The beginning and end of the Hundred Years War: briefly about the reasons. Hundred Years War (1337-1453) Periods of the Hundred Years War

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Introduction

Hundred Years' War 1337-1453 between England and France is the longest military-political conflict in the history of the past. The term "war" in relation to this event, as well as its chronological framework, is rather arbitrary, since military operations have not been constantly conducted for more than a hundred years. The source of the contradictions between England and France was the bizarre interweaving of the historical destinies of these countries, which began with the Norman conquest of England in 1066. The Dukes of Normandy, established on the English throne, came from northern France. They united under their rule England and part of the continent - the northern French region of Normandy. In the 12th century the possessions of the English kings in France increased sharply as a result of the annexation by dynastic marriages of regions in Central and South-Western France. After a long and difficult struggle, the French monarchy at the beginning of the 13th century. regained most of these lands. Together with the traditional possessions of the French kings, they formed the core of modern France.

However, under English rule, the territory in the southwest remained - between the Pyrenees and the Loire Valley. In France she was called Guienne, in England Gascony. "English Gascony" and became one of the main reasons that caused the Hundred Years' War. The preservation of English domination in the south-west made the position of the French Capet unreliable, hindered the real political centralization of the country. For the English monarchy, this area could become a springboard in an attempt to regain the former huge possessions on the continent. In addition, the two largest Western European monarchies competed for political and economic influence in the virtually independent County of Flanders (modern Netherlands).

The Flemish cities, which bought English wool, sent a wealthy merchant from Ghent, James Artevelde, to England and offered Edward III the crown of France. At this time, the Valois dynasty (1328-1589), the younger line of the Capetians (the previous royal dynasty) settled in France.

Another object of sharp contradictions was Scotland, whose independence was threatened by England. In search of political support in Europe, the Scottish kingdom sought an alliance with the main rivals of the English crown - France. As the Anglo-French contradictions aggravated, both monarchies tried to strengthen their positions in the Iberian Peninsula. The Iberian countries were especially interested in them due to the fact that they bordered on the "English Gascony". All this led to the emergence of military-political alliances: Franco-Castilian (1288), Franco-Scottish (1295), between the English crown and the cities of Flanders (1340).

In 1337, the English king Edward III declared war on France, resorting to a legal form natural for that time: he proclaimed himself the legitimate king of France in opposition to Philip VI of Valois, who was elected to the throne by the French feudal lords in 1328, after the death of his cousin, who had no sons, King Charles IV - the last of the older branch of the Capetian dynasty. Meanwhile, Edward III was the son of the elder sister of Charles IV, who was married to the English king.

There are four stages in the history of the war, between which there were periods of relatively long calm.

1. Background of the Hundred Years War

centenary janna war battle

The traditional borders of the Anglo-French war, which has been called since the 19th century. Centennial, are considered 1337-1453. Military operations for such a long time, of course, were not continuous. The accepted chronological framework of the war is, rather, the approximate boundaries of the protracted military-political conflict between the two Western European monarchies. But this conflict was only the final act of a longer historical drama of rivalry between the two royal houses. Its origins, according to most historians, must be sought in the events of the 11th and 12th centuries.

The Kingdom of France began to take shape as a relatively isolated state by the end of the 10th century. There was still no political and territorial unity within it, although the king from the first proper French Capetian dynasty was already at the head. The largest feudal lords - dukes and counts - behaved in relation to the early Capetians quite independently. The concept of the state border was completely absent, and the right of the strong often decided the most serious political issues. It was upon this that the audacious and essentially adventurous undertaking of Duke William of Normandy was based, who in 1066 landed on the southern English coast, accompanied by a relatively small force, and with surprising ease defeated the militia of the scattered and more backward Anglo-Saxon kingdoms. William the Conqueror became King of England, naturally retaining the Duchy of Normandy in Northern France under his rule. This event marked the beginning of centuries-long attempts by the Norman dynasty of English kings and their successors to create and maintain under their rule a kind of political entity that extended to the British Isles and French territory.

Taking advantage of the political weakness of the early Capetians, the House of Normandy established its power over the counties of Maine and Anjou in the center of the French lands. In 1154, Henry II, the founder of the new Plantagenet dynasty, became king of England. His mother Matilda came from the Norman dynasty, she was the granddaughter of William the Conqueror. Henry II's father was a French count from the Anjou family. In 1152, while not yet king of England, Henry married Eleanor of Aquitaine, who brought him huge dowries in the southwest of France as a dowry. About half of the French lands were under the rule of the English crown: all of their western part, except for the independent duchy on the Brittany peninsula. It should be noted that the Duchess Eleanor of Aquitaine was the divorced wife of the French king from the Capetian house of Louis VII.

During the long reign of Henry II (1154-1189), conflicts between the English and French royal houses arose almost every year. At the beginning of the XIII century. the French king Philip II, who eventually received the honorary title "August" and is considered one of the true creators of a strong independent France, won a significant part of the French possessions from the heir of Henry II, John the Landless. Normandy, Maine, Anjou and Touraine returned to the French crown. But Aquitaine remained under the rule of the English Plantagenets. This duchy was the cause of the ongoing conflict between England and France.

In the XIII century. the enmity between the Capetians and the Plantagenets grew into a clash of state interests between France and England. Allies began to gather around rival countries, especially from among those relatively small political entities that were forced to seek protection and patronage against stronger neighbors. Scotland, neighboring England, was increasingly drawn to the French crown, which, not without reason, was afraid of being absorbed by the English kingdom. The rich Flanders cities began to count on an alliance with England. Although the count of Flanders was considered a vassal of the French king, the townspeople of this powerful cloth-making center hoped to maintain de facto independence. In addition, the wool they needed was imported from England.

In the 13th century, the money provided by trade (wine, cloth, etc.) became more and more important. And it became more and more obvious that under these conditions both the struggle for the preservation of the remnants of the Duchy of Aquitaine under English rule and the rivalry in rich Flanders could be resolved only by armed means.

Conflicts followed one after another. In 1215, France took advantage of the dissatisfaction that broke out in England with the policy of John the Landless and sent troops to England under the leadership of the French prince, who had remote rights to the English throne. French troops were expelled not without difficulty in 1217. In 1294-1302. in the South-West, in the area of English rule, a local war broke out between England and France, which did not bring any practical results. In 1295, France concluded an openly anti-English military-political treaty with Scotland. Rival countries began to look for allies in the Iberian Peninsula, where the English monarchy gained support in the small but strategically very important Navarre, and the French achieved an alliance with Castile. In 1323-1325. the Anglo-French military conflict broke out again in the former Aquitaine. Again, local, without the participation of allies, but without results.

The papacy and the German Empire, as well as the rulers of virtually independent counties and duchies in the Netherlands, were involved to some extent in the Anglo-French contradictions. The inevitable big war between France and England was resolutely placed on the agenda. It was clear that without this, the English kings would not give up trying to realize the old dream of the Plantagenets of a kingdom, or even an empire, stretching on both sides of the English Channel. There was no other way for the French monarchy to complete the long and painstaking effort to gather French lands around Paris. Without joining the territory of the former Duchy of Aquitaine, which had been greatly reduced over several centuries (it began to be called the “English Gascony”), the Capetians could not feel like masters in their own kingdom. The existence of English rule there has become an obvious historical anachronism. It was to be either eliminated or used as the basis for the formation and growth of the Anglo-French empire that the Plantagenets dreamed of.

The impetus for the beginning of a serious war, which acquired almost Western European proportions, was the dynastic situation that developed in 1328. The question of succession to the crown is the most important for any monarchy. After the death of the French king Charles IV, the direct line of the Capetian house, which had ruled the country since 987, ceased. The assembly of representatives of the highest French nobility had to decide which of the indirect heirs to recognize as the most worthy of the royal title. Among the applicants, the sixteen-year-old English king Edward III, who was the nephew of the last Capet, declared his rights. His mother, Queen Isabella, daughter of the famous ruler of France, Philip IV the Handsome, was married to the English King Edward II. Referring to the "Salic Truth" - a barbarian judicial code written around 500, members of the assembly of the highest French nobility rejected the claims of Edward III.

In the domestic historiographical tradition, this plot has long been called a "pretext" for the start of the Anglo-French war. N.I. Basovskaya points out that the issue of succession to the crown was the most important in feudal times, and that the rights of Edward III were not at all fictional. According to the researcher, “the option of acquiring the crown of France dynastically promised a seductively easy solution to the long and persistent desire of the Plantagenets to gain a foothold in France. It was one of the many unrealized, alternative, as they say today, options for the development of historical events. It was about creating a united kingdom, which was not such an impossible thing for the Middle Ages.

However, the crown was transferred to the representative of the lateral branch of the Capetians - Philip VI of Valois (1328-1350). Then Edward III decided to achieve his rights with the help of weapons.

2. The course of hostilities

The first period of the war (1337-1 360 gg.)

The first period of the war - the struggle for supremacy at sea, the defeat of France and popular uprisings.

The English in 1339 undertook the first invasion of the continent, where they besieged the fortress of Cambrai in the province of Artois. The fortress could not be taken, and Edward returned to England to prepare the next campaign. Equipping a large fleet and a strong army, the British laid siege to the fortress of Tournai. In June 1340, the French hired ships from the Genoese, mobilized merchant ships, reinforcing their fleet, and moved to the shores of Flanders to attack the English fleet, stationed at the mouth of the river. Scheldts. In the battle, called the Battle of Sluys (Ecluse), the French fleet was completely destroyed and the British gained dominance at sea. But on land, they again failed - the British could not take Tournai. Edward lifted the siege and concluded a truce that lasted until 1346.

In 1341, Jean III, Duke of Brittany died. The throne of Brittany was empty, and the so-called. War of succession (1341-1364), between French and English henchmen.

Meanwhile, the British government, having gathered significant forces, resumes hostilities. In 1346, the British landed in three places - in Flanders (a distraction), Brittany and Guyany. They systematically plundered and ravaged France, in the south they took possession of almost all the castles. In the second half of 1346, King Edward himself landed in Normandy. Having devastated this province, he decided to march to Flanders, which was probably due to the departure of his fleet to Britain. The French destroyed the bridges across the Seine and the Somme, forcing the British to make a detour. However, Edward managed to force these rivers and go north of Abbville, where the famous battle of Crecy (Cressy), brilliantly won by the British, took place. Then Edward laid siege to Calais and took it 11 months later.

After that, a truce was signed, which lasted until 1355. And in 1348-1349. both warring countries were covered by a terrible plague epidemic - the Black Death, which claimed millions of lives - a good half of all people living then. In 1355, the war resumed, the British (the Black Prince's chevosche) ravaged the south of France (Languedoc) and even reached the Mediterranean, destroying everything in their path. In 1356 Edward the Black Prince laid siege to Ramorantin, south of Orleans. The French under the command of King John released the city and forced the enemy to retreat in the direction of Poitiers. Here the British took a strong position and gave the battle that went down in history as the battle of Poitiers. Despite a significant numerical superiority, the French were utterly defeated, and the king himself was captured. After this shameful defeat, a wave of discontent swept through the country, resulting in armed uprisings: the Parisian uprising (1357) and the Jacquerie (1358). Trying to exploit the difficulties of the heir to the crown, the young Dauphin Charles (since 1364 King Charles V), Edward III began another company in France (1359-1360) and reached the very walls of Paris, but could not take Reims to receive there anointing. Exhausted and devastated, France could not continue the war, so a peace was signed at Brétigny on difficult terms. As a result, France lost a considerable part of its lands (see diagram).

Second period of the war (1369-1 380 gg.)

The second period of the war (1369-1380) was marked by the transition of France to the offensive and the liberation of most of the occupied territories. The peace concluded in 1360 was a necessary respite, which allowed the French to somewhat improve the internal political situation in the country and strengthen the army and navy. The system of hiring troops was streamlined, fortresses were erected, artillery was improved, and a strong fleet was created.

Although England and France were officially at peace, skirmishes continued. The parties raided each other's territory, the war for Brittany continued. A typical example: in 1364 (that is, during the period of peace), the knight Matthew Gurnay, captain of Brest (Brittany), was subjected to confiscation of property "for having crossed the sea and engaged in war, while it was forbidden to him" . The royal army was defeated by the soldiers of the Free Companies (rutiers) at Brignes (1362). In 1364, an open war began with the British ally Charles II of Navarre (Charles the Evil), who claimed the duchy of Burgundy (as well as the crown of France - he was the son of Jeanne, the eldest among the grandchildren of Philip the Handsome). Du Guesclin defeated him at Kocherel (May 1364). In 1367-1369. The Hundred Years' War spread to the lands of the Iberian Peninsula - both warring parties fought for influence on the Castilian throne. The French supported Enrique Trastamarsky, and the British supported his half-brother, Pedro the Cruel. The Franco-Castilian army lost the Battle of Navaretta (Naher; 1367). However, later the British stopped helping Pedro the Cruel, and Enrique (with the help of Dugueclin) defeated and killed his rival at Montiel (1369). The new king (Enrique II), in gratitude for the support, sent his fleet to fight against the British.

In 1369 the war resumed in France. Charles V the Wise announced the confiscation of Aquitaine and sent troops into it, freeing several cities. The French now had different ways of waging war: avoiding major military clashes (nevertheless, field battles are also known, at Shiz, for example), the detachments carried out surprise attacks, interrupted enemy communications, made night sorties, and worked closely with the local population who opposed English. In 1372, the allied Castilian fleet under command defeated the English fleet under the command of the Earl of Pembroke, sailing to liberate La Rochelle, and Du Guesclin won the battle of Chise in the same year, freeing Saintonge and Poitou. By the end of 1374, the British had lost almost all of their possessions in France, except for Calais, Cherbourg and a small area with the cities of Bordeaux and Bayonne (see diagram).

In 1375 a truce was concluded, but in 1377 hostilities resumed. An attempt to attack England from the sea failed, but on the continent the French defeated the Anglo-Gascon army at Aime. Since 1380, after the death of Charles V (Dugueclin also died in the same year), during the reign of the young (in the year of his father's death he was only 12 years old) Charles VI, the period of decline of central power begins - the so-called. "The Feudalism of Princes".

The country was slowly recovering from the colossal devastation inflicted by the British interventionists and mercenaries. The French countryside has been sacked, the French cities have been devastated, and the royal treasury is empty. In connection with high taxes, a wave of uprisings swept through the country (1382). In the spring of 1382, the French defeated the Flemings at Rosebeck. To the deterioration of the internal political situation of the country, in 1392, Charles VI had the first bouts of mental illness, and the struggle for regency between the Orleans and Burgundy houses (the uncles of the king Philip of Burgundy and Louis of Orleans) began, which eventually escalated into a civil war ("Armagnac strife and Burgundians). In 1396, an Anglo-French truce was concluded for 28 years, which, however, did not resolve more than one controversial issue. In the same year, a crusade against the Turks was undertaken, culminating in the defeat of the western chivalry at the Battle of Nicopolis. This campaign is not part of the Hundred Years' War, but still significant, since a significant part of the crusaders were French knights led by the young Jean of Nevers, the eldest son of the Duke of Burgundy, and almost all of them died.

Third period of the war (1415-1 428 gg.)

The third period of the war - a new invasion of the British in France, the defeat of the French chivalry and the capture by England of a significant territory, which called into question the very existence of France as a nation and an independent state.

The beginning of the 15th century was marked by the complete ruin of France and the disorganization of the state apparatus as a result of the struggle of noble groups for power. The weak royal government was unable to either restore order within the country or organize the defense of the border areas from the British raids that devastated Normandy, Picardy, Poitou and Aquitaine. The population was ruined by constant requisitions, trade and crafts were dying out. In November 1407, the Burgundians killed the Duke of Orleans, and in 1411 an open civil war began between the "Armagnacs" (after the death of Orleans, they were led by his father-in-law Bernard VII, Count d "Armagnac, constable of France) and the" Burgundians "(supporters of Jean the Fearless , Duke of Burgundy.) In 1413, an uprising of cabochens broke out in Paris.

The British decided to take advantage of the chaos that reigned in France, and in 1415 they landed in Normandy with about 10,000 troops under the command of a talented commander, the young king Henry V. palisades and defended with large forces. The British moved to the upper reaches of the river and, having overcome over 100 km, crossed it, after which they headed for Calais. The French army moved parallel to the British and, after a five-day march, outstripped them at Agincourt. Here the French suffered a crushing defeat, many nobles were captured, including Duke Charles of Orleans, son of Louis. But even this tragedy did not force the nobility to agree among themselves, civil strife continued. Queen Isabella of Bavaria and the Burgundians create a government in Troyes (1417), and in 1418 they take possession of Paris, having staged a terrible massacre (see civil war). The remnants of the Armagnacs, led by Dauphin Charles (the future Charles VII), took refuge behind the Loire, in Bourges. Meanwhile, the British capture Normandy (1417-1419). The Burgundians do not provide any assistance to the besieged Caen (1417) and Rouen (1419), and after the murder of Jean the Fearless by supporters of the Dauphin on the bridge of Montero (September 10, 1419), his son Philip concludes an alliance with England. On May 21, 1420, on behalf of Charles VI (relapses of the disease struck him again and again, as a result, he hardly realized what he was doing), a peace treaty was concluded in Troyes, according to which Henry V was declared regent of France and heir to Charles VI after his death. The treaty was sealed by the marriage of the English king to Catherine, daughter of Charles VI. Their children (Henry VI) were to become rulers of both England and France. In accordance with the treaty, the French king disinherited his own son, the Dauphin Charles, who "behaved unworthily" in order to succeed to the throne.

But Henry V died in the prime of life on August 31, 1422, in the midst of preparations for a campaign in southern France. His brother John, Duke of Bedford, becomes regent for his infant nephew, ten-month-old Henry. In October of the same year, abandoned by everyone, the poor madman Charles VI, whose reign was a model of misfortune, dies. At the funeral procession in Saint-Denis, the herald announced: "May the Lord grant a long life to Henry, by God's grace, the king of England and France, our sovereign." But the inheritance of Henry VI, both mental and territorial, brought him eventually to a fatal end.

Dauphin, during the life of Henry V, won a victory at God (1421), but then suffered defeat after defeat: Mont-en-Vimeux (1421), Cravan (1423), Verneuil (1424). By 1425, the British gradually capture Maine, but due to the strengthening of the partisan movement in the captured provinces, which fetters quite significant forces, the pace of advance slows down. In order to completely subjugate France, the English had only to cross the Loire, occupy the western provinces and link up with that part of their forces that was in Guiheny. This was precisely the strategic plan of Bedford, which he began to implement in the autumn of 1428. On October 12, an English army of 4,000 besieged Orleans. The British command attached exceptional importance to the capture of this large, well-fortified city. Located on the right bank of the Loire, in the center of its gentle bend towards Paris, Orléans was in a key strategic position, controlling the roads that linked northern France with Poitou and Guienne. In the event of its capture, the British got the opportunity to launch a full-scale offensive, since the French did not have fortresses south of Orleans that could stop the enemy’s onslaught (see diagram).

By February 1429, Dauphin Karl had hardly gathered forces to unblock the city, but, trying to destroy the convoy with reinforcements going to the British from Paris, the French suffered another defeat at Rouvre (“Battle of the Herrings”). The situation was getting out of control - the remnants of the troops were completely demoralized, Charles had no troops, no money to hire them, no desire to fight further (the Dauphin was thinking about fleeing to Provence), Orleans was actually left to himself, and the British closed the ring siege. It was the darkest period in the history of France.

Fourth period of the war (1429-1 453 gg.)

The fourth period of the war is the victory of France in the war and the expulsion of the British. So, by March 1429, France's position seemed hopeless. But in this gloomy time, the cause of liberation is taken into their own hands by the people. In April, a girl appeared to the Dauphin, declaring that she was sent by God to save France, lift the siege of Orleans and crown the Dauphin as king in Reims. Jeanne Dark, a 17-year-old peasant woman from the village of Domremy near Lorraine, makes a deep impression on the king and people. There is an unprecedented patriotic upsurge, and, despite the intrigues of traitors, after many delays, Jeanne is appointed commander in chief, and troops gather in Blois. In addition to mercenaries, a large number of volunteers signed up for the army, and on April 27 the detachment moved to Orleans. On May 8, 1429, after 5 (!) days of hostilities, the siege of Orleans, which lasted 7 months, was lifted. For this epic feat, Jeanne was nicknamed the "Maid of Orleans". But due to the slowness of the king, the fighting continued only after a month. On June 10, a company unprecedented in speed and results began in the Loire Valley.

On June 14, Jarjot was taken, on June 17, Beaugency, on June 18, at the Battle of Patay, the British were defeated in a field battle, and Sir John Talbot himself, a thunderstorm of the French, was captured. “The impression of this eight-day company was unimaginable,” a contemporary wrote, “the people and soldiers knew only Jeanne. The great child not only changed happiness, she changed souls. On July 17, after the so-called "Bloody March", when the cities surrendered without a fight on the way to Reims, as soon as Jeanne appeared, the Dauphin was crowned under the name of Charles VII. After that, Jeanne proposed to go without delay to Paris, where at that time there were almost no British, and to take it before the enemy had time to pull the troops. The king, instigated by advisers, became more and more afraid of Jeanne's huge influence on the army and people, and gradually ceased to support her. The king gave permission to storm Paris only on September 8, when the British and Burgundians pulled in reinforcements and came to their senses a little. At the same time, out of envy of the glory of the Virgin, some military leaders took all measures to ensure that “misfortune happened to Jeanne”, preventing the assault from being completed. Instead of sending reinforcements, which Jeanne constantly asked for, the king ordered the troops to be withdrawn to the Loire. Paris then failed to take. Despite her numerous requests, the king was afraid to let Jeanne go home. Charles ordered Jeanne not to leave his court, and as a consolation he raised her and all her relatives to the noble dignity.

Finally, unable to bear the inaction, in the spring of 1430 Jeanne secretly left the court, coming to the aid of the besieged Compiègne. She successfully fought there, but one day, after a sortie, under rather strange circumstances, she was captured. It is likely that she was simply given to the enemy. Karl denied her, he distributed letters saying that the misfortune that happened to the Virgin was solely her own fault, because "she did not follow anyone's advice, but always acted in her own way." Jeanne was accused of pride: "She did not do what the Lord sent her to do, but showed her own will." April 30, 1431 in Rouen, the Virgin of Orleans was burned on charges of witchcraft. Already in 1456 the sentence was cancelled. After 500 years, the church officially recognized Joan of Arc as a saint.

Despite all this, France did not lose the initiative, and gradually began to oust the British. In 1432, Brittany again entered into an alliance with France, and in 1435 a peace treaty was signed with Burgundy in Arras. In 1436 Constable Arthur de Richemont occupied Paris. The talented merchant Jacques Coeur was appointed Minister of Finance, and undertook the reform of the financial and tax system, the revenues of the treasury increased dramatically. In 1444, a truce was signed with England, which lasted until 1449. A permanent mercenary army (ordinance companies) was created, firearms and artillery were significantly developed under the leadership of the Bureau brothers.

At the end of July 1449, after the capture of the fortress of Fougères (Brittany) by the detachment of Francois de Surienne (March 24) and the breaking of the truce of Tours, the war continued. From three sides, the French army invaded Normandy. In the east, from the side of Beauvais, the counts d "O and Saint-Paul crossed the Seine, took Pont-Audemer, Pont-l" Eveque and Lisieux and proceeded to methodically liberate the Bre region. In the south, Dunois entered Verneuil, then linked up with the king at Louviers, captured Mantes and Vernon, and continued on to Argentan. And in the west, the army of the Duke of Brittany Francis I and his brother, the constable de Richemont, took Coutances, Saint-Lo, Carentan and Fougeres. Rouen capitulated in the fall, followed by Harfleur, Bellem, Honfleur and Fresnay-le-Vicomte. The English government reacted belatedly, and then it managed to hastily raise only a small army under the command of Thomas Chiriel, which landed in March 1450 at Cherbourg. But this expeditionary force was utterly defeated by the forces of the Count of Clermont and de Richemont near Bayeux, near the village of Formigny. The last stage of the campaign was marked by the fall of Caen, where most of the British fled, who were besieged by four armies: Kings Charles VII and Rene of Sicily, Duke of Alencon and Chancellor Jean Juvenel, Constable and Count of Clermont, Dunois and Sir d'Orval. The last strongholds of the British are Falaise , Donfront and Cherbourg - fell like overripe fruits. Jean Chartier, without hiding his admiration, wrote: “And the whole Duchy of Normandy was conquered, all burghs, cities and castles submitted to the king in just a year and six days, and this great miracle is worthy of surprise ".

Then began the liberation of Gascony. On June 30, 1451, Bordeaux fell, and in fact the Hundred Years' War ended. But in the fall of 1452, the British made an attempt to regain the southwest. Their troops, under the command of 80-year-old John Talbot, captured Bordeaux and some other cities and fortresses in Guyany. In the spring of 1453, Charles VII personally led the French army to liberate Gascony, and at Castillon his army won a complete victory. On October 19, 1453, Bordeaux surrendered. The Hundred Years War, which lasted 116 years, is over. Only Calais remained in the hands of the British (see diagram).

3. Joan of Arc

In the time of Joan of Arc, it was widely believed that France was destroyed by a woman, and an innocent girl would save. The destroyer meant Queen Isabella of Bavaria, the wife of the mentally ill King Charles VI, who in 1420 signed a treaty tragic for the French kingdom in Troyes about the actual transfer of the crown of France to the English ruling house.It was believed that Isabella pushed her husband, who understood little in real life, to this hated agreement.

Jeanne was born in 1412 in the town of Domremy on the border of France and Lorraine. Under the influence of military disasters that did not bypass her native places, and deep love for her homeland, the conviction matured in her that it was she who should save France, becoming the head of the army that would drive out the British. Being an impressionable and deeply religious girl, she assured that she heard the voices of the saints, who urged her to a military feat and promised her their help. Having learned about the siege of Orleans, she went to the nearest town of Vaucouleurs and convinced the commandant of the castle in her liberation mission. Having received weapons and a war horse, in men's clothing and accompanied by a military detachment, she went through the regions occupied by the Burgundians and the British to Chinon, to the Dauphin. News of her quickly spread throughout France, giving rise to faith in the miraculous role of the Virgin, as the people began to call her. Being in distress, the king placed Jeanne at the head of the army, surrounded by experienced military leaders. Her natural intelligence and observation, receptivity in comprehending the simple military tactics of that time helped her not only behave with dignity in unusual conditions, but also make the right decisions. Her resourcefulness was reinforced by exceptional personal courage, thanks to which she was ahead of everyone in the most dangerous places, captivating others with her example. Jeanne's deep awareness of the task of liberating her beloved homeland as the main goal of her life, her attitude towards soldiers as compatriots who had the same goal, regardless of their social status - all this gave rise to extraordinary enthusiasm in the French army.

At the end of April 1428, Jeanne arrived with an army in Orleans. Within four days, the English fortifications under the city were taken one by one by the French, and on May 8, the British lifted the siege from the fortress. The liberation of Orleans was of exceptional importance not only due to the strategic role of the fortress city. This was the first great French victory after many years of national humiliation and ignominious defeats. She strengthened the faith of Charles VII in the legitimacy of his right to the throne, which he was deprived of under the peace treaty in Troyes. The combination of his struggle for the throne with the war for the liberation and independence of France strengthened the position of Charles VII. Under pressure from Jeanne, he made a trip to Reims, where the French monarchs were crowned. The solemn coronation of Charles VII turned him into the only legitimate sovereign of France in the eyes of the people and governments of other European countries. The ensuing liberation of Champagne dramatically improved the position of the king. However, Jeanne's attempt to storm Paris ended in failure. At the same time, after Joan's impressive early successes, serious concerns arose in the king's inner circle in connection with her growing fame and influence.

In May 1430, in a skirmish near Compiegne, besieged by the Burgundians, she was captured. The Duke of Burgundy sold his captive to the British for 10,000 gold pieces. At the end of 1430, Jeanne was transferred to Rouen - the center of English rule - and handed over to the Inquisition. In an attempt to belittle the significance of the French military victories, the British wanted to prove that they were the work of the devil. The ecclesiastical court, headed by Bishop Cochin, defending the interests of the British, accused Jeanne of witchcraft. The minutes of the process preserved evidence of Jeanne's steadfast behavior and her reasonable answers to the questions of the court, who wanted to confuse and destroy her. The tribunal found her guilty of heresy. In May 1431, she was burned in the central square of Rouen. At the site of the burning, a monument has now been erected and a church has been erected.

Charles VII, who owed so much to Jeanne, did not help her. The death of Jeanne ultimately resolved the difficulties that arose for the king and his entourage in connection with the unusual popularity of the folk heroine. Only a quarter of a century later, Charles VII ordered a review of the trial. Jeanne was found not guilty of heresy, and later even declared a saint.

Conclusion

Hundred Years' War 1337-1453 became the largest war on a European scale, involving through the system of allied ties such political forces and countries as the Empire, Flanders, Aragon and Portugal - on the side of England; Castile, Scotland and the papacy are on the side of France. In this war, closely related to the internal development of the participating countries, the issue of the territorial delimitation of a number of states and political entities - France and England, England and Scotland, France and Flanders, Castile and Aragon was decided. For England, it grew into the problem of the formation of a universal state, which included different peoples; for France - in the problem of its existence as an independent state. The victory of France meant the elimination of England's claims to the French crown and land on the continent. The end of the war in 1453 created favorable conditions for the further development of the process of centralization. At the same time, the French monarchy, in an extreme situation and partly thanks to it, managed to solve important tasks for its own strengthening - to create a standing army and permanent taxes. Joan of Arc played a huge role in France's victory in the Hundred Years' War. The feat of Joan of Arc strengthened the patriotic and national feelings of the French and contributed to a turning point in the war of liberation. It embodies the best qualities of the French people. France emerged from the war extremely devastated, many areas were devastated and plundered. Nevertheless, the victory objectively helped complete the unification of the French lands and develop the country along the path of political centralization. For England, the war also had serious consequences - the English crown abandoned its attempts to create an empire in the British Isles and the continent, national consciousness grew in the country. All this paved the way for the formation of nation-states in both countries.

List of used literature

1. Basovskaya N.I. Hundred Years' War 1337-1453 - M., 1985.

2. Guizot F. History of civilization in France. - M., 1980.

3. History of the Middle Ages / Ed. S.P. Karpov. - M., 1998.

4. Guizot F. History of civilization in France. - M, 1980.

5. Basovskaya N.I. Hundred Years War 1337-1453. - M., 1985.

6. Levandovsky A.P. Jeanne d "Arc. - M., 1982.

7. History of the Middle Ages / Ed. S.P. Karpov. - M., 1998.

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The Hundred Years War between England and France is the longest military-political conflict in the history of the past. The term "war" in relation to this event, as well as its chronological framework, is rather arbitrary, since military operations have not been constantly conducted for more than a hundred years. The source of the contradictions between England and France was the bizarre interweaving of the historical destinies of these countries, which began with the Norman conquest of England in 1066 (see Vikings). The Dukes of Normandy, established on the English throne, came from northern France. They united under their rule England and part of the continent - the northern French region of Normandy. In the 12th century the possessions of the English kings in France increased sharply as a result of the annexation by dynastic marriages of regions in Central and South-Western France. After a long and difficult struggle, the French monarchy at the beginning of the 13th century. regained most of these lands. Together with the traditional possessions of the French kings, they formed the core of modern France.

However, under English rule, the territory in the southwest remained - between the Pyrenees and the Loire Valley. In France it was called Guienne, in England - Gascony. "English Gascony" and became one of the main reasons that caused the Hundred Years' War. The preservation of English domination in the south-west made the position of the French Capet unreliable, hindered the real political centralization of the country. For the English monarchy, this area could become a springboard in an attempt to regain the former huge possessions on the continent.

In addition, the two largest Western European monarchies competed for political and economic influence in the de facto independent County of Flanders. The French crown claimed to establish its real power there and join the royal possessions. The inhabitants of Flanders, of course, sought support from the English kings hostile to the Capetians. In addition, the Flemish townspeople were connected with England by trade interests.

Another object of sharp contradictions was Scotland, whose independence was threatened by neighboring England. In search of political support in Europe, the Scottish kingdom sought an alliance with the main rival of the English crown - France. As the Anglo-French contradictions aggravated, both monarchies tried to strengthen their positions in the Iberian Peninsula. The Iberian countries were especially interested in them due to the fact that they bordered on the "English Gascony". All this led to the emergence of military-political alliances: Franco-Castilian (1288), Franco-Scottish (1295), an alliance between the English crown and the cities of Flanders (1340).

There are four stages in the history of the war, between which there were periods of relatively long calm. The first stage is from the declaration of war in 1337 to the peace of 1360 in Brétigny. At this time, military superiority was on the side of England. The better organized English army won several famous victories - in the naval battle of Sluys (1340), in the battles on land at Crecy (1346) and Poitiers (1356). The main reason for the English victories at Crecy and Poitiers was the discipline and tactical perfection of the infantry, which consisted of archers. The English army went through the harsh school of war in the highlands of Scotland, while the French knights were accustomed to relatively easy victories and the glory of the best cavalry in Europe. Capable in fact only of individual combat, they did not know discipline and maneuver, they fought effectively, but inexplicably. The organized actions of the English infantry under the clear command of Edward III led to two crushing defeats of the French army. The chronicler, a contemporary of the Hundred Years' War, wrote about the "death of the color of French chivalry." The terrible defeats of France, which lost its army and king (after Poitiers, he was in English captivity), allowed the British to ruthlessly plunder the country. And then the people of France - townspeople and peasants - themselves rose to their defense. Self-defense of the inhabitants of villages and cities, the first partisan detachments became the beginning of the future broad liberation movement. This forced the English king to make a difficult peace for France in Brétigny. She lost huge possessions in the southwest, but remained an independent kingdom (Edward III renounced his claims to the French crown).

The war resumed in 1369. Its second stage (1369-1396) was generally successful for France. The French king Charles V and the talented military leader Bertrand Du Guesclin used the support of the masses, who helped the partially reorganized French army to push the British out of the southwest. Nevertheless, several large and strategically important ports on the French coast remained under their rule - Bordeaux, Bayonne, Brest, Cherbourg, Calais. The truce of 1396 was concluded in connection with the extreme exhaustion of the forces of both sides. It did not resolve a single controversial issue, which made the continuation of the war inevitable.

The third stage of the Hundred Years War (1415-1420) is the shortest and most dramatic for France. After the new landing of the English army in the north of France and the terrible defeat of the French at Agincourt (1415), the independent existence of the French kingdom was threatened. The English king Henry V, in five years of much more active military operations than before, subjugated about half of France and achieved the conclusion of an agreement in Troyes (1420), according to which the English and French crowns were to be united under his rule. And again the popular masses of France, even more decisively than before, intervened in the fate of the war. This determined its character at the final, fourth stage.

The fourth stage began in the 1920s. 15th c. and ended with the expulsion of the British from France in the mid-50s. During these three decades, the war on the part of France was of a liberating nature. Starting almost a hundred years ago as a conflict between the ruling royal houses, it became a struggle for the French to preserve the possibility of independent development and create the foundations of a future national state. In 1429, a simple peasant girl, Jeanne d "Arc (c. 1412-1431) led the struggle to lift the siege of Orleans, achieved the official coronation in Reims of the legitimate heir to the French throne, Charles VII. She inspired the people of France with a firm belief in victory.

Joan of Arc was born in the town of Domrezy on the border of France with Lorraine. By 1428, the war had reached this outskirts. “Great pity biting like a snake”, grief for the misfortunes of “dear France” entered the girl’s heart. Jeanne, the feeling that prompted her to leave her father's house and go to Charles VII, to become the head of the army and drive the English out of France.Through the areas occupied by the English and their Burgundian allies, she reached Chinon, where Charles VII was. head of the army, because everyone - ordinary people, experienced military leaders, soldiers - believed this extraordinary girl, her promises to liberate their homeland. Natural intelligence and keen observation helped her to correctly navigate the situation and quickly learn the simple military tactics of that time. She was always ahead of everyone in the most dangerous places, and the warriors devoted to her rushed there.After the victory near Orleans (it took Jeanne only 9 days to lift the siege from the city, which lasted over 200 days) and the coronation of Charles VII, the fame of Joan of Arc increased extraordinary. The people, the army, the cities saw in her not only the savior of the motherland, but also the leader. She was consulted on various occasions. Charles VII and his inner circle began to show more and more distrust towards Jeanne and finally simply betrayed her. During one sortie, retreating with a handful of brave men towards Compiègne, Jeanne found herself in a trap: on the orders of the French commandant, a bridge was raised and the gates of the fortress were tightly slammed shut. Jeanne was captured by the Burgundians, who sold her to the British for 10,000 gold pieces. The girl was kept in an iron cage, chained to the bed at night. The French king, who owed her the throne, did not take any measures to save Jeanne. The British accused her of heresy and witchcraft and executed her (she was burned at the stake in Rouen by the verdict of a church court).

But this could no longer change the real state of affairs. The French army, reorganized by Charles VII, won several important victories with the support of the townspeople and peasants. The largest among them is the Battle of Formigny in Normandy. In 1453, the English garrison in Bordeaux surrendered, which is conditionally considered the end of the Hundred Years' War. For another hundred years, the British held the French port of Calais in the north of the country. But the main contradictions were resolved in the middle of the 15th century.

France emerged from the war extremely devastated, many areas were devastated and plundered. Nevertheless, the victory objectively helped complete the unification of the French lands and develop the country along the path of political centralization. For England, the war also had serious consequences - the English crown abandoned its attempts to create an empire in the British Isles and the continent, national consciousness grew in the country. All this paved the way for the formation of nation-states in both countries.

In 1314 King Philip IV of France died. After him, 3 of his sons died in turn: Louis X the Grumpy in 1316, Philip V the Long in 1322, Charles IV the Handsome in 1328. With the death of the latter, the direct Capetian dynasty in France ended. Only Jeanne remained - the daughter of Louis X. She was married to the Navarrese king, and she became the heiress to the French throne. But the French peers said: “It is not good to spin lilies,” that is, it is not good for a woman to take the throne. And they elected the king of the closest relative in the male line - Philip VI of Valois.

It would seem that everything is fine: France has acquired a new king, and the issue was closed by itself. However, the matter was not as simple as it might seem at first glance. And the essence of the problem was that the 3 dead brothers had a sister, Isabella. Even under Philip IV the Beautiful, she was married to the English King Edward II Plantagenet (a French surname, comes from Western France, from Angers).

This Isabella of France turned out to be a very enterprising lady. She took a lover and with his help organized a baronial rebellion against her husband. The insidious wife overthrew her betrothed from the throne and ruled the country for 4 years, until her son Edward III came of age. And when the English crown was placed on the head of the latter in 1327, the newly-made ruler realized that he was not only the king of England, but also the direct heir to the French throne. And after the death of Charles IV the Handsome, he declared: “I am the direct heir to the French crown, give it to me!”

King Edward III Plantagenet of England

The French, of course, in no way, and put Philip VI of Valois on the throne. Here we must take into account the fact that France was not at all afraid of England. The population of France was 22 million people, and only 3 million people lived in England. France was richer, and its culture and state structure even better than in England. And yet, dynastic strife led to aggression from the Plantagenets and an armed military conflict. It went down in history as the Hundred Years War, and it lasted in general even more than a hundred years - from 1337 to 1453..

At that time, a parliament already existed in England, and it gave money very sparingly for various royal events. But this time the Parliament appropriated very large sums for a seemingly hopeless war against France. But I must say that she was not so hopeless.

The main force of the British were archers, the backbone of which were the Welsh. They made compound, glued and very tight longbows. An arrow fired from such a bow flew 450 meters and had a very large lethal force. In addition, the English archers shot 3 times faster than the French, since the latter used crossbows instead of bows.

Archers were the main force of the English army

The entire Hundred Years War is divided into 4 major military conflicts, between which a truce continued for some time. The first conflict or period is called the Edwardian War (1337-1360).. And I must say that this conflict began successfully for the British. Edward III gained allies in the person of the princes of the Netherlands and Flanders. In the latter, timber was bought and warships were built. In 1340, in the naval battle of Sluys, these ships utterly defeated the French fleet and provided the British with dominance at sea.

In 1341, hostilities took place in the Duchy of Brittany. There began a war for the Breton succession between the counts of Blois and Montfort. The British supported the Montforts, while the French sided with Blois. But this dynastic conflict was a prelude, and the main hostilities began in 1346, when Edward III crossed the English Channel with his army and invaded the Cotentin Peninsula.

Philip VI gathered an army and moved towards the enemy. The result of the military clash was the Battle of Crecy in August 1346. In this battle, the French suffered a crushing defeat, and the British were able to freely manage in the north of France. They took the city of Calais and established themselves on the continent.

Further military plans of the French and British were violated by the plague epidemic. It raged on the territory of Europe from 1346 to 1351 and claimed a huge number of human lives. Only by 1355 were the opponents able to recover from this terrible plague.

In 1350, King Philip VI of France died and his son John II the Good succeeded to the throne. But the death of the king did not affect the course of the Hundred Years War. In 1356 the British invaded France. The commander of the English army was Edward Woodstock (Black Prince) - the son of Edward III. His army inflicted a crushing defeat on the French at the Battle of Poitiers, and John II the Good himself was taken prisoner. He was forced to sign a shameful truce with the transfer of Aquitaine to the British.

The Hundred Years War claimed many lives

All these failures sparked a popular uprising in Paris and the Jacquerie. Using this advantageous situation, the British again landed in France and moved to Paris. But they did not storm the city, but only demonstrated their military superiority. And on May 8, 1360, the regent and future king of France, Charles V, concluded peace with the British in Brétigny. According to him, most of Western France went to the British. Thus ended the first phase of the Hundred Years War.

The second war (Carolingian) covered the period from 1369 to 1396. France longed for revenge, and the leadership of military operations was taken over by the French king Charles V the Wise, who came to the throne in 1364. Under him, the British were driven out of the country. In 1377, Edward III, the main culprit of the dynastic conflict, died. His 10-year-old son, Richard II, succeeded to the throne. The weakness of royal power provoked a popular uprising led by Wat Tyler. All this in 1396 led to a truce between France and England.

The Hundred Years War continued in 1415-1428.. This military period went down in history as Lancastrian War. Its initiator was the English king Henry IV Bolingbroke, who founded the Lancaster dynasty. But he died in 1413, and therefore his son Henry V carried out military expansion. He invaded France with his army in August 1415 and captured the city of Honfleur. In October 1415, the British defeated the French army at the Battle of Agincourt.

After that, almost all of Normandy was captured, and by 1420 almost half of France. As a consequence, on May 21, 1420, Henry V met with the French king Charles VI the Mad in the city of Troyes. An agreement was signed there, according to which Henry V was declared the heir to Charles VI, bypassing the Dauphin Charles (future King Charles VII of France). After that, the British entered Paris and became absolute masters in France.

The Virgin Saved France

But then the Scots came to the aid of France in accordance with the Old Alliance, signed between France and Scotland back in 1295. The Scottish army, under the command of John Stewart, landed on the French coast, and in March 1421 the Battle of Bog took place between the English and the Franco-Scottish army. In this battle, the British suffered a crushing defeat.

In 1422, Henry V died, leaving his 8-month-old son Henry VI as heir. The baby became not only the king of England, but also of France. However, the French nobility did not want to obey the new king and rallied around Charles VII the Conqueror - the son of Charles VI the Mad. Thus, the Hundred Years War was continued.

However, the further course of military events was extremely unsuccessful for the Franco-Scottish troops. The British won a number of serious victories and in 1428 laid siege to Orleans. France, however, was torn into two parts isolated from each other. And in this most difficult time for the French people, the cry swept through the country: “The Virgin will save France!” And such a maiden really appeared, and her name was .

In 1428, the last period of the Hundred Years' War began, ending in 1453 with the victory of France.. He went down in history as final stage. In 1429, an army under the command of Joan of Arc defeated the British near Orleans. The siege of the city was lifted, and Jeanne, consolidating the victory, defeated the English army at Pat. This victory made it possible to enter Reims, where Charles VII was finally officially crowned and proclaimed King of France.

The French owed all this to the maiden who saved France. But in 1430, Jeanne was captured by the Burgundians and handed over to the British. The latter in 1431 burned the maiden at the stake, but this villainy did not turn the tide of hostilities. The French began to slowly and steadily liberate town after town. In 1449 the French entered Rouen and then liberated Caen. On July 17, 1453, the Battle of Castillon took place in Gascony.. It ended with the complete defeat of the English army.

Territory of France (light brown) during different periods of the Hundred Years' War

This battle was the last in the 116-year military confrontation between England and France. After that, the Hundred Years War ended. However, no treaty that could formalize the results of the long war was signed. In 1455, a war broke out in England between the Scarlet and the White Rose. It lasted 30 years, and the British had no time to think about France.

True, in 1475, the English king Edward IV landed in Calais with a 20,000-strong army. The French king Louis XI came forward with similar forces. He was a master of intrigue, and therefore did not bring the conflict to a major bloodshed. On August 29, 1475, the two monarchs met face to face on the bridge over the Somme at Piquinha. They signed a 7-year truce. It is it that is considered the treaty that became the final chord of the Hundred Years War.

The result of many years of military epic was the victory of France. England lost all possessions on its territory, even those that it had owned since the 12th century. As for the human casualties, they were huge on both sides. But from the point of view of military affairs, there was a lot of progress. Thus, new types of weapons appeared and new tactical methods of warfare were developed.

What could be worse than a war, when hundreds of thousands of people die for the interests of politicians and those in power. And all the 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 precisely the reason, stages, results and biographies of the actors of which deserve careful study.

Causes

Before studying what were the results of the Hundred Years War, one should understand its prerequisites. It all started with the fact that the sons of the French king Philip the Fourth left no male heirs. At the same time, the native grandson of the monarch from the daughter of Isabella, the English king Edward the Third, who ascended the throne of England in 1328 at the age of 16, was alive. However, he could not claim the throne of France under the 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 swear an oath of vassalage to him 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 still fight for the throne of his grandfather 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, the fighting went on with varying success, until in 1340 there was a naval battle in Sluys. 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 followed to Crécy, where on August 26 the famous battle took place, which ended in their triumph, and in 1347 they also captured the city of Calais. In parallel with these events, hostilities were unfolding in Scotland. However, fortune continued to smile on Edward the Third, 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 Brétigny

In 1346-1351, the "Black Death" visited Europe. This plague pandemic claimed so many lives that there could be no question of continuing the fighting. The only highlight of this period, sung in ballads, was the Battle of the Thirty, when the English and French knights with 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 V, signed the so-called Peace of Brétigny on very unfavorable terms.

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, no longer to claim the throne of his grandfather;
the second son of John the Second - Louis of Anjou - was sent to London as a hostage in exchange for the return of his father 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 escaped 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 unjustly accused the British of violating the peace treaty and resumed hostilities against them.

Second phase

Usually, those who study the course and results of the Hundred Years' War characterize the time interval 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 took place:

in 1370 in Castile, with the help of the French, Enrique II came to power, 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 III died, and the minor Richard II ascended the throne of England;
from 1392 the king of France showed signs of insanity;
four years later, a truce was concluded, caused by the extreme exhaustion of the opponents.

Truce (1396-1415)

When the madness of the king 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, moreover, was supposed to pacify the rebellions of Ireland and Wales. In addition, Richard II 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 emergence 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 was greatly influenced by the events that took place in 1415-1428. Historical science considers this period the third stage of the Hundred Years War and highlights the following events as key ones:

the Battle of Agincourt in 1415, which was won by Henry V;
the signing of an agreement at Troyes, according to which the distraught king Charles the Sixth declared the king of England his heir;
the capture of Paris by the British 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 British 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 managed to capture it, then the answer to the question “what are the results of the Hundred Years War” would be completely different, and the French could even lose their independence. Fortunately for this country, a girl was sent down to her, calling herself Jeanne the Virgin. She arrived at the Dauphin Charles in March 1429 and announced that the Lord had commanded her to stand at the head of the French army and lift the siege of Orleans. After a series of interrogations and trials, Karl believed her and appointed her commander in chief of his troops. As a result, on May 8, Orleans was saved, on June 18, Jeanne'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 “Bloody Campaign” 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 a foregone conclusion, and even the death of the Virgin of Orleans could not prevent the liberation of France. The last battle in this war was the Battle of Castillon, when the British lost Gascony, which had been theirs for over 250 years.

Results of the Hundred Years War (1337-1453)

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

Consequences of the Hundred Years' War

The echoes of this armed conflict predetermined relations between England and France for centuries to come. In particular, until 1801, the English, and then the monarchs of Great Britain, bore the title of kings of France, which in no way contributed 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.

In the 14th century, the largest and longest confrontation between England and France began, which later became known as the Hundred Years War. This is the most important part of European history, the study of which is included in the mandatory minimum of knowledge necessary for the successful passing of specialized exams. In this article, we will briefly review the causes and outcomes, as well as the chronological sequence of these significant events.

The material of this article is important, because in 1 and 11, and sometimes in 6 tasks, in order to successfully complete them, you need to know the material of World History.

Causes and start of the war

A reasonable question follows from the name: “How long did the main battle of the Middle Ages actually last?” Armed confrontation was waged between two powerful European powers and formally lasted for more than a hundred years (1337-1453). The conflict was provoked by the clash of political interests of the royal families. In fact, this event included three stages that took place at different time intervals.

It all started with the death of the French monarch Charles IV (the Handsome), who was the last legitimate heir to the ruling Capet dynasty. According to the rules of succession, power was taken over by Charles's cousin, Philip VI of Valois. However, the current king of England, Edward III, was the grandson of the deceased king, which gave him the authority to claim the French throne. France, of course, was categorically against the foreign ruler. This is the official reason for the start of the conflict.

Charles IV Handsome. Years of life 1294 - 1328

In fact, it was a struggle of interests for French lands. The British wanted to take over Flanders - an industrial region with a developed economy, as well as regain the lost territories that previously belonged to the English crown.

In turn, France claimed its former possessions - Guyenne and Gascony, which at that moment were under the rule of the British. The parties could not find official reasons for resolving mutual claims until the English king Edward III officially declared his rights to the French throne, backing up his intentions with military operations in Picardy.

Chronology of events

First stage

The first part of the Anglo-French confrontation began in 1337 and is referred to in some sources as the Edwardian War.

England began its confident attack on French lands. Excellent combat readiness and the confused state of the enemy helped the British to easily capture the territories of interest to them. In addition, some part of the local population, tired of war and poverty, was on the side of the invaders.

Edward III. Years of life 1312 - 1377

However, successful conquests, oddly enough, had a negative impact on the economic condition of England. Having entered into an unprofitable military alliance with the Netherlands, and irrationally disposing of income in general, Edward III soon led the English treasury to a state of ruin. This fact significantly slowed down the course of hostilities and in the next 20 years, events developed as follows:

1340 - the defeat of the French fleet, the capture of the English Channel.
1346 - Battle of Crécy. A turning point in the course of the war. The decisive victory of the British and the total defeat of the French army. King Edward III gains dominion over Northern France.
1347 is the date of the conquest of the French port of Calais and the signing of a formal truce. In fact, hostilities continued from time to time.
1355 - the son of Edward III, nicknamed the "Black Prince", again launched an attack on France, thereby finally annulling the peace agreement.

Meanwhile, the French economic situation is in a state of complete decline. The authority of the crown is unconditionally undermined, the country is ravaged by war, the locals suffer from poverty and hunger. In addition, taxes were getting higher - somehow it was necessary to feed the army and the remnants of the fleet.

All these events and the desperate situation of France led to the signing of several peace agreements in 1360, according to which England gained dominance over almost a third of the French lands.

Second phase

After nine years of a humiliating truce for France, its new ruler, Charles V, decided to try to retake the occupied territories, unleashing a new military conflict in 1369, called the Carolingian War.

During the years of the armistice, the French state restored its forces and resources, reorganized the army.

At that moment, England launched a military campaign in the Iberian Peninsula, experienced a popular uprising and bloody clashes with Scotland. All these factors played into the hands of the recovering France, and she managed gradually (from 1370 to 1377) to return almost all her occupied cities. In 1396, the parties again concluded a truce.

Third stage

Despite internal disunity, England did not want to remain the losing side. At that time, Henry V was king. He thoroughly prepared and organized the first attack after a long truce, which no one expected. In 1415, the decisive Battle of Agincourt took place, where France was forced to capitulate. In subsequent battles, the entire northern part of France was captured, which allowed the British to dictate their terms. Thus, in 1420, a peace treaty was signed, according to which:

The current king of France, Charles IV, abdicates the throne.

Henry V marries the sister of the French monarch and becomes heir to the throne.

The population of the defeated side was divided into two warring camps. The part that supported the British was exhausted by high taxes, robberies and robberies. Nevertheless, all large territories of France were eventually conquered by the occupiers.

End of the war

The decisive role in the further course of history was played by the famous Maiden of Orleans - Jeanne D "Arc. A simple village girl led the people's militia and led the defense of the city of Orleans from the siege of the British. She managed to awaken the fighting spirit of the French, tired of endless battles, and it was thanks to her that a large part of the conquered territories in less than a year.The French again believed in themselves and in their independence.

Jeanne D "Arc. Reconstruction

The British tried at all costs to deprive their opponents of their inspired leader, and in 1430 Joan was captured and burned at the stake.

Contrary to expectations, after the death of Jeanne, the French citizens did not lose their fighting spirit, but, on the contrary, continued the offensive with fury and bitterness. In this regard, the religious aspect played a significant role, since D "ark was considered a saint, a performer of God's providence, after being burned she was ranked among the martyrs. In addition, the people were tired of poverty and suffocating taxes, so the return of independence at any cost was a matter of life and death.

Until 1444, armed clashes continued, both sides suffered from raging epidemics of cholera and plague. It is not difficult to guess who won this protracted battle.

In 1453 the war finally ended with the surrender of the British.

Results

England lost all her conquered territories in France, with the exception of the port of Calais.
Both sides carried out domestic military reforms, completely changing the policy of the army and introducing new types of weapons.

Relations between England and France for several centuries could be described as "cold". Until 1801, English monarchs formally bore the title of King of France.

Expert opinion

"...People who lived in Europe between 1337 and 1453 did not suspect at all that they were living in the era of the Hundred Years' War...".

Historian Natalya Basovskaya

“Everything perishes when stupid people replace each other at the head of the state. On the ruins of greatness, unity disintegrates.

Maurice Druon When the King Ruins France.

In conclusion, I would like to say that this topic is just a drop in the ocean of world history. We analyze all topics both in the history of Russia and in the World in the form of video lessons and presentations, info cards in our preparation courses for the Unified State Examination.