Why Was the Hundred Years War So Significant?

Summary

The Hundred Years' War, spanning 116 years, was a pivotal conflict between England and France that shaped both nations' identities. It began with England's claim to the French throne and evolved through cultural, political, and religious tensions. The war resulted in England's loss of French territories, except Calais, and marked a shift towards English cultural and linguistic dominance. It also catalyzed social and political changes, including the rise of Parliament in England and the consolidation of royal power in France, setting the stage for future revolutions. The war's legacy continues to influence the Anglo-French relationship, characterized by a friendly rivalry born from a shared tumultuous history.

Takeaways

• 🏰 The Hundred Years' War, spanning 116 years, was pivotal in shaping the national identities of both England and France as they emerged as distinct world powers.
• 🌉 Historically, England and France shared cultural and genetic ties, with a common Celtic heritage and even a land bridge connecting them, indicating early interactions and shared history.
• 🛡️ The fall of the Roman Empire and subsequent invasions by Germanic tribes led to significant cultural shifts, with France retaining more Roman influence than Britain.
• 👑 The Norman Conquest of 1066 marked a turning point, intertwining the destinies of England and France, and setting the stage for future conflicts over the French throne.
• 🗡️ The Hundred Years' War was not just a single event but a culmination of long-standing territorial disputes and power struggles between the English and French monarchies.
• 🏛️ The war had profound economic impacts, disrupting trade and leading to increased taxation, which in turn sparked revolts and changes in tax collection methods.
• 📜 The conflict also accelerated the development of national languages and cultures, with English gradually replacing French in official English documents post-war.
• 👥 The war's outcome strengthened the French monarchy while weakening the power of the English nobility, setting the stage for England's transition to a constitutional monarchy.
• 🏹 The use of national identity as a tool during the war laid the foundation for the enduring rivalry between the English and French, which persists in a friendly manner today.
• 🛂 The war's legacy is still felt in the national consciousness of both countries, influencing their political structures and cultural identities.
• 📚 For a deeper understanding of the Hundred Years' War, the script promotes a book that provides a comprehensive guide to the conflicts between the English and French royal houses.

Q & A

What is the historical significance of the Hundred Years' War?

The Hundred Years' War is significant as it marked a period of intense conflict between England and France, which helped to establish both nations as distinct entities with strong national identities. It also influenced the development of their political systems and cultural identities.

How did the geographical proximity of England and France contribute to their historical connection?

The geographical proximity, including a land bridge that once existed between Calais and Dover, facilitated travel and cultural exchange between the two regions. This closeness led to shared cultural elements, such as Celtic traditions and language similarities, before their distinct national identities emerged.

What impact did the Roman Empire have on the cultural development of France and Britain?

The Roman Empire had a profound impact by introducing its language, culture, and way of life to the regions. However, while Gaul (modern-day France) remained more Romanized, Britain shunned Roman culture after the fall of the empire, leading to different cultural trajectories.

How did the Norman invasion of England in 1066 influence the Hundred Years' War?

The Norman invasion, led by William the Conqueror, tied the bloodlines of the English and French monarchs and set the stage for English claims to the French throne, which became a catalyst for the Hundred Years' War.

What role did language play in the cultural shifts during the Hundred Years' War?

Language was a significant marker of cultural identity. The Norman invasion led to the incorporation of French words into English, and the first King of England to speak English as a first language was Henry IV, long after the war began. This linguistic evolution reflects the complex cultural interplay between the two nations.

How did the Hundred Years' War affect the political power dynamics within England and France?

In England, the war contributed to the rise of Parliament's power and the eventual establishment of a constitutional monarchy, as the monarchy needed baronial support for increased taxes to fund the war. In France, the monarchy's power was strengthened, and the nobles' influence was diminished, leading to absolute rule until the French Revolution.

What economic consequences did the Hundred Years' War have on the common people of England and France?

The war led to economic hardship due to trade disruptions, increased taxes to fund the war effort, and the devastation caused by battles and raids. The Black Plague further exacerbated the situation, leading to widespread questioning of the ruling classes' authority and revolts such as the Peasants' Revolt in England.

How did the Hundred Years' War influence the development of national identity in England and France?

The war served as a foundation for the development of national pride and identity in both countries. Rulers used propaganda to rally support, and the mutual animosity fostered during the conflict contributed to the distinct national identities that persist today.

What was the role of the Catholic Church during the Hundred Years' War?

The Catholic Church had a complex role, as both England and France expected the Pope's support. The Great Schism within the Church further complicated matters, and the war's outcome may have led some to question the divine right of kings, especially in England.

How did the Wars of the Roses relate to the aftermath of the Hundred Years' War?

The Wars of the Roses were a civil war in England that occurred after the Hundred Years' War. The war's financial strain and the dissatisfaction with King Henry VI's rule contributed to the conflict, which was fueled by the ambitions of the English nobility who had accumulated wealth and power.

What is the significance of the Duchy of Guyenne in the context of the Hundred Years' War?

The Duchy of Guyenne was a reduced territory in southwestern France that England retained after the loss of most French lands in 1259. It was a point of contention, and its confiscation by Philip VI in 1337 was a direct provocation leading to the formal challenge by Edward III and the start of the war.

Outlines

00:00

🏰 Origins of the Hundred Years' War

The first paragraph sets the historical stage for the Hundred Years' War, detailing the deep-rooted connections between England and France. It begins by tracing the shared Celtic heritage and the subsequent cultural shifts brought about by Roman and Germanic invasions. The narrative then moves to the Norman Conquest of 1066, which further intertwined the destinies of the two nations. The paragraph also discusses the territorial claims and political complexities that led to the war, including the Angevin Empire and the eventual assertion of Edward III's claim to the French throne, marking the beginning of the conflict.

05:01

🛡️ Socioeconomic Impacts and Political Shifts

The second paragraph delves into the socioeconomic and political ramifications of the Hundred Years' War. It describes the hardships faced by the common people due to trade disruptions, increased taxation, and the devastating effects of the Black Plague. The summary highlights the revolts and uprisings that challenged the authority of the ruling classes, such as the Peasants Revolt in England and the civil war in France. The paragraph also examines the evolving power dynamics within the English monarchy, the rise of Parliament, and the consolidation of power under the French monarchy, setting the stage for future political developments in both countries.

10:07

🏹 National Identity and Lasting Legacies

The third paragraph reflects on how the Hundred Years' War shaped the national identities of England and France. It discusses the use of propaganda to foster national pride and the portrayal of the French and English kings as heroes. The summary outlines the cultural and linguistic shifts that occurred post-war, with England establishing its own distinct identity separate from the political affairs of mainland Europe. The paragraph concludes by emphasizing the enduring impact of the war on the relationship between the two nations, highlighting the transition from animosity to a friendly rivalry and the war's significance in understanding their modern-day interactions.

Keywords

💡Hundred Years' War

The Hundred Years' War refers to a series of conflicts between England and France from 1337 to 1453. It was a significant event that shaped the national identities of both countries. In the video, it is highlighted as a catalyst for the establishment of France and England as distinct nations and world powers, with the script mentioning the various stages and impacts of the war on both societies.

💡National Identity

National identity is the sense of belonging and self-identification with one nation. It is a central theme of the video, which discusses how both France and England evolved their sense of national identity during and after the Hundred Years' War. The script explains how the war and the shared history of the two countries influenced their distinct national identities.

💡Celtic

Celtic refers to the cultural and linguistic heritage of the Celtic people, who were the original inhabitants of Britain and France before the Roman conquest. The script mentions that France and Britain were once united under the Celtic culture, sharing similar languages like Welsh, Cornish, and Breton, which are still spoken today.

💡Roman Empire

The Roman Empire was a vast empire that, at its height, included much of Europe, Britain, and the Mediterranean regions. In the context of the video, the Roman Empire's expansion and subsequent fall had profound effects on the cultures and languages of France and Britain, leading to the absorption of the Celtic communities into the Roman way of life and later the Germanic invasions.

💡Anglo-Saxon

Anglo-Saxon refers to the period in British history during the 5th to early 11th centuries when Germanic tribes, the Angles, Saxons, and Jutes, migrated to and settled in England. The script notes the Anglo-Saxon era as a time when Britain began to diverge culturally and linguistically from the Romanized regions of France.

💡Norman Conquest

The Norman Conquest of 1066 marked the beginning of Norman rule in England, led by William the Conqueror, who became King of England. The video script discusses how this event tied the bloodlines of the English and French monarchs and set the stage for English claims to the French throne, which were a precursor to the Hundred Years' War.

💡Anjou Empire

The Angevin Empire, also known as the Empire of the Angevins, was a union of territories in France and England ruled by the Angevin dynasty in the 12th century. The script describes how this empire, including regions like Normandy and Aquitaine, was a significant factor in the territorial disputes that led to the Hundred Years' War.

💡Edward III

Edward III was the King of England from 1327 to 1377, who asserted a claim to the French throne, leading to the outbreak of the Hundred Years' War. The script highlights Edward III's role in challenging the French monarchy and initiating the formal conflict.

💡Black Plague

The Black Plague, also known as the Black Death, was a devastating pandemic that peaked in Europe between 1347 and 1351. The video script mentions the Black Plague as an additional hardship faced by the common people during the Hundred Years' War, exacerbating the economic and social turmoil of the time.

💡Magna Carta

The Magna Carta was a charter of rights agreed to by King John of England in 1215, which established the principle that the king was subject to the law. The script refers to the Magna Carta as a significant document that led to the establishment of Parliament and the limitation of the monarchy's absolute power in England.

💡Wars of the Roses

The Wars of the Roses were a series of civil wars in England fought between the houses of Lancaster and York from 1455 to 1487. The script mentions the Wars of the Roses as a consequence of the dissatisfaction with the monarchy following the Hundred Years' War, leading to a power struggle among the English nobility.

Highlights

The Hundred Years' War, spanning 116 years, was a pivotal period in the formation of England and France as distinct nations and world powers.

England and France were once united under the Celtic culture, sharing language and traditions before Roman expansion.

The fall of the Roman Empire and subsequent Germanic invasions led to significant cultural shifts in both countries, including language changes.

The Norman invasion of England in 1066 by William the Conqueror marked a significant cultural and linguistic shift, with French influence becoming prominent.

The Angevin Empire, including territories in France, set the stage for English claims to the French throne, leading to the Hundred Years' War.

The Hundred Years' War began in 1337 when Edward III of England claimed the French throne, challenging Philip VI.

The war had profound economic impacts, disrupting trade and leading to increased taxation and hardship for common people.

The Black Plague and the economic strain of the war led to questioning of the ruling classes and uprisings like the Peasants Revolt.

The war influenced the development of English parliamentary politics, with the King needing baronial support to increase taxes.

In contrast to England, the French monarchy's power was consolidated during the war, leading to absolute rule until the French Revolution.

The Hundred Years' War shaped national identities in both England and France, with rulers using the conflict to foster a sense of patriotism.

The war's legacy is still felt today in the relationship between the English and French, marked by a friendly rivalry and historical ties.

The English monarchy's claim to the French throne persisted until 1801, reflecting the long-lasting impact of the Hundred Years' War.

The Hundred Years' War saw the rise of the English gentry, with new ranks and the ability to qualify for noble status through property ownership.

The Wars of the Roses, a civil war in England, were partly a result of dissatisfaction with the monarchy following the Hundred Years' War.

The Catholic Church's role in the war was complex, with both sides seeking papal support during the Great Schism.

Transcripts

Over 550 years ago, during a period of 116 years,  

a series of skirmishes took  place between England and France.  

Many wars have taken place since – so why are  we still dwelling on the Hundred Years’ War?

During the Hundred Years’ War, the nations  of France and England were both establishing  

themselves as nations and world powers. If  you consider the previous history of these two  

countries, we can see that now, both are slowly  evolving in their sense of national identity. 

France and Britain used to be united under  one culture: Celtic. Further back in history,  

they were connected by a land  bridge between Calais and Dover,  

and it is undeniable that humans would have  traveled to Britain through France – or vice  

versa. The two countries' proximity makes them  intrinsically linked, and the majority of Brits  

living in central and southern England today  share around 40% of their DNA with the French. 

Before the rise of the Romans, the French and  English Celts traded, shared culture, and even  

may have spoken the same language. This connection  can be evidenced in the distinct similarities  

between the Celtic languages of Welsh,  Cornish, and Breton – all still spoken today.  

This commonality all changed when the  Romans started to expand their empire.  

Many Celts were killed, and as Rome began to  spread their way of life, the remaining native  

communities of France and Britain were absorbed  into the Roman Republic and Empire. When the  

Roman Empire fell, both countries' language,  religion, and culture changed dramatically. 

The fall of Rome left a power vacuum – one  filled by Germanic invaders. This conquest  

led to the Anglo-Saxon era in Britain and  an influx of Franks and Visigoths in France.  

While Britain shunned the Roman culture,  Gaul (modern-day France, Belgium, Luxembourg,  

and parts of the Netherlands, Switzerland,  Germany on the west bank of the Rhine,  

and Italy’s Po Valley) remained more Romanized,  as were many of the Germanic tribes there.  

The most significant indicator of this is the root  languages of both countries, which is Latin for  

French and Germanic for English. Soon another  set of invaders, the Vikings, would strike,  

settling in parts of France and England. The  populations of the fractured countries were  

steadily growing, and larger communities formed  and allied with their immediate neighbors.  

England had seven kingdoms that were slowly  uniting, and France was also becoming one  

kingdom – although the King presided over several  Duchies, which had their own power and rulers. 

You are probably wondering, what has all this  got to do with the Hundred Years War? Well, the  

scene is now set for the catalyst of the war to  become apparent. Two hundred and seventy-one years  

before the start of the Hundred Years War,  a Norman – descended from the Norsemen who  

settled in France – invaded England. William  the Conqueror, already the Duke of Normandy,  

became King of England in 1066. This move, among  others, would help tie the bloodlines of the  

English and French kings in the years to come and  set about the English claim to the French throne. 

The Norman invasion of England changed the  country once again. The language, which had  

become Germanic after Roman Latin fell out of  use, incorporated many French words. In fact,  

the first King of England to speak English  as their first language was Henry IV,  

who ruled sixty-two years after the  commencement of the Hundred Years War in 1337. 

Since the Norman invasion, the English kings  had ruled parts of France, and Henry II,  

who ruled from 1154 to 1189, ruled over an area  that stretched from Scotland to the Pyrenees.  

This empire included regions owned  by his wife, Eleanor of Aquitaine,  

who had been previously  married to Louis VII of France.  

The Angevin Empire included Normandy, Brittany,  Maine, Aquitaine, Anjou, Touraine, Toulouse,  

and Gascony. The French kings steadily regained  these territories over a long period of conflict,  

which was a precursor to the Hundred Years’ War.  This struggle ended in 1259 with Henry III giving  

up the majority of the French lands, but retaining  a reduced vestige of Aquitaine and Gascony,  

called the Duchy of Guyenne, with the proviso  that homage be paid to the French kings. 

Relations between the two countries remained  tense, with Edward III of England asserting a  

claim to the French throne as the nephew  of the deceased French King Charles IV.  

France ultimately crowned Philip VI, who  allied with Scotland against England,  

much to the chagrin of Edward. Philip confiscated  Guyenne from Edward in May 1337, and by October,  

Edward had sent a formal challenge to Philip,  declaring that France was rightfully his. 

Many noble families in France  were related to those in England,  

and Edward won some French support through  these ties. Rival French nobles also used the  

conflict to gain support for individual causes,  such as Charles of Blois and John Montfort,  

who both claimed the succession of Brittany. Ultimately, after five generations of kings,  

the war ended, and the lands in France were ruled  by France alone – except Calais, which remained  

the last vestige of English control in France for  just over a hundred years after the war ended.  

Despite their defeat, the English kings  ostentatiously held on to the title of  

King of England and France until 1801, when they  finally dropped their claim to the French throne. 

For the lower echelons of society, the war had  brought hardship. Trade had slumped due to the  

disruption in the trade network. Wool could no  longer be exported from England, and the wine  

industry that was a major export of Gascony  crashed completely. Any livelihoods dependent  

on the English Channel suffered from the ongoing  conflict. Merchants were at the mercy of pirates,  

the army commandeered fishing boats, and  Southampton suffered from raids by France. 

The economic hardship was worsened by the  continual taxes levied on the citizens to  

pay for the war destroying their livelihoods.  All this was compounded by the Black Plague  

that ravaged the nations during the mid-1300s.  It wasn’t any wonder that the common people of  

England and France started to question  the authority of the ruling classes.  

Trade had been badly affected, and the costs of  war were primarily funded by increased taxation.  

In 1358 the peasants in north-eastern France  revolted against the nobles. 1381 saw the first  

Peasants Revolt in England. These uprisings led  to innovations in the forms of tax collecting.  

The poll tax was abolished in England and  was not collected again until the late 1980s. 

For the general population in France, the  situation was much worse than for their English  

counterparts. Armies and mercenaries marched  across the country, and in places where battles  

were fought, towns and villages were ravaged  and plundered. Edward III had encouraged English  

soldiers to terrorize the locals by burning crops,  stealing cattle, and looting whatever they could.  

The civil war that broke out between the Armagnacs  and the Burgundians only added to their woes. 

It wasn’t just the peasants undermining  the English royals back in England.  

The local barons had been accumulating power and  riches while the monarchs were spending all their  

money on the lengthy and costly war. The barons  found themselves in a position where the monarchy  

needed their approval to make certain decisions.  To increase taxes, the King needed the support of  

Parliament – made up of the wealthy barons – which  had been established in 1215 when King John was  

forced to sign the Magna Carta. During the  Hundred Years War, the King often needed  

money for campaigns, and so Parliament met more  frequently, causing it to become a recognized part  

of English politics. The fact that Parliament  held any power at all meant that the absolute  

power of the monarch was waning, and in 1688,  England became a constitutional monarchy. 

Meanwhile, in France, power was  consolidated under the French King.  

France’s success in winning the war strengthened  the monarchy's position, while the power of the  

nobles was weakened. The French King did not have  to consult with anyone before increasing taxes  

and tripled the crown’s income throughout the  war. When the war ended, many of the taxes stayed  

in place. The salt tax was collected until the  French Revolution during the late 18th century.  

The monarchy kept absolute power until 1791 and  became a Republic just one year later. It could  

be said that the increased power of the French  kings during the Hundred Years’ War was a major  

contributing factor to the French Revolution. Both countries thought that God was on their  

side during the Hundred Years War. After all,  the position of King was appointed by God  

and therefore was a divine right. The Catholic  Church had a complicated role during the war,  

as both countries felt the Pope should support  their cause. The Great Schism that occurred from  

1378 until 1417 did not help the matter, as the  rival popes exacerbated the cause of the war. Once  

the conflict was over, the loss of the lands in  France must have led some in England to question  

the King's divine right. However, this ultimately  worked in their favor. The English monarchs slowly  

relinquished their power, but in doing so, they  managed to avoid the fate of the French royals. 

After the war, England was virtually  bankrupt, and the throne was highly contested.  

Henry VI was the monarch who  presided over the final English loss,  

making him immensely unpopular with the English  nobles. This dissatisfaction with the King  

resulted in a lengthy civil war known as the  Wars of the Roses. The English nobles used  

their accumulated wealth to raise private armies  with which they could extend their influence. The  

number of English nobles had tripled during the  war, as the King wanted to expand his tax base.  

New ranks were created, and people could qualify  for noble status due to property ownership.  

The gentry of England was no longer restricted to  hereditary titles. All of this contributed to the  

eventual loss of absolute power for the monarchy. Behind the Hundred Years War events, two nations  

were forging their own identity off the back of  centuries of internal division. The ruling classes  

had used national identity as propaganda during  the war, causing the foundation of both countries  

to be built on mutual animosity. Kings appealed  to their soldiers to fight “for king and country,”  

and stirring poems and songs were written  to develop a feeling of national pride. The  

French kings were seen as the saviors of France,  expelling the evil English from their lands. The  

historian G. Homes stated, “The war with England  was to some extent the anvil upon which the  

identity of early modern France was forged.” The  same could be said for England. Before the war,  

the English kings spoke French and had brought the  Norman language and culture with them. After the  

war, England became separated from the political  affairs of mainland Europe and established an  

English cultural identity, using the English  language in official documentation and court. 

Nowadays, the deep-seated divide  between the French and the English,  

formed during the 116 hundred  years of war, can still be felt.  

Although the countries allied during both world  wars, the relationship between these two nations  

is one that only comes from a long and  tumultuous history. Like squabbling siblings,  

the English and the French love to hate  each other. Luckily for both countries,  

this manifests as a friendly rivalry – and perhaps  some mild contempt – rather than an all-out war. 

The effects of the war were so far-reaching and  played such a large part in the formation of  

both nationalities that the Hundred Years  War is still highly significant today.

To learn more about The Hundred  Years War, check out our book,  

The Hundred Years War - A Captivating Guide to the  Conflicts Between the English House of Plantagenet  

and the French House of Valois That  Took Place During the Middle Ages.  

It’s available as an e-book, paperback, and  audiobook. Also, grab your free mythology bundle  

e-book while it’s still available. All links are  in the description. If you enjoyed the video,  

please hit the LIKE button and  subscribe for more videos like this.