. ''The Hundred Years War: England and France at War c.1300-c.1450'' (1988) [http://www.amazon.com/Hundred-Years-War-c-1300-c-1450-Cambridge/dp/0521319234/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1203184829&sr=8-1 excerpt and text search]

*  Allmand, Christopher. ''The Hundred Years War: England and France at War c.1300-c.1450'' (1988) [http://www.amazon.com/Hundred-Years-War-c-1300-c-1450-Cambridge/dp/0521319234/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1203184829&sr=8-1 excerpt and text search]