The conflict between England and France that is generally
called the Hundred Years War finally came to an end on 17th July
1453 when France defeated England at the Battle of Castillon.
There are two main misconceptions about the war, one of
which is that it lasted for a hundred years. If it is reckoned to have begun
when King Edward III laid claim to the throne of France in 1337, then the
actual length was 116 years.
The other problem is that the term ‘Hundred Years War’ was
an invention of later historians – it was not the case that Edward III declared
war on France in 1337 and Henry VI signed a peace treaty in 1453. What actually
happened was that invasions were made and battles were fought at various times,
but there were also long periods during which there were no hostilities at all.
The War was notable for the battles of Crecy (1346) and
Agincourt (1415) and the resistance offered by Joan of Arc (burned at the stake
in 1431). Another important development was that of the English longbow which
proved to be the dominant weapon of the time, especially during the early
battles.
However, by the end of the war all the gains made by England
had been lost, with Calais left as England’s sole possession in mainland
France.
Unfortunately for England, the end of hostilities did not
usher in a period of prolonged peace. England was already involved in a series
of internal dynastic conflicts that were also given a later title, namely ‘The
Wars of the Roses’. Indeed, the struggle
between Henry VI and his distant cousin Edward,
who was to rule as Edward IV, was about to enter a violent phase.
Just to confuse matters even further, in 1475 Edward IV
revived the old claim to France and launched another invasion, only withdrawing
when he was bought off by the French king. So did the Hundred Years War really
last even longer than 116 years?
© John Welford
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