Lasting between the years of 1337 to 1453 AD, the 100 Years War between England and France was so long and brutal the exact number of casualties is unknown. It was fought in France where plague and famine devastated the land. The war started like most medieval wars in Europe did with one monarch attempting to claim rights to the land of another. The confusion began when William the Conqueror became King of England, while still remaining the Duchy of Normandy. The way this worked was that England would pay France a tribute for eternity to come because of their king's lineage. Except that one day the English did not want to pay anymore. King Edward III of England not only refused to pay, but also claimed he should be crowned king of all France because he was a direct male heir to their late king, Charles IV. However, his lineage came from a female line so Philip VI was crowned instead and demanded the English still pay what they owed. Finding the situation less than satisfactory, Edward refused, and seized the lands of Aquitaine in Southwestern France. That was how one of the longest wars in history began: the immature squabbling of two inbred monarchs. The conflict went on and off during the next century in three major phases called the Edwardian, Caroline, and Cancastrian. No one could gain the upper hand until the young Joan of Arc stepped in and led the French army against the English siege at Orleans. Several battles later the English left for good to lick their wounds. Many think because of this the English lost. Personally, I disagree entirely. The result of the war was that the Enlgish nobles lost money and soldiers and became so unhappy amongst themselves that they went home to fight The War of the Roses. Boo-hoo for them. Western France on the other hand was almost utterly destroyed. The countryside was ravaged by the Black Death and bandits. The entire war was fought in their country meaning that their people suffered the most. We all, of course, know what happened to Joan of Arc. She was burned at the stake and her close friend, Gilles de Rais, was driven insane with grief. He went on to become the most vile child murderer in all of history. Going to have to say that although England walked away, they walked away in much better shape.
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Lasting between the years of 1337 to 1453 AD, the 100 Years War between England and France was so long and brutal the exact number of casualties is unknown. It was fought in France where plague and famine devastated the land. The war started like most medieval wars in Europe did with one monarch attempting to claim rights to the land of another. The confusion began when William the Conqueror became King of England, while still remaining the Duchy of Normandy. The way this worked was that England would pay France a tribute for eternity to come because of their king's lineage. Except that one day the English did not want to pay anymore. King Edward III of England not only refused to pay, but also claimed he should be crowned king of all France because he was a direct male heir to their late king, Charles IV. However, his lineage came from a female line so Philip VI was crowned instead and demanded the English still pay what they owed. Finding the situation less than satisfactory, Edward refused, and seized the lands of Aquitaine in Southwestern France. That was how one of the longest wars in history began: the immature squabbling of two inbred monarchs. The conflict went on and off during the next century in three major phases called the Edwardian, Caroline, and Cancastrian. No one could gain the upper hand until the young Joan of Arc stepped in and led the French army against the English siege at Orleans. Several battles later the English left for good to lick their wounds. Many think because of this the English lost. Personally, I disagree entirely. The result of the war was that the Enlgish nobles lost money and soldiers and became so unhappy amongst themselves that they went home to fight The War of the Roses. Boo-hoo for them. Western France on the other hand was almost utterly destroyed. The countryside was ravaged by the Black Death and bandits. The entire war was fought in their country meaning that their people suffered the most. We all, of course, know what happened to Joan of Arc. She was burned at the stake and her close friend, Gilles de Rais, was driven insane with grief. He went on to become the most vile child murderer in all of history. Going to have to say that although England walked away, they walked away in much better shape.