The Hundred Years War

The Hundred Years War was a long conflict between England and France that lasted 116 years from 1337 to 1453. The conflict arose over claims by the English kings to the French throne. There were several brief periods with a couple of longer periods of peace during the 116 years. In the end, the English were expelled from France.

The war was a series of smaller conflicts divided into four phases, the Edwardian War from 1337-1360, the Caroline War from 1369-1389, and the Lancastrian War of 1415-1429, and the appearance of Joan of Arc (1429-1453) which marked the decline of English fortunes. The conflicts weren’t thought of as a single larger event at the time. Historians created the term “Hundred Years War” much later.

The war is significant historically for many reasons. First of all, even though it was a dynastic conflict, the war started ideas of both English and French nationality. It also introduced new weapons and strategies to battle, leading to the end of feudal armies dominated by heavy cavalry, which was thought to be the most powerful unit in an army.

This belief changed by the end of the war as heavy horse was replaced by the use of the longbow and fixed defensive positions of men-at-arms. These tactics allowed the English to be victorious at Crecy and Agincourt. The first standing armies in Western Europe appeared since the time of the Western Roman Empire. The war was significant because of these things along with the great length.