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France
France was an enemy of England. They fought in a major
war the Hundred Years War. The war was not England fault but was mostly
France’s fault
due to ignorant nobles empowering the wrong person. Instead of choosing
the English King Edward III with a good claim, they chose the French
king. Then
the French King attacked Edward and the war was off.
The Hundred Years War
(1337-1453)
Introduction
The hundred year’s war was between France, Germany, and England. At the
beginning of the war the English King ruled a very large part of France. But
by the end he ruled very little. At the time France was weak and divided so
everyone was trying to rule it.
Causes
It began in 1328 when the French King died without having any children. The
English King (Edward III) had a good claim and inherited the throne. The claim
was through his French mother. His mother was named Eleanor, and was the dead
French king’s aunt. Medieval Royal families usually intermarried like
this trying to make alliances.
Then the French nobles were faced with a choice. Would the French King in Paris
give then the most power and independence? Or would the England King that often
ruled London give them more opportunity?
Immediately following the choice, the first faction hurriedly went to crown
a French cousin whose claim was not nearly as good as Edward’s. Then
France, with their new king, went and attacked Edward’s III land, Aquitaine,
and Edward III declared war. Right then and there the other fraction of France
allied with Edward. Most of Flanders would take the side of England in any
battle because of the important wool trade happening. Then other countries
allied with England because they thought that the French would not give them
their independence if they lost.
French Losses
In 1340, the French king was preparing a big attack against England’s
allies before attacking the country itself. Then England attacked and destroyed
the French’s fleet at sea right off of the coast of Sluys. Now England
had control of the channel and had access to attack all over France.
Also, in 1346 the English invaders were struck by a sickness and had to wait
on top of a hill at Crecy. Then the French sent a bunch of their knights up
the hill and got massacred. They got massacred by all of England’s archers
and infantry. The French did not learn from this loss, only mourned.
Then, Edward besieged Calais. About a year the inhabitants were starving to
death. Regularly medieval besiegers would usually kill the inhabitant’s
right after they take the over. But this time after they were slaves six citizens,
offered their lives if they promised to let other people live. Then the Queen
took pity on them and let them leave.
After those battles there were many other battles that English won, and that
France won. Even after the many years that this war took, no one really won
the war. France was unable to destroy England, and England couldn’t destroy
France. So basically it was a tie. A war that France started, but couldn’t
end.
References
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