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1. FC.73 THE HUNDRED YEARS WAR (1337-1453) *** Fr. Suspicion of Eng’s strong econ ties w/Flanders (FC.69) Continuing Eng. hold on Fr Gascony & Guienne (FC.69) Death of Charles IV of Fr. w/o male heir Edward III of England declares war when denied his claim to Fr. throne Eng. esp prepared to fight a new kind of warfare with: Mercenary armies replacing feudal levies Peasants trained & armed w/longbows Growing use of artillery & gunpowder Eng, w/strong leaders win vict’s & Fr lands Until weak kings rule in Fr. & strong kings in Eng Until weak kings rule in Eng & strong kings in Fr Fr. beat Eng. & regain lands Eng. ravage Fr. lands & defeat 2 larger Fr. ArmiesConquer much of FrTr. Of Bretigny (1360) Unpaid Eng. mercenaries cont. ravaging Fr Fr. renews war Retakes lands through sieges & avoiding direct battles Henry V of Eng renews war & regains half of Fr. using long-bowmen, artillery, & the devastation of French lands. Inspired by Joan of Arc, Charles VII uses standing army, firearms, and artillery vs. fort’s to drive out Eng. After 1450, France & England develop as separate nations (FC.79)

2. Introduction

3. Nothing better shows the turmoil of the Later Middle Ages than the prolonged and desperate struggle between France and England known as the Hundred Years War. Technically, this was a series of wars intermittently separated by periods of uneasy peace. However, the fact that it took 116 years to resolve this struggle, not to mention two other wars also dealing with the issue of Gascony (1294-98 and 1324-27), justifies treating it as one war. Although it started just as a dispute over certain territories and the French throne, a more important process was taking place: the painful separation of France and England, whose histories had been intertwined since the Norman conquest of England in 1066. Out of this would emerge the modern nations of France and England. Language especially reflected this process. Whereas French was the language of the English court at the war’s start, by the end it was English. Also, Geoffrey Chaucer had written Canterbury Tales, one of the first great works of English literature, and John Wycliffe had translated the Bible into English, all showing a growing sense of an English nation and culture.

4. The Road to War (1295-1337)

5. The biggest issue between France and England was England’s control of Gascony (AKA Guyenne), a rich wine producing area in southwestern France with close trade ties to England. Since 1259 English kings had held this province as the French king’s vassals, and herein lay the problem. It was humiliating for the king of England to have to do homage to the French king as his overlord, especially when the latter would arbitrarily use his position as the English king’s overlord in any disputes between the two. To complicate the situation, the Gascons (who spoke Gascon, not French) preferred the English kings’ lighter rule to that of the French king. Even the French historian of the war, Froissart, would often refer to the Gascons as “the English”, since they joined the English raids on France and defended Gascony against the French with minimal help from England throughout the war.

6. France also suspected Flanders’ loyalty, because its close trade ties with England supplied Flemish cities with raw wool needed for its textiles industry. Aggravating this was a revolt by Flemish wool workers who won a stunning victory over the French knights at Courtrai in 1302. Although the French avenged this defeat at Cassell in 1328, Courtrai had still dealt a serious blow to the prestige of French chivalry who were supposed to be the greatest warriors in Europe.

7. Along these lines was French support of Scottish revolts against England, which suffered a humiliating defeat at Bannockburn in 1314. Although Edward III restored some English honor and control at Halidon Hill in 1333, he still had to keep a vigilant eye on Scottish affairs while trying to deal with France.

8. If anything mobilized the English people’s support for war with France, it was French raids on English ports, fuelling an already intense maritime rivalry with their neighbors across the Channel. The Cinque (five) ports were five harbor towns (red dots) whose main obligation to the English crown, in lieu of taxes, was naval service and transport.

9. Then there was Edward III of England’s claim to the French throne. Philip IV Louis X Philip V Charles IV m. Edward II of Eng. Isabella Edward III Edward III was the son of Edward II of England & Isabella, the daughter of Philip IV of France. Since Philip had three sons, this marriage seemed to pose little danger of making an English king heir to the French throne. However, as luck would have it, all three of Philip’s sons (Louis X, Philip V, & Charles IV), ruled without leaving a male heir. When Charles died in 1328, Edward was Philip IV’s only living male descendant. To counter Edward’s claim, Philip’s nephew, also named Philip, invoked an old law code, known as Salic Law, that said the French throne could not be passed through the female line of the royal family. The French lawyers and nobles, not wanting the strong and energetic Edward ruling over them, chose Charles’ first cousin who assumed the French crown as Philip VI. Historians may have made more of Edward’s claim to the French throne, than he did. Despite a number of disputes with Philip VI, Edward never put forth his claim to be king of France until 1340, making it seem more a result, rather than cause, of the war. Ironically, English kings would still claim the title of king of France all the way to 1801.

10. A New Kind of War…. “War without fire is like sausage without mustard.” —Henry V of England

11. One of the most dramatic signs of the transition from the medieval to modern world was the changing nature of warfare. The English, who faced a much larger and more powerful enemy were especially innovative in this regard. Screenshots of English mercenaries of the Hundred Years War as portrayed in The Messenger, a film about Joan of Arc.

12. One of the most dramatic signs of the transition from the medieval to modern world was the changing nature of warfare. The English, who faced a much larger and more powerful enemy were especially innovative in this regard. However, these were no longer just feudal armies of noble vassals fighting to fulfill personal obligations to their lords. Rather, they were mainly collections of mercenary companies drawn from the lower classes and even criminal element. In fact, one study indicates 12% of the English soldiers were condemned criminals, choosing military service over the executioner’s axe. Screenshots of English mercenaries of the Hundred Years War as portrayed in The Messenger, a film about Joan of Arc.

13. One of the most dramatic signs of the transition from the medieval to modern world was the changing nature of warfare. The English, who faced a much larger and more powerful enemy were especially innovative in this regard. However, these were no longer just feudal armies of noble vassals fighting to fulfill personal obligations to their lords. Rather, they were mostly collections of mercenary companies drawn from the lower classes and even criminal element. In fact, one study indicates 12% of the English soldiers were condemned criminals, choosing military service over the executioner’s axe. Captains would contract their companies’ services to a king in return for the promise of pay, plunder, and ransoms for any captured enemies. Such armies may have been more stable and reliable than the old feudal armies, but they also created serious problems. Since they were rarely paid in full or on time and their ranks were often filled with the more disreputable types in society, they were prone to desertion, plundering, and violence against the civilian populace. Screenshots of English mercenaries of the Hundred Years War as portrayed in The Messenger, a film about Joan of Arc.

14. However, the brutal attitude of these soldiers suited the English leaders, who planned to wear down and break the French through a series of chevauchees: raids intended to completely devastate the countryside. Soldiers would torture the men to reveal where they kept their valuables, mutilate and rape the women, even the pregnant ones, and murder the rest they could catch. Not even the clergy were exempt from such treatment.

15. However, the brutal attitude of these soldiers suited the English leaders, who planned to wear down and break the French through a series of chevauchees: raids intended to completely devastate the countryside. Soldiers would torture the men to reveal where they kept their valuables, mutilate and rape the women, even the pregnant ones, and murder the rest they could catch. Not even the clergy were exempt from such treatment. When a French archbishop was taken to the top of a tower to witness the countryside in flames as far as he could see, he fainted from shock.

16. However, the brutal attitude of these soldiers suited the English leaders, who planned to wear down and break the French through a series of chevauchees: raids intended to completely devastate the countryside. Soldiers would torture the men to reveal where they kept their valuables, mutilate and rape the women, even the pregnant ones, and murder the rest they could catch. Not even the clergy were exempt from such treatment. When a French archbishop was taken to the top of a tower to witness the countryside in flames as far as he could see, he fainted from shock. Even worse, during times of “peace” when the mercenaries were without employment, many of them, both French & English, would organize into companies known as routiers & continue to ravage the countryside. Making this especially bad was the fact that, in contrast to wartime when these men were under at least some level of restraint by their commanders, during peacetime there was not even that much restraint on their behavior.

17. However, the brutal attitude of these soldiers suited the English leaders, who planned to wear down and break the French through a series of chevauchees: raids intended to completely devastate the countryside. Soldiers would torture the men to reveal where they kept their valuables, mutilate and rape the women, even the pregnant ones, and murder the rest they could catch. Not even the clergy were exempt from such treatment. When a French archbishop was taken to the top of a tower to witness the countryside in flames as far as he could see, he fainted from shock. Even worse, during times of “peace” when the mercenaries were without employment, many of them, both French & English, would organize into companies known as routiers & continue to ravage the countryside. Making this especially bad was the fact that, in contrast to wartime when these men were under at least some level of restraint by their commanders, during peacetime there was not even that much restraint on their behavior. No wonder that by the end of the war, the French would refer to the English as the Godoms (“God damns”)

18. ….With New Kinds of Weapons

19. Two other big changes had to do with weaponry. One was the longbow, adopted from the Welsh by Edward I in the late 1200's. This was a specialized weapon that took a full year to make and years to master. As a result, only richer free peasants (yeomen) and professional mercenaries had the leisure time for practice.

20. Two other big changes had to do with weaponry. One was the longbow, adopted from the Welsh by Edward I in the late 1200's. This was a specialized weapon that took a full year to make and years to master. As a result, only richer free peasants (yeomen) and professional mercenaries had the leisure time for practice. The longbow had both power and a rapid rate of fire. Formations of English long-bowmen, protected by rows of sharpened stakes and intervening formations of English knights, could unleash 10 arrows a minute up to a range of 150 meters, piercing plate armor at 60 meters.

21. In contrast, the crossbow, favored by the French had a greater range and required little training (making it a popular weapon among town militia), but it weighed 20 pounds and could only be fired 2 times a minute.

22. English long-bowmen may have used “time on target” firing where the ranks fired in sequence from back to front so that all the arrows fell at once. Such a technique could have devastating psychological effects, since there seemed to be nowhere to escape.

24. English yeomen (richer peasants) practice “at the butts” on a Sunday afternoon as decreed by the king. This is what produced the strength and training necessary for England to have the large numbers of skilled long-bowmen it used in France. The French had no comparable system for training long-bowmen, so they had to rely on slower and heavier crossbows.

25. English yeomen (richer peasants) practice “at the butts” on a Sunday afternoon as decreed by the king. This is what produced the strength and training necessary for England to have the large numbers of skilled long-bowmen it used in France. The French had no comparable system for training long-bowmen, so had to rely on slower and heavier crossbows. In addition to long-bowmen, English armies had numbers of very nimble Welsh infantry armed with long knives who would sneak under horses to cut their bellies or looked for wounded to kill & strip.

26. A contemporary picture showing the coordination of heavy cavalry with long-bowmen used so effectively during the Hundred Years War.

27. The other innovation that decisively affected the Hundred Years War was combining gunpowder with the cannon. At first, cannons fired stone balls chiseled to fit into the cannon barrel. These were soon replaced by cast iron cannonballs which pulverized castles’ tall thin walls.

28. The other innovation that decisively affected the Hundred Years War was combining gunpowder with the cannon. At first, cannons fired stone balls chiseled to fit into the cannon barrel. These were soon replaced by cast iron cannonballs which pulverized castles’ tall thin walls. However this new technology could be as hazardous to its users as its intended victims. Gunpowder was of uneven quality, so one never knew how big a charge was being loaded. That, along with poor casting, could cause the barrel to explode upon firing. After the siege of Cherbourg, the French king congratulated his gun smith for only four of his cannons blowing up during the operation.

29. First Blood: Sluys (1340)

30. Where this war was fought depended on who could control the English Channel and take the war to the enemy’s land. Thus the first major clash in the Hundred Years War was a naval battle.

31. Where this war was fought depended on who could control the English Channel and take the war to the enemy’s land. Thus the first major clash in the Hundred Years War was a naval battle. Naval battles were fought like land battles, with each side trying to board and take over the enemy ships. With nowhere to run, such battles could be especially fierce and desperate. However, naval battles were rare in the North Atlantic with its strong winds, since the square sails in use severely limited tacking into the wind and typically confined one navy or another to port.

32. The English fought in groups of 3 ships, 2 with long-bowmen & 1 with men-at-arms. The archers would clear the enemy decksso their men at arms could storm aboard their ships.

33. The English fought in groups of 3 ships, 2 with long-bowmen who & 1 with men-at-arms. The archers would clear the enemy decksso their men at arms could storm aboard their ships. The French did have a number of Genoese oared galleys with rams that would favor them in a battle in open waters. However, they chose instead to form three lines of ships lashed together in an estuary, allowing the English to get upwind of them & wait for the tide to turn. Then, with the wind, tide & sun at their backs, they crashed into the French ships, pouring volleys of arrows into their ranks at five times the firing rate of enemy crossbowmen.

34. The first wave of French threw both their wounded & themselves overboard.

35. The first wave of French threw both their wounded & themselves overboard. When the French admiral was captured & hanged, the second wave panicked & jumped overboard.

36. The first wave of French threw both their wounded & themselves overboard. When the French admiral was captured & hanged, the second wave panicked & jumped overboard. At that point the battle became a massacre with bodies covering the water & the decks of French ships.

37. The first wave of French threw both their wounded & themselves overboard. When the French admiral was captured & hanged, the second wave panicked & jumped overboard. At that point the battle became a massacre with bodies covering the water & the decks of French ships. The light from the burning ships was so bright that the slaughter continued into the night.

38. The first wave of French threw both their wounded & themselves overboard. When the French admiral was captured & hanged, the second wave panicked & jumped overboard. At that point the battle became a massacre with bodies covering the water & the decks of French ships. The light from the burning ships was so bright that the slaughter continued into the night. Only 30 French ships escaped this disaster..

39. The first wave of French threw both their wounded & themselves overboard. When the French admiral was captured & hanged, the second wave panicked & jumped overboard. At that point the battle became a massacre with bodies covering the water & the decks of French ships. The light from the burning ships was so bright that the slaughter continued into the night. Only 30 French ships escaped this disaster. It was said that if fish could talk, they’d speak French from all the bloodthey drank.

40. Obviously, no one wanted to break the news to the king, so they had the court jester run in yelling: "Oh the cowardly English, the cowardly English! They don't jump in the water like our brave Frenchmen"

41. Crecy ( August 26, 1346)

42. For several years after the battle of Sluys, French and English armies raided each other’s territories in France, but did little in the way of fighting. Then, in 1346, Edward III’s son, known as Edward known as the Black Prince for the color of his German armor led a particularly daring and destructive raid. This time the French army went in pursuit & trapped the much smaller English army near the town of Crecy.

43. For several years after the battle of Sluys, French and English armies raided each other’s territories in France, but did little in the way of fighting. Then, in 1346, Edward III’s son, known as the Black Prince for the color of his German armor led a particularly daring and destructive raid. This time the French army went in pursuit & trapped the much smaller English army near the town of Crecy. The English took up a strong position on a hill and arranged their army in alternate groups of bowmen and knights. The French camped so far from the English that they didn’t arrive until 4 PM with the sun in their faces. The French king wanted to stop & attack in morning, but his huge army kept pressing forward until it drove the front ranks to within sight of the English.

44. For several years after the battle of Sluys, French and English armies raided each other’s territories in France, but did little in the way of fighting. Then, in 1346, Edward III’s son, known as Edward known as the Black Prince for the color of his German armor led a particularly daring and destructive raid. This time the French army went in pursuit & trapped the much smaller English army near the town of Crecy. The English took up a strong position on a hill and arranged their army in alternate groups of bowmen and knights. The French camped so far from the English that they didn’t arrive until 4 PM with the sun in their faces. The French king wanted to stop & attack in morning, but his huge army kept pressing forward until it drove the front ranks to within sight of the English. Therefore, the French nobles felt that honor dictated they charge immediately.

45. Genoese crossbowmen opened the attack for the French. However, a sudden storm had soaked their crossbow strings, while the English had coiled theirs under their helmets. This forced the Genoese to approach the enemy lines closer than usual. Suddenly, before they could get in range they came under storm of arrows “as thick as snow”. Having discarded their heavy shields (pavises) on the march, they had no protection, so they immediately broke and ran.

46. Genoese crossbowmen opened the attack for the French. However, a sudden storm had soaked their crossbow strings, while the English had coiled theirs under their helmets. This forced the Genoese to approach the enemy lines closer than usual. Suddenly, before they could get in range they came under storm of arrows “as thick as snow”. Having discarded their heavy shields (pavises) on the march, they had no protection, so they immediately broke and ran. At this, the French cavalry charged, slashing & cutting through own retreating men. Hearing the screams of the Genoese, the French in the rear thought it was the English screaming and pressed forward to share in the glory and plunder.

47. Genoese crossbowmen opened the attack for the French. However, a sudden storm had soaked their crossbow strings, while the English had coiled theirs under their helmets. This forced the Genoese to approach the enemy lines closer than usual. Suddenly, before they could get in range they came under storm of arrows “as thick as snow”. Having discarded their heavy shields (pavises) on the march, they had no protection, so they immediately broke and ran. At this, the French cavalry charged, slashing & cutting through own retreating men. Hearing the screams of the Genoese, the French in the rear thought it was the English screaming and pressed forward to share in the glory and plunder. This just created a densely packed mob at the foot of the slope, making it nearly impossible for the long-bowmen to miss their mark. French horses that were hit bolted in panic increasing the chaos in the ranks. Horses piled on top of horses “like a litter of piglets”.

48. Some French reached the English men at arms, only to be cut down. Among them was, John, the blind king of Bohemia who charged with his reins tied to those of horses flanking him. Prince Edward was so moved by the blind king’s bravery, that he adopted his motto: Ichdien (I serve) for his coat of arms. Charles of Blois being captured at the Battle of Crecy

49. Some French reached the English men at arms, only to be cut down. Among them was, John, the blind king of Bohemia who charged with his reins tied to those of horses flanking him. Prince Edward was so moved by the blind king’s bravery, that he adopted his motto: Ichdien (I serve) for his coat of arms. The French launched 15 waves well into the night, all of which faltered & broke under the murderous rain of arrows. Finally, the English advanced on foot into the carnage to finish off the wounded. One estimate put French losses at 10,000 men. When the French king left the field, he could only find 60 knights to accompany him. The rest had died or fled. Charles of Blois being captured at the Battle of Crecy

50. Everyone, including the English, were stunned by the scope of their victory. The French, reputedly the bravest and fiercest warriors in Europe, had been cut to pieces by a much smaller army consisting mainly of lowly archers. The English capture Caen in the triumphant aftermath of Crecy (1346)