The Hundred Years' War was a long-term conflict that took place between the 14th and 15th centuries between England and France. Despite its name, the war was not a continuous war that lasted for a full hundred years. However, it was indeed an important war that changed the political, cultural, and military landscape of Europe.
The Hundred Years' War arose from King Edward III of England's claim to the throne of France. The war broke out in 1337, and over the next few decades, the two sides engaged in a series of wars and truces. The war involved large-scale military operations, including sieges and control of strategic areas. One of the most famous battles was the Battle of Cressie, which took place in 1346 and was a major blow to France when the English army won more than a few victories.
As the war progressed, both sides faced the challenge of territorial struggles and internal political instability. In the late 14th century, the military forces under King Charles V of France began to counterattack England and successfully regained lost territory. At the beginning of the 15th century, King Charles VII of France came to power and gradually consolidated his royal power.
However, just when France seemed to have the upper hand in the war, the Anglo-French war reached a turning point. In the Battle of Agincourt in 1415, the English leader Henry V managed to defeat the French with excellent tactics and the superiority of archers. The battle had a huge impact on both Britain and France, as England expanded its control over France and shifted the focus of the war from northern France to the area around Paris.
However, in 1429, a striking character appeared in the French team - Joan of Arc (also known as Joan of Arc). Joan of Arc led an army to relieve the siege of Orleans, which played an important role in encouraging France. This not only changed the dynamics of the war, but also strengthened the firm confidence of the French. In the years that followed, there was a series of civil wars and political upheavals in France, until the Battle of Valvanon in France ended the Hundred Years' War in 1453.
Despite numerous negotiations and armistices between the British and French sides during the war, no apparent reconciliation or resolution was reached. In fact, England adopted a posture of gradual loss of sovereignty over France as a result of the social, economic, and political losses caused by death and destruction during the Hundred Years' War. The Battle of Valwanon in 1453, considered the final battle of the war, marked the gradual decline of French power in France as France regained control of most of its territory. Eventually, England recognized French rule, and the war was officially ended between 1453 and 1454.
The Hundred Years' War had a profound impact on Britain and France. First of all, it changed the political situation of the French dynasty, and King Charles VII consolidated the authority of the royal family;Secondly, the war changed the military strategy, and the use of gunpowder ** became popular;Above all, the Hundred Years' War was one of the backgrounds of the class uprisings in the villages, which resulted from the suffering and poverty of the people during the war.
After reeling from the effects of the Hundred Years' War, France underwent a series of political and social reforms and became one of the most powerful countries in Europe. England, on the other hand, began to turn to the exploration and expansion of other territories, ushering in the Age of Discovery. The Hundred Years' War not only changed the course of French and English history, but also laid an important foundation for later European wars.