Briefly outline the fortunes of the English kings on French soil from William the Conqueror to 1328 with reference to the causes of the lengthy Anglo-French hostilities
The first successors of Huge Caper were focused on a collection of lands and chateaux (royal domain). The succession of each generation was uncontested with eldest sons being crowed during their lifetimes. During the reign of Philip I, England was invaded and France found itself in the presence of a royal vassal who was more powerful than the French king. Louis VI was a tireless warrior of good fortune and was referred to as a man of virtue and wisdom. They led armed interventions and arbitrations in conflicts and granted charters of immunities to urban monasteries. Louis VII was pious and honest; however, he was a weak ruler. He was frequently defeated in battles but still managed to keep his possessions in a long run. He was focused on alliances with the papacy and church. Philip Augustus became the king at the age of fifteen. He was a political realist, patient and skillful in taking advantage of all opportunities. He was courageous in war and diplomatic in negotiations. The king of England, Richard, went on the Third Crusade with Philip and was betrayed by his own brother. Louis VIII was the one to declare war against England. He managed to occupy the country almost without a fight. Louis IX was courageous and dignified; he followed Christian principles and contributed to the development of his nation. Philip the Fair was very influential, however, not a talented politician.
The crusading spirit was founded in France. Discuss the extent of French participation in the crusades of this period.
French participation in the crusades of this period was very active. Noble people of high social levels viewed participation in the crusades as an honor. Notable, despite the conflicts between France and the English, the kings of both countries went on crusades together (Richard of England and Philip Augustus of France). When Louis VIII declared war against England, Pope Innocent III launched a crusade against the Count of Toulouse who opposed the war. However, the crusade was not supported by Philip Augustus even though he allowed his vassals to join it. It appears that the French crusades were political and apolitical at the same time: they were carried with political purposes while participation was independent of politics. Crusade participants were warriors who fought for the idea proposed by Pope.
In the Middle Ages, Louis IX was considered by his contemporaries as the “perfect model of a Christian king”. Discuss his character and achievements.
Louis IX was supported and governed by his mother who exercised power for several years. He is referred to as a courageous warrior in battles and as a fair ruler in politics. He was kind and firm at the same time, he listened to counsel and was able of independent decisions. He followed Christian principles and expressed pity to people and helped the poor. His faith encouraged him to conquer the Holy Land, however, his crusade was defeated. He fell prisoner but was treated with respect. When he was freed, he devoted his time to visiting Christian citadels. In politics, Louis IX promoted peace, justice, and order. He imposed a moral code and demanded respect for the crown. He created a special section within the royal court to provide help to the poor. His foreign policy was aimed at ensuring peace among the Christian people. As a peacemaker, he concluded several important agreements with historical enemies.
Discuss the varying relations of the French rulers with the Papacy in this period with reference to the lasting effects of this special relationship.
Unlike Louis IX who promoted Christianity and supported the Papacy, not all kings shared values with Popes. The Papacy had a direct and powerful influence over the French kings, however, kings had the right to choose whether or not to follow the advices of Popes. In 1194, for example, Philip begged the Pope to intervene in the conflict with Richard. The papacy was also supported by Louis VIII who followed the advices of the Pope and supported all of the crusades. Philip the Fair was in conflict with the Pope and did not share the belief that the papacy should have supreme authority over all Christian rulers. Philip secured the election of his own person who was not admitted by the Pope. This conflict has influenced the history of France, Europe, and Christianity. The independence of states was not supported by the Popes who dreamed about untied Christendom. The decline of the Papacy deprived Christianity of a leader and led to the disintegration of Christendom as well as corruption among the clergy.
Discuss Joan of Arc’s short career with reference to her lasting fame as an icon of France.
Joan of Arc was a young peasant girl who managed to become the leader of national resistance. She believed in her mission to save Orleans and to drive the English from France. Joan had several thousands of soldiers at her disposal. She was a courageous warrior and her arrival raised the morale among the soldiers. She led her army at the risk of her life and the English retired in confusion. She was wounded in an attack on Paris, however, only one year later she went to provide aid to Compiegne. She was imprisoned by the English who strived to prove that her mission was a fraud. It was done with the purpose to destroy French patriotism. The trial was unjust and Joan was sentenced to life imprisonment as a heretic. Shortly, she was sentenced to death and was burned. She became the national hero because of her patriotism and dedication to the king and her faith.
After growing rapidly, the population of France decreased even more rapidly. Discuss the causes.
The main cause of population decrease was the war. The men were forced to join the army and most of them have never returned. The war was bloody and all adult men joined the army to protect their nation. Another reason why the growth of population reversed was the destruction of villages and towns. Most of the villages which were touched by war were burned. In addition to life losses, the population suffered economic losses. There were no men because they participated in battles and there were no places to live. People died because of hunger and diseases. The question of childbirth was not even raised.
What factors gave the English armies an advantage throughout much of the Hundred Years War? How did Charles V and Charles VII finally meet the challenge?
The English armies practiced the war of attrition – by cavalry raids and by surprise attacks. The English developed an effective strategy and it was working. While the French kings were slow to mobilize, were highly disorders and undisciplined. The army was not professional; it consists of recruits from peasants and artisans who, unlike the English, were not skilled in military affairs. Charles V has improved the situation through the reorganization of the tax system. He changed the direct and indirect tax collection system and used the resources to rebuild and arm the fortresses. In addition, he paid his troops regularly and strengthened the discipline. Charles VII has united a group of military counselors who provided valuable advices on military operations. He reorganized the army and formed fifteen artillery companies of the best forces.
Discuss administrative changes in the central government in this period and their lasting effects.
The administration changes were done under each new ruler. In particular, under the ruling of Charles VII, the central organs of the royal administration were reestablished. Hostilities continued, rebellions of dissatisfied lords were very common, and the armed bands of people started to appear. However, by the end of the war, England managed to regain its role as a powerful country. France was significantly depopulated and destroyed, however, territorial integrity was achieved. Royal power was centralized and was enabled to set a new system of regular taxes and to create a professional army. The French were united in spirit for the first time. The end of the war has marked the beginning of a new period in the history of France – the transition from a feudal system to a centered monarchy.