Dr. Vess's World Civilization Virtual Library

The Hundred Years' War

objectives:


1.  Be able to explain the events which led to the Hundred Years'

     War.  Specifically, be able to explain the succession crisis

     of the fourteenth century, the Salic Law, and the

     conflicting alliances.



2.  Be able to trace the conflict back to the feudal relations

     between France and England in the eleventh century.



3.  Be able to list the important treaties, the year in which

     they were signed, and their important provisions.



4.  Be able to chronologically list the important battles and

     victors in the war.



5.  Be able to discuss the impact on the French and english

     monarchies, and on the nobility.



6.  Be able to discuss the impact of the Hundred Years' War on

     the peasantry and on culture/society in the fourteenth and

     fifteenth century.



Food for Thought:



     Day of wrath and doom impending,

     David's word with Sibyl's blending,

     Heaven and earth in ashes ending!

          Thomas of Celano, Dies Irae



     Let the boy win his spurs.

          Edward III, said of the Black Prince at Crecy, 1346.





                             OUTLINE



I.  Overview: significance of War

     A.  Unification of France under the monarch.  Disintegration

          of feudal system and local regions of power.

     B.  English monarchy became subject to the Parliament.

     C.  The development of the professional army.

     D.  New ways of thinking about the purpose and limits of war

          were developed.

     E.  Diplomacy emerged as a science.



II.  What were the Issues which led to the War?

     A.  Conflicts within the feudal order.

          i.  definition of feudal government.

               terms:    

                    lords and vassals

                    fief

                    homage

                    investiture

                    subinfeudation

                    the feudal obligations

                    knighthood:

                              laws of medieval warfare

                              The Truce of God

                              The Peace of God

                    chivalry



               concepts:

                    "public power in private hands"

                    fragmentation of power

                    the use of a military obtained through

                    private contracts to maintain power

               Discuss.

         ii.  William the Conqueror and the conquest of England

               in 1066.

        iii.  Henry II of England and his acquisitions on the

               continent through marriage and inheritance.

         iv.  Philip II of france and the recovery of French

                    territory.

          v.  1259 treaty -- English vassal in Aquitaine.  Issue

          of liege homage.

         vi.  Disputes over Aquitaine.

     B.  Conflicts within the feudal order II -- The Succession

               Crisis.

          i.  the death of Philip IV (the Fair)

          ii.  the death of his three sons

          iii.  Isabella's marriage to Edward II of England

          iv.  her son Edward III

          v.  the Salic Law

               other issues

          vi.  Philip VI (Valois)

     C.  Tension between England and France 

          i.  England and Flanders.

          ii. France and Scotland.

          iii.  Succession dispute in Britany.

     D.  Beginning of the War

          i.  Crecy  -- 1346

                    The English Longbowmen.

          ii. Calais -- 1347

     E.  The 1340's and the Black Death

          i.  the cause of the 
plague 

          ii. the climate and famine

               slow drop in temperature

               rains

               crop failure and famine

               problems caused by the increase in population by

               the  fourteenth century

          iii.  the spread of the plague

               From the Gobi Desert to Constantinople 1347

               the cyle throughout Europe 1347-1350

          iv.  the affect on the workforce, the church and the

               nobility 

          v.  reactions to the plague:

               Boccaccio's Decameron

               the persecution of the Jews in Germany

          vi.  the impact on art and music

               the cult of death

               the dies irae

               the flagellants: film excerpt The Seventh Seal

                    sin and penance

                    the life of Christ

                    the condemnation by the pope

          vii.  The Great Plague in London 1665

                In Marseilles 1720

                the black rat replaced by the brown rat and the

                    gradual end of plague

     F.  the 1350's

          i.  Poitiers --  1356

               English capture the King of France

          ii.  the Revolt of the Jacquerie in France -- 1358

               one of several peasant uprisings in the fourteenth

                    century: see the Peasants' Revolt in England

                         1381 

     G.  Treaty of Bretigny -- 1360

          i.  Aquitaine ceded to the English and additional

          French territory.

          ii.  Ransom paid to English for the French King.

          iii. English agree to renounce their claim to the

          French throne. 

          iv.  no conditions were fulfilled.

     H.  the close of the fourteenth century:

          i.  the Peasants' Revolt in England 1381:

               the labor shortage and the demand for higher wages

               wage and price controls

          ii.  the impact of the war on the peasantry:

                    The English scorched earth tactics and the

                         devastated countryside

     I.  The fifteenth century

          i.  Charles VI -- mental imbecile

          ii.  Civil War: Two uncles as regents

                    Duke of Burgundy vs.  Duke of Orleans

                    Burgundians vs.  Armagnacs

          iii.  Henry V of England invades France to take

                    advantage of Civil War.  

                    a.  1415 -- Battle of Agincourt:

                         the muddy field

                         the heavier armor of the fifteenth

                         century and the English Longbow

                         film excerpt: Henry V:

                    b.  1420 -- Treaty of Troyes

                         alliance of Burgundians with the king of

                              England

                         declared Charles VII, the prince,

                              illegitimate.

                         Henry V marries daughter of Charles VI,

                              and is declared the successor to

                              Charles VI.

                     c.  Shakespeare's portrayal of Henry V    

          iv.  1429 -- Siege of Orleans

                    Joan of Arc

                    coronation of Charles VII in Rheims

                    Joan tried and executed on charges of

                         witchcraft and heresy.

          v.  increase in French morale after Joan's victories.



          vi.  1453 -- English pushed off the continent,

          retaining only Calais.



III.  Consequences of the War



          A.  New ways of mustering an army caused disintegration

                    of feudal system.        

          B.  Need for taxes increased the power of the French

               monarch and decreased the power of the English

                    monarch.

          C.  English entered a period of civil war.

          D.  War had a profound effect on the peasantry.

               i.  Revolt of the Jacquerie in France -- 1358.

               ii.   Peasants' revolt in England -- 1381.

          E.  limits on the scope of War -- concern for

          civilians.

          F.  Professional diplomacy.