Changes

The Hundred Years' War, between [[England]] and [[France]], lasted from 1337 AD to 1453 AD.  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 1453 the war was over, ending with the fall of the city of Bordeaux to French forces, leaving England with only the city of Calais in France.  In truth, the French were really only victorious for 4 years, but that's all that mattered.  Even though the war is called the Hundred Years' War, it was not ongoing.  There were several brief times of peace, some brought on by the [[bubonic plague]].

The Hundred Years' War, between [[England]] and [[France]], lasted from 1337 AD to 1453 AD.  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 1453 the war was over, ending with the fall of the city of Bordeaux to French forces, leaving England with only the city of Calais in France.  In truth, the French were really only victorious for 4 years, but that's all that mattered.  Even though the war is called the Hundred Years' War, it was not ongoing.  There were several brief times of peace, some brought on by the [[bubonic plague]].

[[Category:Wars]]

[[Category:Wars]]

[[Category:Wars France Won]]

[[Category:Wars France Won]]