Sparks Commentary: What was the “Hundred Years’ War”? (Depends on which one you mean)

There are a few candidates for this name, all of them involving Britain and France

You might already know that the Normans invaded England in 1066 – now the most famous year in English history. The Norman rulers seem to have been genetically Scandinavian, rather than French. That is, they seem to have been of Viking stock. But these Norman rulers had been living in France for a few generations. Thus, they and their followers were all native speakers of French. They soon came to impose the French language and laws on the people of England, as well as a few other parts of Britain. This explains why the English language has so many French loanwords in its vocabulary. Scholars estimate that perhaps 30% of Modern English words are of French origin (usually Norman French origin). Another 30% come directly from the related language of Latin. The first war between England and France seems to have begun in 1109. In that same century, the Norman reign in England gave way to another French-speaking dynasty: the Plantagenet dynasty. The Plantagenet rulers would also remain French-speaking for the next few centuries. (But that’s a story for another post.) England and France would be at each other’s throats, on and off, for many centuries to come. Not all of their wars are today considered a part of some “Hundred Years’ War” or other. But all of the candidates for the name of “Hundred Years’ War” involved France and England – or, in later centuries, France and Great Britain. By examining those three conflicts that are candidates for this name, we may learn something about the centuries-long struggle between the French and the English, and why they still have some amount of rivalry today – although it’s now more good-natured.

Battle of Bouvines, 1214 – part of the “First” Hundred Years’ War

The “First” Hundred Years’ War (1159-1259), which includes perhaps seven conflicts

Some say that it was in the Plantagenet dynasty that the “First” Hundred Years’ War began. But the name “Plantagenet” is given to a few different royal families. At this time, the relevant branch was known as the “Angevin” dynasty. This is because it was based in the French region of Anjou – hence, “Angevin.” The Angevin Empire then included the Kingdom of England, the Duchy of Normandy, the Duchy of Aquitaine, and the County of Anjou itself. This Angevin Empire soon went to war with the Kingdom of France. France was then ruled by the House of Capet, sometimes called the Capetian dynasty. Some say that the “First” Hundred Years’ War was divided into seven different phases. Each of them is known as the “Anglo-French War,” from such-and-such year to such-and-such other year. Thus, there would probably be little value in reproducing several names in this format, whose names are distinguished only by the beginning and ending years of that conflict. Rather, I will just mention that the Capetian rulers of France managed to conquer a number of fiefs in France, and annex them to the French crown lands. The Plantagenet dynasty, which ruled (among other places) over the Kingdom of England, tried to retake “what they believed to be their rightful ancestral claims in western France” (as Wikipedia puts it). This conflict went from roughly 1159 to 1259. At various times in the conflict, other European powers were sometimes involved in the bloodbath. It was during this conflict that England’s “Magna Carta” was adopted in the year 1215. Written in Medieval Latin, it is the foundation of the unwritten British constitution, as it exists today. Two other Anglo-French Wars would eventually follow, before our next candidate for the name “Hundred Years’ War” … was eventually to break out in the following century.

Battle of Taillebourg, 1242 – part of the “First” Hundred Years’ War

“The” Hundred Years’ War (1337-1453), which includes three distinct conflicts

The next of these conflicts is simply called “the” Hundred Years’ War. This might seem strange, because the previous candidate for this name is wisely called the “First” Hundred Years’ War. Thus, if the accepted terminology were more logical, our current subject might be called the “Second” Hundred Years’ War. But that name is instead given to a later conflict, which will be covered shortly. Suffice it to say here that “the” Hundred Years’ War, as it is now called, was another great medieval conflict. More specifically, it is usually considered to have gone from 1337 to 1453. But this conflict seems to have consisted of three distinct phases. Here, the names are a little more interesting, as you may soon see. Specifically, there was the “Edwardian War” (1337–1360), the “Caroline War” (1369–1389), and the “Lancastrian War” (1415–1453). To me, these names are more interesting than an assortment of numerical years. The name of the “Edwardian War” comes from Edward the Third of England, who was making a claim to the French throne. This seems to have been the cause of the war. Like its predecessor, “the” Hundred Years’ War also involved some other European powers. It was also something of a civil war in France. This was because some within France were loyal to the House of Plantagenet, which then ruled England. By this point, France was now being ruled by the House of Valois, which had replaced the prior Capetian dynasty. These wars were interrupted by the Black Death, as well as by various periods of truce. As Wikipedia puts it, “Chivalry reached its height during the conflict and subsequently declined.” (see source) English forces prevailed in the earlier part of the conflict, but France’s “House of Valois” ultimately retained its control over the Kingdom of France. This was the last time that France was in any serious danger of being invaded by the English. Specifically, the “Lancastrian War” involved Joan of Arc, who led the French against the English. She may be the best-remembered part of the war for the French. For the English, the best-remembered part may instead be the Battle of Agincourt. As Wikipedia puts it, “The French and English monarchies thereafter remained separate, despite the monarchs of England and Great Britain styling themselves as sovereigns of France until 1802.” (see source) The Lancastrian part of England’s Plantagenet dynasty would soon have to defend their claims to the English throne as well. Specifically, the Wars of the Roses went from 1453 to 1487. They eventually brought the end of England’s Plantagenet dynasty (as I describe here). Eight other Anglo-French Wars would soon follow, before our last candidate for the name of “Hundred Years’ War” – which I will describe next.

Battle of Crécy, 1346 – part of “The” Hundred Years’ War

Battle of Agincourt, 1415 – part of “The” Hundred Years’ War

The “Second” Hundred Years’ War (1689-1815), which includes seven different conflicts

The last candidate for the name of “Hundred Years’ War” … is sometimes called the “Second” Hundred Years’ War. But, judging from the accepted terminology for our two prior conflicts of that name, it might be better styled as the “Third” Hundred Years’ War. Regardless, it is often called the “Second” Hundred Years’ War – and some today question whether it accurately reflects the nature of that period’s conflicts between Britain and France. Specifically, there are seven conflicts that are usually included in this “Second” Hundred Years’ War. In the first of these conflicts, both Britain and France had entered the war by 1689. That being said, these seven conflicts are (in order): the Nine Years’ War, the War of the Spanish Succession, the War of the Austrian Succession, the Seven Years’ War, the American War of Independence, the French Revolutionary Wars, and the Napoleonic Wars. That last conflict ended with Napoleon’s defeat at Waterloo in 1815. Thus, this period is sometimes dated from 1689 to 1815. I have spent a fair amount of time on these conflicts elsewhere (for example, here and here). Thus, I will not try to duplicate that coverage here. Suffice it to say here … that this concept is not widely accepted in academia. By the Battle of Waterloo, French influence had largely declined, and the mighty British Empire was on the rise. In 1858, Felice Orsini tried to assassinate Napoleon the Third in Paris, with the help of some English radicals. Thus, Britain briefly feared a French invasion in 1859. But, thankfully, this never came to pass, as the British government responsible for this (the Palmerston government) actually fell within a month – much to the pleasure of the French. The British and the French actually continued to be rivals, in Europe’s “Scramble for Africa.” This made the English and French languages (particularly the latter) into some of the most spoken languages of modern Africa. English and French are today surpassed only by Arabic in their number of speakers in Africa. That is, these three languages are even more popular there than Swahili.

France loses Quebec to the British, 1759 – part of the “Second” Hundred Years’ War

Battle of Waterloo, 1815 – the end of the “Second” Hundred Years’ War

Epilogue about Britain and France finally reconciling in the twentieth century

In 1904, Britain and France signed the “Entente Cordiale.” This formally ended the centuries of conflict between them, resulting in a military alliance. This time, it would be for good. In the context of the coming World Wars, this alliance would prove important for both nations. In the First World War, the two nations were allied against Germany, as both nations sent their troops to the “Western Front” (which was mainly in France). Part of France was being occupied by Germany in that war, while other parts remained free of such occupation. In the Second World War, France was soon fully occupied by Germany, and the Vichy French (pro-Nazi French) actually fought against the British in that conflict. Technically, this is the last conflict between the two nations. But the Free French (thankfully) fought alongside the British, and both would eventually help to liberate France from the rule of the Nazis. I should also acknowledge here the role of the French resistance, which was much closer to home for all concerned. When World War II ended, there was then a great partnership between Britain and France during the twentieth-century Cold War. They were both founding members of NATO, and permanent members of the United Nations Security Council to boot. This was because they were both part of the victory coalition in World War II. They also became the third and fourth nations, respectively, to get nuclear weapons. This, too, gives them major status. The two nations have had varying degrees of involvement in the European Union and its predecessors, particularly since Brexit. But they both remain members of the Council of Europe today. There is still some rivalry between them, although it seems safe to say that it is now a little friendlier than it once was. These wars were arguably a predecessor to some of the English-French conflicts within Canada as well. One hopes that Britain and France will continue to be at peace in the coming years. English-French relations seem to have come a long way since these important conflicts of the Middle Ages. The English Channel is now relatively peaceful – and this is as it should be. With the exception of the Vichy French interruption in World War II, the alliance between Britain and France has been in place since the 1904 “Entente Cordiale.” And one has reason to hope that there will never again be anything like these “Hundred Years’ Wars” between them.