Introduction
From 1337 to 1453, England and France engaged in the “Long War,” sometimes known as “The Hundred Years’ War.” The disagreement between King Edward III (reign: 1327–1377) and King Philip VI (reign: 1328–1350) over feudal rights in Gascony escalated into an all-out war for the crown of France. The French won in the end and occupied all of France apart from Calais.
As a result of fighting for so long against a common foe, both sides came to feel more deeply rooted in their respective nations (Runyan 91). The friendly competition between these two close neighbors has been channeled into international sporting competitions. More than a century (from 1337 to 1453) passed, during which England and France were at war, with neither side ever appearing to win. The conflict’s aftermath impacted both countries, as expected from any battle of this duration.
Discussion
For both France and England, the most obvious consequence of the Hundred Years’ War was the realization that they would never again engage in a war of that type, in which so much time, energy, and money were wasted with no observable return. Both countries’ ruling classes and general populations chose to focus on something other than what was happening. Dispossession of all French territory held by the English apart from Calais (Bruso 14).
Although a separate period of hostilities between the French and the English ended in 1453, the Hundred Years’ War never ended, and the French remained on guard for the eventual return of the English. The English crown maintained its claim to the French throne. The ongoing invasions by England were not so much an effort to reclaim lost territory due to Henry VI’s insanity, and rival noble factions could not agree on past or future policies.
Henry VI’s mental illness exacerbated the power struggle between the houses of Lancaster and York in England, also known as the Wars of the Roses. Veterans of the Hundred Years’ War participated in the conflict. Many people died during the Wars of the Roses, including members of Britain’s upper class. It was not until 1801 that England gave up its claim to the French throne, and it was until 1558 that Calais was freed from English rule (Bucholz et al. 1584). However, a turning point had been reached, and the southern part of France was no longer in English hands.
In France, the fighting had caused extensive damage, which was exacerbated by official army raids targeting opposition rulers, resulting in civilian deaths, property destruction, looting, and burning crops. Brigands were often to blame; these were often ex-soldiers who had no lord and were plundering for themselves and their families. The economy suffered disruption and damage, people fled or were massacred, and taxes rose as more and more money was funneled into the military. Historical scholar Guy Blois compared the events of the 1430s and 1440s to “Hiroshima in Normandy” (75). Some people, no doubt, benefited from the increased military spending.
However, while taxation in pre-war France had been sporadic, it has become a consistent part of life since the end of hostilities. Increases in royal power and revenue, as well as the size of the armed forces they could field, were made possible by this expansion of government, which allowed for the establishment of a standing army based on the innovative use of gunpowder (Rogers 75). After centuries of limited monarchy, France has begun the transition to an absolute one. Additionally, the battered economy quickly started to recover.
A big surge of taxes to pay for the war was another result of the war, contributing to societal unrest in both countries. Farmers were the ones who paid the most price for the war in both France and Britain. They were subjected to mandatory military service and increased taxation (Rogers 64). However, those who made it through the battle were essential as warriors and laborers. Because of this, the common people gained sway and strength due to the conflict.
Although before the onset of war, England’s tax structure was more streamlined than France’s and was more answerable to parliament, royal income plunged for various reasons, the most significant of which was the loss of Normandy and Aquitaine, two affluent regions in France. However, during a period, some Englishmen became very wealthy due to the pillage taken from France and utilized their newly found fortune to construct homes and religious structures in England (Runyan 84). A monarchy served as the system of government in England.
The greatest legacy of World War II, especially in England, was possibly the development of a strong feeling of national pride and patriotism. This development was because generations of English and French people had grown up with nothing but the war in France and because propaganda had been circulated to generate money for the struggle (Reese 201). The French victory over England and other rebel French nobles enhanced the unity of the French kingdom.
Conclusion
Ultimately, England and France had to rebuild their economies and societies after the devastating effects of so many years of war. From all outward appearances, England’s monarchy had come out on the losing end, with its claim to control France being summarily rejected. Anyone familiar with the vastly diverse versions of what happened in London in 1415 and 1450 will immediately recognize the stark contrast between the illustrious years of Edward III and Henry V.
Works Cited
Bruso, Jordan J. “The Siege of Calais During the Hundred Years War: An English Perspective”, 2022, pp.1344-1347.
Bucholz, Robert, and Newton Key. Early modern England: A narrative history. John Wiley & Sons, 2019, pp. 1485-1714
Regan, Bernard. “Rashid Khalidi, The Hundred Years’ War on Palestine: A History of Settler Colonialism and Resistance, 1917–2017”, 2020 pp.226–228.
Reese, Roger R. “The Legacy of World War II for Putin’s Russia.” South Central Review, vol. 35, no. 1, 2018, pp. 196–212.
Rogers, Clifford J. “The Military Revolutions of the Hundred Years War 1.” The Military Revolution Debate. Routledge, 2018, pp. 55-94
Runyan, Timothy J. “Naval Logistics in the Late Middle Ages: The Example of the Hundred Years’ War.” Feeding Mars. Routledge, 2019, pp. 79–100.