2 Hundred Years War. Hundred Years War - history

The main cause of the Hundred Years' War (1337–1453) was the political rivalry between the French royal dynasty of Capet - Valois and English Plantagenets. The former strove for the unification of France and the complete subjugation of all vassals to their power, among which the English kings, who still owned the Guyenne (Aquitaine) region, occupied a leading place and often overshadowed their overlords. The vassal relations of the Plantagenets to the Capetians were only nominal, but the English kings were even weary of this. They sought not only to return their former possessions in France, but also to take the French crown from the Capetians.

In 1328 the French monarch died CharlesIV Handsome, and with him the senior line of the Capetian house came to an end. Based salic law, the French throne was occupied by the cousin of the deceased king, PhilipVI Valois. But the English king EdwardIII, son of Isabella, sister of Charles IV, considering himself the closest relative of the latter, laid claim to the French crown. This led to the beginning in 1337, in Picardy, of the first battles of the Hundred Years' War. In 1338, Edward III obtained from the emperor the title of imperial governor west of the Rhine, and in 1340, having concluded an alliance against Philip VI with the Flemings and some German princes, he assumed the title of king of the French. In 1339, Edward unsuccessfully besieged Cambrai, in 1340 - Tournai. In June 1340 the French fleet was decisively defeated in a bloody battle. battle of Sluys, and in September the first truce of the Hundred Years' War took place, which was interrupted by the English king in 1345.

Battle of Crecy 1346

The year 1346 was marked by a major turning point in the course of the Hundred Years' War. The hostilities of 1346 took place in Guyenne, Flanders, Normandy and Brittany. Edward III, unexpectedly for the enemy, landed at the cape La-gog with 32 thousand soldiers (4 thousand cavalry, 10 thousand foot archers, 12 thousand Welsh and 6 thousand Irish infantry), after which he ravaged the country on the left bank of the Seine and moved to Rouen, probably to join the Flemish troops and to lay siege to Calais, which at this stage of the Hundred Years' War could have obtained for him the importance of a base.

Meanwhile, Philip VI set off with a strong army along the right bank of the Seine, meaning to prevent the enemy from Calais. Then Edward, defiantly moving towards Poissy (in the direction of Paris), attracted the attention of the French king in this direction, and then, quickly turning back, crossed the Seine and went to the Somme, devastating the space between these two rivers.

Philip, realizing his mistake, rushed after Edward. A separate French detachment (12 thousand), stationed on the right bank of the Somme, destroyed bridges and crossings on it. The English king found himself in a critical situation, having the aforementioned detachment and the Somme in front, and Philip's main forces in the rear. But, fortunately for Edward, he learned about the ford of Blanc-Tash, along which he moved his troops, taking advantage of the ebb. A separate French detachment, despite the courageous defense of the crossing, was overturned, and when Philip approached, the British were already completing the crossing, and meanwhile the tide had begun.

Edward continued his retreat and stopped at Crecy, deciding to take the fight here. Philip made his way to Abbeville, where he stayed all day to bring in suitable reinforcements, which brought his army to about 70,000 men. (including 8-12 thousand knights, most of which are infantry). Philip's stop at Abbeville gave Edward the opportunity to prepare well for the first of the three major battles of the Hundred Years' War, which took place on 26 August at Crécy and resulted in a decisive English victory. This victory is due mainly to the superiority of the English military system and English troops over the military system of France and its feudal militias. From the side of the French, 1,200 nobles and 30,000 soldiers fell in the battle of Crecy. Edward for a time achieved dominance over all of Northern France.

Battle of Crécy. Miniature for Froissart's "Chronicles"

Hundred Years' War in 1347-1355

In the following years of the Hundred Years' War, the British, under the leadership of King Edward himself and his son, black prince, scored a number of brilliant successes over the French. In 1349, the Black Prince defeated the French commander Charni and took him prisoner. Later, a truce was concluded, which ended in 1354. At this time, the Black Prince, appointed ruler of the Duchy of Guyenne, went there and prepared to continue the Hundred Years War. At the end of the truce in 1355, he moved from Bordeaux to devastate France, and with several companies passed through the county of Armagnac to the Pyrenees; then, turning towards the north, he ravaged and burned everything as far as Toulouse. From there, fording the Garonne, the Black Prince went to Carcassonne and Narbonne and burned both of these cities. Thus, he devastated the whole country from the Bay of Biscay to the Mediterranean Sea and from the Pyrenees to the Garonne, ruining more than 700 cities and villages within 7 weeks, which terrified the whole of France. In all these operations of the Hundred Years War, goblers (light cavalry) played the main role.

Battle of Poitiers 1356

In 1356, the Hundred Years' War was fought in three theaters. In the north, a small English army was operating, led by the Duke of Lancaster. french king John the Good, capturing the king of Navarre Karl the Evil, was busy besieging his castles. The Black Prince, moving suddenly from Guyenne, penetrated through Rouergue, Auvergne and Limousin to the Loire, destroying more than 500 places.

Edward "The Black Prince", son of the English king Edward III, hero of the Hundred Years War. 15th century miniature

This pogrom brought King John into a violent rage. He hurriedly assembled a rather sizable army and marched towards the Loire, intending to act decisively. At Poitiers, the king did not wait for the attack of the English, who were at that time in a difficult position, since the army of the king was opposite their front, and in the rear - another French army, concentrated in Languedoc. Despite the reports of his advisers, who spoke in favor of defense, John set out from Poitiers and on September 19, 1356 attacked the British in their fortified position at Maupertuis. John made two fatal mistakes in this battle. He first ordered his cavalry to attack the English infantry stationed in a narrow ravine, and when this attack was repulsed and the English rushed into the plain, he ordered his horsemen to dismount. Because of these blunders, the 50,000th French army suffered a terrible defeat at the battle of Poitiers (the second of the three main battles of the Hundred Years War) from five times less numerous English. French losses amounted to 11,000 killed and 14,000 captured. King John himself was taken prisoner with his son Philip.

Battle of Poitiers 1356. Miniature for Froissart's Chronicles

Hundred Years' War in 1357-1360

During the captivity of the king, his eldest son, the Dauphin Charles (later King Charles V). His position was very difficult, due to the success of the British, which complicated the Hundred Years' War of internal French turmoil (the desire of the townspeople led by Etienne Marcel to assert their rights to the detriment of the supreme power) and especially, from 1358, due to internecine war ( jacquerie), caused by the uprising of the peasants against the nobility, which, therefore, could not provide the Dauphin with strong enough support. The bourgeoisie also nominated a pretender to the throne of France, the king of Navarre, who also relied on hired squads (grandes compagnies), which in the era of the Hundred Years War were the scourge for the country. The Dauphin suppressed the revolutionary attempts of the bourgeoisie and in August 1359 made peace with the Navarrese king. Meanwhile, the captured King John entered into an agreement with England that was very unfavorable for France, according to which he gave the British almost half of his state. But states general, gathered by the Dauphin, rejected this treaty and expressed their readiness to continue the Hundred Years' War.

Then Edward III of England crossed over to Calais with a strong army, which he allowed to support himself at the expense of the country, and moved through Picardy and Champagne, destroying everything on the way. In January 1360, he invaded Burgundy, forced to abandon its alliance with France. From Burgundy, he went to Paris and unsuccessfully besieged it. In view of this, and due to lack of funds, Edward agreed to a peace that suspended the Hundred Years War, which was concluded in May of that year in bretigny. But wandering squads and some feudal owners continued hostilities. The Black Prince, having undertaken a campaign in Castile, imposed large taxes on the English possessions in France, which caused a complaint from his vassals there to the French king. Charles V in 1368 demanded the prince to be tried, and in 1369 resumed the Hundred Years' War.

Hundred Years' War in 1369-1415

In 1369 the Hundred Years' War was limited to small businesses. The British mostly prevailed in field battles. But their affairs began to take an unfavorable turn, mainly from the change in the nature of the conduct of operations by the French, who began to avoid open clashes with the English troops, turned to the stubborn defense of cities and castles, attacked the enemy by surprise and cut off his communications. All this was facilitated by the ruin of France by the Hundred Years' War and the depletion of its resources, forcing the British to carry with them everything they needed in a huge convoy. In addition, the British lost their commander, John Chandosa, King Edward was already old, and the Black Prince left the army due to illness.

Meanwhile, Charles V appointed commander-in-chief Bertrand Dugueclin and entered into an alliance with the king of Castile, who sent his fleet to help him, which turned out to be a dangerous rival for the English. During this period of the Hundred Years' War, the English more than once took possession of entire provinces, without meeting strong resistance in the open field, but suffered hardship, as the population locked themselves in castles and cities, hired wandering bands and repulsed the enemy. Under such conditions - great losses in men and horses and lack of food and money - the British had to return to their homeland. Then the French went on the offensive, robbed the enemy of his conquests, and over time turned to larger enterprises and more important operations, especially after the appointment of Du Guesclin, who achieved a number of brilliant successes in the Hundred Years War, as constable.

Bertrand Dugueclin, constable of France, hero of the Hundred Years War

Thus, almost all of France was liberated from the rule of the British, in whose hands, by the beginning of 1374, only Calais, Bordeaux, Bayonne and a few places in the Dordogne remained. In view of this, a truce was concluded, then continued until the death of Edward III (1377). In order to strengthen the military system of France, Charles V ordered in 1373 to form the rudiment of a standing army - ordinance companies. But after the death of Charles, this attempt of his was forgotten, and the Hundred Years War again began to be waged mainly by mercenary bands. .

In subsequent years, the Hundred Years War continued intermittently. The successes of both sides depended mainly on the internal state of one and the other state, and the enemies mutually took advantage of their opponent's troubles and then acquired a more or less decisive advantage. In this regard, the most favorable era for the British during the Hundred Years War was the reign of a mentally ill person in France. KarlaVI. The imposition of new taxes aroused unrest in many French cities, especially in Paris and Rouen, and resulted in the so-called war. mayotenes or berdyshnikov. The southern provinces, regardless of the revolt of the townspeople, were torn apart by civil strife and predation by mercenary bands participating in the Hundred Years' War, to which the Peasants' War (guerre des coquins) also joined; finally, an uprising broke out in Flanders. In general, success in this turmoil was on the side of the government and the vassals loyal to the king; but the citizens of Ghent, in order to be able to continue the war, entered into an alliance with England. However, not having time to get help from the British, the inhabitants of Ghent suffered a decisive defeat in battle of Rosebeck.

Then the Regency of France, having outwardly suppressed the unrest and at the same time aroused the people against themselves and the young king, resumed the Hundred Years War and entered into an alliance against England with Scotland. The French fleet, Admiral Jean de Vienna, headed for the coast of Scotland and landed a detachment of Enguerrand de Coucy, consisting of adventurers. However, the British managed to devastate a significant part of Scotland. The French suffered a lack of food and quarreled with their allies, but nevertheless they invaded England together with them, and showed great cruelty. The English, at this point in the Hundred Years' War, were compelled to mobilize their entire army; however, the allies did not wait for its offensive: the French returned to their homeland, while the Scots retreated deep into their country in order to wait there for the end of the term of the fief service of the English vassals. The English devastated the whole country as far as Edinburgh; but as soon as they returned to their homeland and their troops began to disperse, the detachments of Scottish adventurers, having received monetary subsidies from the French, again raided England.

This attempt by the French to move the Hundred Years' War to Northern England failed, as the French government turned its main attention to operations in Flanders, in order to establish the dominion of Duke Philip of Burgundy there (the king's uncle, the same son of John the Good, who was captured with him at Poitiers). This was achieved in the autumn of 1385. Then the French began to prepare again for the same expedition, equipped a new fleet and put up a new army. The moment for the expedition was well chosen, for at that time the unrest was renewed in England, and the Scots, having made an invasion, devastated it and won a number of victories. But the commander-in-chief, the Duke of Berry, arrived at the army late, when, in view of the autumn time, the expedition could no longer be undertaken.

In 1386 constable Olivier du Clisson was preparing to land in England, but his overlord, the Duke of Brittany, prevented this. In 1388 the Anglo-French truce again suspended the Hundred Years' War. In the same year, Charles VI took over the government, but then fell into insanity, as a result of which France was seized by the struggle between the closest relatives of the king and his primary vassals, as well as the struggle between the parties of Orleans and Burgundy. Meanwhile, the Hundred Years' War did not stop completely, but as before was only interrupted by truces. In England itself, an uprising broke out against the king Richard II, who was married to the French princess Isabella. Richard II was deposed by his cousin Henry of Lancaster, who succeeded to the throne under the name HenryIV. France did not recognize the latter as king, and then demanded the return of Isabella and her dowry. England did not return the dowry, because France had not yet paid the entire ransom for King John the Good, who had previously been released from captivity.

In view of this, Henry IV intended to continue the Hundred Years' War with an expedition to France, but, busy defending his throne and generally turmoil in England itself, could not fulfill this. his son HenryV, having calmed the state, decided to take advantage of the illness of Charles VI and the strife between the applicants for the regency in order to renew the claims of his great-grandfather to the French crown. He sent ambassadors to France to ask for the hand of Princess Catherine, daughter of Charles VI. This proposal was rejected, which served as a pretext for the vigorous resumption of the Hundred Years' War.

King Henry V of England, hero of the Hundred Years War

Battle of Agincourt 1415

Henry V (with 6 thousand cavalry and 20 - 24 thousand infantry) landed near the mouth of the Seine and immediately began the siege of Garfleur. Meanwhile, the constable d "Albret, who was on the right bank of the Seine and watching the enemy, did not try to help the besieged, but ordered the call to be trumpeted throughout France so that the accustomed to arms noble people gathered to him to continue the Hundred Years War. But he himself was inactive. The ruler of Normandy, Marshal Boucicault, having only negligible forces, also could not do anything in favor of the besieged, who soon surrendered. Henry supplied Garfleur with supplies, left a garrison in it, and, thanks to this, having received a base for further operations in the Hundred Years' War, moved to Abbville, intending to cross the Somme there. However, the considerable efforts required to capture Garfleur, illness in the army due to bad food, etc., weakened the English army that fought in the theater of the Hundred Years War, the situation of which worsened even more from the fact that the English fleet, having crashed, had to retire to the shores of England . Meanwhile, reinforcements coming from everywhere brought the French army to a large number. In view of all this, Henry decided to go to Calais and from there restore more convenient communications with the fatherland.

Battle of Agincourt. 15th century miniature

But it was difficult to carry out the decision made, due to the approach of the French, and all the fords on the Somme were blocked. Then Henry moved up the river, in order to find a free passage. Meanwhile, d "Albret was still inactive at Peronne, having 60 thousand people, while a separate French detachment followed parallel to the British, devastating the country. On the contrary, Henry during the Hundred Years War maintained the strictest discipline in his army: robbery, desertion and the like crimes were punished by death or demotion. Finally, he approached the ford at Betancourt, near Gam, between Peronne and Saint-Quentin. Here, on October 19, the British crossed the Somme without hindrance. Then d "Albret moved from Peronne to block the enemy's path to Calais, which led October 25 to the third main battle of the Hundred Years War - at Agincourt, which ended in the complete defeat of the French. Having won this victory over the enemy, Henry returned to England, and instead of himself left the Duke of Bedford. The Hundred Years War was again interrupted by a truce for 2 years.

Hundred Years' War in 1418-1422

In 1418, Henry again landed in Normandy with 25 thousand people, took possession of a significant part of France and, with the assistance of the French Queen Isabella (Princess of Bavaria), forced Charles VI to conclude with him on May 21, 1420 peace in Troyes, by which he received the hand of the daughter of Charles and Isabella, Catherine, and was recognized as heir to the French throne. However, the Dauphin Charles, son of Charles VI, did not recognize this treaty and continued the Hundred Years' War. 1421 Henry landed in France for the third time, took Dreux and Mo and pushed the Dauphin beyond the Loire, but suddenly fell ill and died (1422), almost simultaneously with Charles VI, after which Henry's son, an infant, took the thrones of England and France HenryVI. However, the Dauphin was also proclaimed King of France by his few adherents under the name KarlaVII.

End of the Hundred Years War

At the beginning of this period of the Hundred Years' War, the whole of Northern France (Normandy, Ile-de-France, Brie, Champagne, Picardy, Pontier, Boulogne) and most of Aquitaine in the southwest were in the hands of the British; the possessions of Charles VII were limited only to the territory between Tours and Orleans. The French feudal aristocracy was finally humiliated. In the Hundred Years War, she repeatedly demonstrated her failure. Therefore, the aristocrats could not serve as a reliable support for the young king Charles VII, who relied mainly on the heads of mercenary gangs. Soon he entered the service, with the rank of constable, Earl Douglas with 5 thousand Scots, but in 1424 he was defeated by the British at Verneuil. Then the duke of Brittany was appointed constable, to whom the management of state affairs also passed.

Meanwhile, the Duke of Bedford, who ruled France as regent for Henry VI, was trying to find funds to end the Hundred Years' War in favor of the English, recruiting new troops in France, transporting reinforcements from England, expanding the boundaries of Henry's dominions, and finally proceeded to lay siege to Orleans, the last stronghold of the defenders of an independent France. At the same time, the Duke of Brittany quarreled with Charles VII and again took the side of the British.

It seemed that the loss of the Hundred Years War by France and her death as an independent state were inevitable, but from the same time her revival began. Excessive misfortunes aroused patriotism among the people and put forward Joan of Arc to the theater of the Hundred Years War. She made a strong moral impression on the French and their enemies, which served in favor of the legitimate king, delivered a number of successes to his troops over the British and opened the way for Charles himself to Reims, where he was crowned.Since 1429, when Jeanne liberated Orleans, not only was an end to the successes of the British, but in general the course of the Hundred Years War began to take an increasingly favorable turn for the French king.He renewed his alliance with the Scots and the Duke of Brittany, and in 1434 Mr. entered into an alliance with the Duke of Burgundy.

Jeanne d "Arc during the siege of Orleans. Artist J. E. Lenepve

Bedford and the English made new mistakes, which increased the number of supporters of Charles VII. The French began to gradually take away conquest from their enemy. Disappointed by this turn of the Hundred Years' War, Bedford died, and after him the regency passed to the incapable Duke of York. In 1436, Paris expressed its obedience to the king; then the British, having suffered a series of defeats, concluded a truce in 1444, which lasted until 1449.

When, thus, the royal power, having restored the independence of France, also strengthened its position, it became possible to lay a solid foundation for the internal and external security of the state by establishing standing troops. Since then, the French army could already boldly compete with the British. This was not long in coming to light in the last outbreak of the Hundred Years' War at the end of the reign of Charles VII, which ended in the complete expulsion of the English from France.

Charles VII, King of France, victorious in the Hundred Years' War. Artist J. Fouquet, between 1445 and 1450

Of the clashes of this period of the Hundred Years War, the most remarkable are: 1) The battle of August 15, 1450 at Formigny, in which the dismounted archers of the ordonnance companies went around the British from the left flank and rear and forced them to clear the very position on which the French frontal attack was repulsed. This made it possible for the gendarmes of the ordinance companies, with a decisive attack on horseback, to inflict a complete defeat on the enemy; even freestyle shooters acted quite well in this battle; 2) the last major battle of the Hundred Years War - July 17, 1453 at Castiglione, where the same free shooters, in shelters, threw back and upset the troops of the old English commander Talbot.

Charles VII was also favored by the fact that Denmark entered into an alliance with him, and in England itself, internal turmoil and civil strife again began. Although the struggle between the two states continued even after the death of Charles VII and Henry VI, and the English king did not cease to call himself the king of France, he no longer sought to enter the French throne, but only to divide the state of the Capet-Valois. - thus, the end date of the Hundred Years War itself is usually recognized as 1453 (still under Charles VII).

What could be worse than a war, when hundreds of thousands of people die for the interests of politicians and those in power. And all the more terrible are protracted military conflicts, during which people get used to living in conditions where death can overtake them at any moment, and human life has no value. This was precisely the reason, stages, results and biographies of the actors of which deserve careful study.

Causes

Before studying what were the results of the Hundred Years War, one should understand its prerequisites. It all started with the fact that the sons of the French king Philip the Fourth left no male heirs. At the same time, the native grandson of the monarch from the daughter of Isabella, the English king Edward the Third, who ascended the throne of England in 1328 at the age of 16, was alive. However, he could not claim the throne of France under the Salic law. Thus, France reigned in the person of Philip the Sixth, who was the nephew of Philip the Fourth, and Edward the Third in 1331 was forced to swear an oath of vassalage to him for Gascony, a French region considered the personal property of the English monarchs.

Beginning and first stage of the war (1337-1360)

6 years after the events described, Edward the Third decided to still fight for the throne of his grandfather and sent a challenge to Philip the Sixth. Thus began the Hundred Years War, the causes and results of which are of great interest to those who study the history of Europe. After the declaration of war, the British launched an attack on Picardy, in which they were supported by the inhabitants of Flanders and the feudal lords of the southwestern counties of France.

In the first years after the outbreak of the armed conflict, the fighting went on with varying success, until in 1340 there was a naval battle in Sluys. As a result of the British victory, the English Channel came under their control and remained so until the end of the war. Thus, in the summer of 1346, nothing could prevent the troops of Edward the Third from crossing the strait and capturing the city of Caen. From there, the English army followed to Crécy, where on August 26 the famous battle took place, which ended in their triumph, and in 1347 they also captured the city of Calais. In parallel with these events, hostilities were unfolding in Scotland. However, fortune continued to smile on Edward the Third, who defeated the army of this kingdom at the battle of Neville's Cross, and eliminated the threat of war on two fronts.

The plague pandemic and the conclusion of peace in Brétigny

In 1346-1351, the "Black Death" visited Europe. This plague pandemic claimed so many lives that there could be no question of continuing the fighting. The only highlight of this period, sung in ballads, was the Battle of the Thirty, when the English and French knights and squires staged a massive duel, which was watched by several hundred peasants. After the end of the pestilence, England again began military operations, which were mainly led by the Black Prince, the eldest son of Edward the Third. In 1356 he defeated and captured the French king John II. Later, in 1360, the Dauphin of France, who was to become King Charles V, signed the so-called Peace of Brétigny on very unfavorable terms.

Thus, the results of the Hundred Years War at its first stage were as follows:

• France was completely demoralized;
• England acquired half of Brittany, Aquitaine, Poitiers, Calais and almost half of the enemy's vassal possessions, i.e. John the Second lost power over a third of the territory of his country;
• Edward the Third undertook, on his own behalf and on behalf of his descendants, no longer to claim the throne of his grandfather;
• the second son of John the Second - Louis of Anjou - was sent to London as a hostage in exchange for the return of his father to France.

Peaceful period from 1360 to 1369

After the cessation of hostilities, the peoples of the countries involved in the conflict received a respite that lasted 9 years. During this time, Louis of Anjou escaped from England, and his father, being a knight true to his word, went into voluntary captivity, where he died. After his death, he ascended the throne of France, who in 1369 unjustly accused the British of violating the peace treaty and resumed hostilities against them.

Second phase

Usually, those who study the course and results of the Hundred Years' War characterize the time interval between 1369 and 1396 as a series of constant battles, in which, in addition to the main participants, the kingdoms of Castile, Portugal and Scotland were also involved. During this period, the following important events took place:

• in 1370 in Castile, with the help of the French, Enrique II came to power, who became their faithful ally;
• two years later the city of Poitiers was liberated;
• in 1372, at the battle of La Rochelle, the Franco-Castilian combined fleet defeated the English squadron;
• 4 years later the Black Prince died;
• in 1377, Edward III died, and the minor Richard II ascended the throne of England;
• from 1392 the king of France showed signs of insanity;
• four years later, a truce was concluded, caused by the extreme exhaustion of the opponents.

Truce (1396-1415)

When the madness of the king became obvious to everyone, internecine strife began in the country, in which the Armagnac party won. The situation was no better in England, which entered into a new war with Scotland, which, moreover, was supposed to pacify the rebellions of Ireland and Wales. In addition, Richard II was overthrown there, and Henry the Fourth, and then his son, reigned on the throne. Thus, until 1415, both countries were unable to continue the war and were in a state of armed truce.

Third stage (1415-1428)

Those who study the course and consequences of the Hundred Years War usually call its most interesting event the emergence of such a historical phenomenon as a female warrior who was able to become the head of an army of feudal knights. We are talking about Joan of Arc, born in 1412, whose personality was greatly influenced by the events that took place in 1415-1428. Historical science considers this period the third stage of the Hundred Years War and highlights the following events as key ones:

• the Battle of Agincourt in 1415, which was won by Henry V;
• the signing of an agreement at Troyes, according to which the distraught king Charles the Sixth declared the king of England his heir;
• the capture of Paris by the British in 1421;
• the death of Henry the Fifth and the declaration of his one-year-old son as king of England and France;
• the defeat of the former Dauphin Charles, whom a significant part of the French considered the rightful king, at the Battle of Cravan;
• the British siege of Orleans, which began in 1428, during which the world first learned the name of Joan of Arc.

End of the war (1428-1453)

The city of Orleans was of great strategic importance. If the British managed to capture it, then the answer to the question "what are the results of the Hundred Years War" would be completely different, and the French could even lose their independence. Fortunately for this country, a girl was sent down to her, calling herself Jeanne the Virgin. She arrived at the Dauphin Charles in March 1429 and announced that the Lord had commanded her to stand at the head of the French army and lift the siege of Orleans. After a series of interrogations and trials, Karl believed her and appointed her commander in chief of his troops. As a result, on May 8, Orleans was saved, on June 18, Jeanne's army defeated the British army at the Battle of Pat, and on June 29, at the insistence of the Virgin of Orleans, the Dauphin's “Bloody Campaign” began in Reims. There he was crowned, but soon after that he stopped listening to the advice of the warrior.

A few years later, Jeanne was captured by the Burgundians, who handed the girl over to the British, who executed her, accusing her of heresy and idolatry. However, the results of the Hundred Years' War were already a foregone conclusion, and even the death of the Virgin of Orleans could not prevent the liberation of France. The last battle in this war was the Battle of Castillon, when the British lost Gascony, which had been theirs for over 250 years.

Results of the Hundred Years War (1337-1453)

As a result of this protracted inter-dynastic armed conflict, England lost all its continental territories in France, retaining only the port of Calais. In addition, in response to the question of what were the results of the Hundred Years War, specialists in the field of military history answer that as a result of it, the methods of warfare changed dramatically, and new types of weapons were created.

Consequences of the Hundred Years' War

The echoes of this armed conflict predetermined relations between England and France for centuries to come. In particular, until 1801, the English, and then the monarchs of Great Britain, bore the title of kings of France, which in no way contributed to the establishment of friendly ties.

Now you know when the Hundred Years War took place, the causes, course, results and motives of the main characters of which have been the subject of study by many historians for almost 6 centuries.

The Hundred Years' War is a series of military conflicts between England and France that took place between 1337 and 1453.
Consider the course of the Hundred Years War briefly.
The entire time period of the Hundred Years War is divided into four periods.
The first is also called Edwardian - from 1337 to 1360. The second period is otherwise called the Caroline period from 1360 to 1389. The third is otherwise referred to as the Lancastrian War (1415-1420). And the final stage lasted until 1453.
The official reason was the claim of the English king Edward III to the French throne (his mother was the sister of the recently deceased king). He laid claim to his rights in 1328. He was refused, and he began preparations for war.

First stage (1337–1360)

Let us briefly consider the main events of this period by date.
1340. The war began three years earlier, but only this year the British achieved their first significant result - they won the naval battle of Sluys.
1346. The real triumph of Edward was the victory at Crécy. His soldiers, weary of the transition, were able to defeat the enemy's numerically superior army. The credit for this victory belongs to the English archers.
1356. In the battle of Poitiers, Edward's son, nicknamed the Black Prince, has already distinguished himself. He not only led his people out of the trap, defeated the enemy, but also captured the French king John II.
1360. The captive monarch was played as a card at the conclusion of a peace treaty in Bretigny, according to which a third of the French lands were recognized as English possessions, and a large ransom was paid for the freedom of the king.

Second stage (1360–1389)

Briefly characterizing this period of the Hundred Years War, it should be noted that there were no major military battles during this period. It is rather a time of reforms and diplomatic struggle. But the French gradually began to gain strength. The main role in this was played by the reforms carried out by Charles V.
A new kind of troops was introduced in the army - crossbowmen; switched from the tactics of predatory raids to partisan resistance; commanders were appointed not for titles, but for abilities.
1360-1368. Two applicants - one from England, the other from France - fought for the hand of Marguerite de Mal, because her dowry was the county of Flanders. The Pope supported the representative of France.
1373. In the course of the newly launched active hostilities, Charles V wins back Normandy and Brittany from the British.
1396. A rapprochement began between the countries, primarily due to the mutual sympathy of the monarchs. As a result, England (Richard II) and France (Charles VI) concluded a truce for a period of 28 years.
1399. The termination of the predatory war did not suit the English feudal lords. The barons organized a coup in the country, overthrew Richard II and proclaimed Henry IV Lancaster king. He confirmed the truce, but decided to destabilize the situation in France by supporting warring feudal factions.
1413. Henry V becomes king of England. He is ready to resume the war in France.

Third stage (1415–1420)

If we give a brief assessment of this period, here again the strengthening of the British is observed.
1415. The Battle of Agincourt, in which 6,000 soldiers of Henry V opposed the many times larger army of the French (according to various estimates, from 30 to 50 thousand). Thanks to the archers, the British won.
1420. Signing of a peace treaty in Troyes. Briefly, the essence of the document boiled down to the fact that King Henry V of England was appointed regent under the feeble-minded king Charles VI - later he was to become the head of both countries.
1422. This year, one after the other, both persons involved in the document signed in Troyes died: first Henry, then Charles VI.

Fourth stage (1422–1453)

At the final stage of the Hundred Years' War, a decisive role was played by the change in the foreign policy situation and the strengthening of the liberation movement in France.
On behalf of England, the Duke of Bedford continued the war, appointed regent under Henry VI.
1428. Bedford led a successful offensive and in this year began the siege of Orleans.
1429. Thanks to Jeanne d'Arc, the French managed to defend the besieged city, later winning the battle of Patay.
07/17/1429. Through the efforts of Joan of Arc, the coronation of the Dauphin Charles (now Charles VII) took place in Reims.
1431. In response, the British hold the coronation of Henry VI in Paris, declaring him king of France.
1431. The English execute Joan of Arc by burning her at the stake. But this can no longer stop the liberation movement, which manifested itself in anti-English conspiracies, in the joining of volunteers to the army of Charles VII, in riots in Normandy.
1435. Bedford dies, who until then ensured the successful offensive of the British in France.
1436. The French retook Paris.
1449. Charles VII liberates Normandy from the British.
1451. The British were forced out of Aquitaine.
August 1453. Battle of Chatillon, in which the British were defeated, but retained part of their forces and settled in Bordeaux. In October they gave up. This is considered the official end of the Hundred Years' War. Although the peace treaty was not signed due to the mental imbalance of Henry VI and the troubles that began in England (the War of the Roses).

La guerre de cent ans is a tragic period in the history of France that claimed the lives of many thousands of French people. Armed conflict between England and France, which lasted intermittently for 116 years (from 1337 to 1453), and if not for Joan of Arc, who knows how it could have ended.

Today we will try to understand the causes and consequences of this war, which ended with the victory of France, but what did it cost her? So, we get comfortable in the time machine and go back in time, to the XIV century.

In the first half of the 14th century, namely after the death of the last representative of the royal Capetian dynasty (Les Capétiens) Charles IV in 1328, a difficult situation arose in France: the question arose, to whom to transfer the throne if not a single Capet in the male line remained?

Fortunately, the Capetian dynasty had relatives - the Counts of Valois (Charles of Valois was the brother of Philip IV the Handsome). The council of representatives of the noble French families decided that the crown of France should be transferred to the Valois family. Thus, thanks to the majority of votes in the Council, the Valois dynasty ascended the French throne in the person of its first representative, King Philip VI.

All this time, England closely watched the events in France. The fact is that the English king Edward III was the grandson of Philip IV the Handsome, so he considered that he had the right to claim the French throne. In addition, the British were haunted by the provinces of Guienne and Aquitaine (as well as some others) located on French territory. Once these provinces were the domain of England, but King Philip II Augustus returned them by retaking them from England. After Philip VI of Valois was crowned in Reims (the city where the French kings were crowned), Edward III sent him a letter in which he expressed his claims to the French throne.

At first, Philip VI laughed when he received this letter, because this is incomprehensible to the mind! But in the autumn of 1337, the British launch an offensive in Picardy (a French province), and no one laughs in France anymore.

The most striking thing about this war is that throughout the history of the conflict, the English, that is, the enemies of France, from time to time support various French provinces, seeking their own advantage in this war. As the saying goes, "To whom is war, and to whom is mother dear." And now England is supported by the cities of the south-west of France.

From all of the above, it follows that England acted as the aggressor, and France had to defend its territories.

Les causes de la Guerre de Cent ans: le roi anglais Eduard III prétend àê tre le roi de France. L'Angleterre veut regagner les territoires françaises d'Auquitaine et de Guyenne.

French Armed Forces

Knight of the Hundred Years War

It should be noted that the French army of the XIV century consisted of a feudal knightly militia, which included both noble knights and commoners, as well as foreign mercenaries (famous Genoese crossbowmen).

Unfortunately, the system of universal conscription, which formally existed in France, had practically disappeared by the beginning of the Hundred Years' War. Therefore, the king had to think and wonder: will the Duke of Orleans come to my aid? Will some other duke or earl help with his army? However, the cities were able to field large military contingents, which included cavalry and artillery. All warriors were paid for their service.

Les forces armées françaises se composaient de la milice féodale chevaleresque. Le système de conscription universelle, qui existait formellement en France, au début de la guerre de Cent Ans presque disparu.

The beginning of the war

The beginning of the Hundred Years War, unfortunately, was successful for the enemy and unsuccessful for France. France suffers several defeats in a number of significant battles.

The French fleet, which prevented the landing of English troops on the continent, was almost completely destroyed in the naval battle of Sluys in 1340. After this event, until the end of the war, the British fleet had dominance at sea, controlling the English Channel.

Further, the troops of the French King Philip attacked Edward's army in the famous battle of Crécy August 26, 1346. This battle ended in a catastrophic defeat for the French troops. Philip then remained almost completely alone, almost the entire army died, and he himself knocked on the doors of the first castle he came across and asked for an overnight stay with the words “Open the unfortunate king of France!”

The troops of England continued their unhindered advance to the north and laid siege to the city of Calais, which was taken in 1347. This event was an important strategic success for the British, it allowed Edward III to keep his forces on the continent.

In 1356 took place battle of poitiers. France is already ruled by King John II the Good. The 30,000-strong English army inflicted a crushing defeat on France at the Battle of Poitiers. The battle was tragic for France also because the front ranks of the French horses were frightened by gun salvos and rushed back, knocking down the knights, the hooves and armor crushed their own soldiers, the crush turned out to be incredible. Many soldiers died not even at the hands of the British, but under the hooves of their own horses. In addition, the battle ended with the capture of King John II the Good by the British.

Battle of Poitiers

King John II is sent to England as a prisoner, and confusion and chaos reign in France. In 1359, the Peace of London was signed, according to which England received Aquitaine, and King John the Good was set free. Economic difficulties and military setbacks led to popular uprisings - the Parisian uprising (1357-1358) and the Jacquerie (1358). With great effort, these unrest were pacified, but, again, it cost France significant losses.

English troops freely moved through the territory of France, demonstrating to the population the weakness of French power.

The heir to the French throne, the future King Charles V the Wise was forced to conclude a humiliating peace for himself in Brétigny (1360). As a result of the first stage of the war, Edward III acquired half of Brittany, Aquitaine, Calais, Poitiers, and about half of the vassal possessions of France. The French throne thus lost a third of the territory of France.

The French king John had to return to captivity, as his son Louis of Anjou, who was the guarantor of the king, fled from England. John died in English captivity, and King Charles V, whom the people will call Wise, takes the throne of France.

La bataille de Crécy et la bataille de Poitiers se termèrent par une défaite pour les Français. Le roi Jean II le Bon est capture par les Anglais. Le trône français a perdu un tiers du territoire de la France.

How France lived under Charles V

King Charles V of France reorganized the army and introduced important economic reforms. All this allowed the French in the second stage of the war, in the 1370s, to achieve significant military successes. The British were driven out of the country. Despite the fact that the French province of Brittany was an ally of England, the Breton dukes showed loyalty to the French authorities, and even the Breton knight Bertrand Du Guesclin became the constable of France (commander in chief) and the right hand of King Charles V.

Charles V the Wise

During this period, Edward III was already too old to command an army and wage war, and England lost her best military leaders. Constable Bertrand Dugueclin, following a cautious strategy, in a series of military campaigns, avoiding clashes with large English armies, liberated many cities, such as Poitiers (1372) and Bergerac (1377). The allied fleet of France and Castile won a landslide victory at La Rochelle, destroying the English squadron in the process.

In addition to military successes, King Charles V of France was able to do a lot for his country. He reformed the taxation system, managing to reduce taxes and, thereby, make life easier for the common people of France. He reorganized the army, putting it in order and making it more collected. He carried out a number of significant economic reforms that made life easier for the peasants. And all this - in a terrible time of war!

Charles V le Sage a réorganisé l'armée, a tenu une série de réformes économiques visant à stabiliser le pays, a réorganisé le système fiscal. Grace au connétable Bertrand du Guesclin il a remporté plusieurs victoires importantes sur les Anglais.

What happened next?

Unfortunately, Charles V the Wise dies, and his son Charles VI takes over the French throne. At first, the actions of this king were aimed at continuing the wise policy of his father.

But a little later, Charles VI goes crazy for unknown reasons. Anarchy began in the country, power was seized by the uncles of the king, the dukes of Burgundy and Berry. In addition, a civil war broke out in France between the Burgundians and the Armagnacs due to the murder of the king's brother, the Duke of Orleans (Armagnacs are relatives of the Duke of Orleans). This situation could not but take advantage of the British.

England is ruled by King Henry IV; in battle of Agincourt October 25, 1415 the British win a decisive victory over the superior forces of the French.

The English king captured most of Normandy, including the cities of Caen (1417) and Rouen (1419). Having entered into an alliance with the Duke of Burgundy, in five years the English king subjugated approximately half of the territory of France. In 1420, Henry met in negotiations with the mad King Charles VI, with whom he signed a treaty at Troyes. According to this agreement, Henry V was declared the heir to Charles VI the Mad, bypassing the legitimate Dauphin Charles (in the future - King Charles VII). The following year, Henry entered Paris, where the treaty was officially confirmed by the States General (French Parliament).

Continuing hostilities, in 1428 the British laid siege to the city of Orleans. But 1428 marked the appearance on the political and military arena of the national heroine of France, Joan of Arc.

La bataille d'Azincourt a eté la défaite des Français. Les Anglais sont alles plus loin.

Joan of Arc and the victory of France

Joan of Arc at the coronation of Charles VII

Having besieged Orleans, the British realized that their forces were not enough to organize a complete blockade of the city. In 1429, Joan of Arc met with the Dauphin Charles (who at that time was forced to hide with his supporters) and convinced him to give her troops to lift the siege of Orleans. The conversation was long and sincere. Carl believed the young girl. Jeanne managed to raise the morale of her warriors. At the head of the troops, she attacked the English siege fortifications, forced the enemy to retreat, lifting the siege from the city. Thus, inspired by Jeanne, the French liberated a number of important fortified points in the Loire. Shortly thereafter, Jeanne and her army defeated the English armed forces at Pat, opening the way to Reims, where the Dauphin was crowned under the name of King Charles VII.

Unfortunately, in 1430, the folk heroine Jeanne was captured by the Burgundians and handed over to the British. But even her execution in 1431 could not influence the further course of the war and pacify the fighting spirit of the French.

In 1435, the Burgundians went over to the side of France, and the Duke of Burgundy helped King Charles VII take possession of Paris. This allowed Charles to reorganize the army and government. The French commanders liberated city after city, repeating the strategy of constable Bertrand Du Guesclin. In 1449, the French retook the Norman city of Rouen. At the Battle of Formigny, the French utterly defeated the English troops and liberated the city of Caen. An attempt by the English troops to retake Gascony, which remained loyal to the English crown, failed: the English troops suffered a crushing defeat at Castillon in 1453. This battle was the last battle of the Hundred Years' War. And in 1453, the capitulation of the British garrison in Bordeaux put an end to the Hundred Years' War.

Jeanne d'Arc aide le Dauphin Charles et remporte plusieurs victoires sur les Anglais. Elle aid Charles aê tre couronné à Reims et devenir roi. Les Français continuent les succès de Jeanne, remportent plusieurs victoires et chassent les Anglais de France. En 1453, la reddition de la garnison britannique à Bordeaux a terminé la guerre de Cent Ans.

What are the consequences of the Hundred Years War?

As a result of the war, England lost all its possessions in France, except for the city of Calais, which remained part of England until 1558 (but then he returned to the bosom of France). England lost vast territories in southwestern France, which she had owned since the 12th century. The madness of the English king plunged the country into a period of anarchy and internecine conflicts, in which the warring houses of Lancaster and York were the main characters. The War of the Scarlet and White Roses began in England. In connection with the civil war, England did not have the strength and means to return the lost territories in France. In addition to all this, the treasury was devastated by military spending.

The war had a significant impact on the development of military affairs: the role of infantry increased on the battlefields, which required less cost in creating large armies, and the first standing armies appeared. In addition, new types of weapons were invented, favorable conditions appeared for the development of firearms.

But the main outcome of the war was the victory of France. The country felt its power and strength of its spirit!

Les Anglais ont perdu les territoires françaises. La victoire definitive de la France.

The theme of the Hundred Years War and the image of the national heroine Joan of Arc became fertile ground for works of cinema and literature.

If you are interested in how it all began, what was the situation in France before the Hundred Years War and its first period, then be sure to pay attention to the Cursed Kings series of novels by Maurice Druon. The writer describes with historical accuracy the characters of the kings of France and the situation before and during the war.

Alexandre Dumas also writes a series of works about the Hundred Years' War. The novel "Isabella of Bavaria" - the period of the reign of Charles VI and the signing of peace in Troyes.

As for cinema, you can watch the film by Luc Besson "Joan of Arc", based on the play by Jean Anouilh "The Lark". The film does not quite correspond to the historical truth, but the battle scenes are shown on a large scale.

In 1314 King Philip IV of France died. After him, 3 of his sons died in turn: Louis X the Grumpy in 1316, Philip V the Long in 1322, Charles IV the Handsome in 1328. With the death of the latter, the direct Capetian dynasty in France ended. Only Jeanne remained - the daughter of Louis X. She was married to the Navarrese king, and she became the heiress to the French throne. But the French peers said: “It is not good to spin lilies,” that is, it is not good for a woman to take the throne. And they elected the king of the closest relative in the male line - Philip VI of Valois.

It would seem that everything is fine: France has acquired a new king, and the issue was closed by itself. However, the matter was not as simple as it might seem at first glance. And the essence of the problem was that the 3 dead brothers had a sister, Isabella. Even under Philip IV the Beautiful, she was married to the English King Edward II Plantagenet (a French surname, comes from Western France, from Angers).

This Isabella of France turned out to be a very enterprising lady. She took a lover and with his help organized a baronial rebellion against her husband. The insidious wife overthrew her betrothed from the throne and ruled the country for 4 years, until her son Edward III came of age. And when the English crown was placed on the head of the latter in 1327, the newly-made ruler realized that he was not only the king of England, but also the direct heir to the French throne. And after the death of Charles IV the Handsome, he declared: “I am the direct heir to the French crown, give it to me!”

King Edward III Plantagenet of England

The French, of course, in no way, and put Philip VI of Valois on the throne. Here we must take into account the fact that France was not at all afraid of England. The population of France was 22 million people, and only 3 million people lived in England. France was richer, and its culture and state structure even better than in England. And yet, dynastic strife led to aggression from the Plantagenets and an armed military conflict. It went down in history as the Hundred Years War, and it lasted in general even more than a hundred years - from 1337 to 1453..

At that time, a parliament already existed in England, and it gave money very sparingly for various royal events. But this time the Parliament appropriated very large sums for a seemingly hopeless war against France. But I must say that she was not so hopeless.

The main force of the British were archers, the backbone of which were the Welsh. They made compound, glued and very tight longbows. An arrow fired from such a bow flew 450 meters and had a very large lethal force. In addition, the English archers shot 3 times faster than the French, since the latter used crossbows instead of bows.

Archers were the main force of the English army

The entire Hundred Years War is divided into 4 major military conflicts, between which a truce continued for some time. The first conflict or period is called the Edwardian War (1337-1360).. And I must say that this conflict began successfully for the British. Edward III gained allies in the person of the princes of the Netherlands and Flanders. In the latter, timber was bought and warships were built. In 1340, in the naval battle of Sluys, these ships utterly defeated the French fleet and provided the British with dominance at sea.

In 1341, hostilities took place in the Duchy of Brittany. There began a war for the Breton succession between the counts of Blois and Montfort. The British supported the Montforts, while the French sided with Blois. But this dynastic conflict was a prelude, and the main hostilities began in 1346, when Edward III crossed the English Channel with his army and invaded the Cotentin Peninsula.

Philip VI gathered an army and moved towards the enemy. The result of the military clash was the Battle of Crecy in August 1346. In this battle, the French suffered a crushing defeat, and the British were able to freely manage in the north of France. They took the city of Calais and established themselves on the continent.

Further military plans of the French and British were violated by the plague epidemic. It raged on the territory of Europe from 1346 to 1351 and claimed a huge number of human lives. Only by 1355 were the opponents able to recover from this terrible plague.

In 1350, King Philip VI of France died and his son John II the Good succeeded to the throne. But the death of the king did not affect the course of the Hundred Years War. In 1356 the British invaded France. The commander of the English army was Edward Woodstock (Black Prince) - the son of Edward III. His army inflicted a crushing defeat on the French at the Battle of Poitiers, and John II the Good himself was taken prisoner. He was forced to sign a shameful truce with the transfer of Aquitaine to the British.

The Hundred Years War claimed many lives

All these failures sparked a popular uprising in Paris and the Jacquerie. Using this advantageous situation, the British again landed in France and moved to Paris. But they did not storm the city, but only demonstrated their military superiority. And on May 8, 1360, the regent and future king of France, Charles V, concluded peace with the British in Brétigny. According to him, most of Western France went to the British. Thus ended the first phase of the Hundred Years War.

The second war (Carolingian) covered the period from 1369 to 1396. France longed for revenge, and the leadership of military operations was taken over by the French king Charles V the Wise, who ascended the throne in 1364. Under him, the British were driven out of the country. In 1377, Edward III, the main culprit of the dynastic conflict, died. His 10-year-old son, Richard II, succeeded to the throne. The weakness of royal power provoked a popular uprising led by Wat Tyler. All this in 1396 led to a truce between France and England.

The Hundred Years War continued in 1415-1428.. This military period went down in history as Lancastrian War. Its initiator was the English king Henry IV Bolingbroke, who founded the Lancaster dynasty. But he died in 1413, and therefore his son Henry V carried out military expansion. He invaded France with his army in August 1415 and captured the city of Honfleur. In October 1415, the British defeated the French army at the Battle of Agincourt.

After that, almost all of Normandy was captured, and by 1420 almost half of France. As a consequence, on May 21, 1420, Henry V met with the French king Charles VI the Mad in the city of Troyes. An agreement was signed there, according to which Henry V was declared the heir to Charles VI, bypassing the Dauphin Charles (future King Charles VII of France). After that, the British entered Paris and became absolute masters in France.

The Virgin Saved France

But then the Scots came to the aid of France in accordance with the Old Alliance, signed between France and Scotland back in 1295. The Scottish army, under the command of John Stewart, landed on the French coast, and in March 1421 the Battle of Bog took place between the English and the Franco-Scottish army. In this battle, the British suffered a crushing defeat.

In 1422, Henry V died, leaving his 8-month-old son Henry VI as heir. The baby became not only the king of England, but also of France. However, the French nobility did not want to obey the new king and rallied around Charles VII the Conqueror - the son of Charles VI the Mad. Thus, the Hundred Years War was continued.

However, the further course of military events was extremely unsuccessful for the Franco-Scottish troops. The British won a number of serious victories and in 1428 laid siege to Orleans. France, however, was torn into two parts isolated from each other. And in this most difficult time for the French people, the cry swept through the country: “The Virgin will save France!” And such a maiden really appeared, and her name was .

In 1428, the last period of the Hundred Years' War began, ending in 1453 with the victory of France.. He went down in history as final stage. In 1429, an army under the command of Joan of Arc defeated the British near Orleans. The siege of the city was lifted, and Jeanne, consolidating the victory, defeated the English army at Pat. This victory made it possible to enter Reims, where Charles VII was finally officially crowned and proclaimed King of France.

The French owed all this to the maiden who saved France. But in 1430, Jeanne was captured by the Burgundians and handed over to the British. The latter in 1431 burned the maiden at the stake, but this villainy did not turn the tide of hostilities. The French began to slowly and steadily liberate town after town. In 1449 the French entered Rouen and then liberated Caen. On July 17, 1453, the Battle of Castillon took place in Gascony.. It ended with the complete defeat of the English army.

Territory of France (light brown) during different periods of the Hundred Years' War

This battle was the last in the 116-year military confrontation between England and France. After that, the Hundred Years War ended. However, no treaty that could formalize the results of the long war was signed. In 1455, a war broke out in England between the Scarlet and the White Rose. It lasted 30 years, and the British had no time to think about France.

True, in 1475, the English king Edward IV landed in Calais with a 20,000-strong army. The French king Louis XI came forward with similar forces. He was a master of intrigue, and therefore did not bring the conflict to a major bloodshed. On August 29, 1475, the two monarchs met face to face on the bridge over the Somme at Piquinha. They signed a 7-year truce. It is it that is considered the treaty that became the final chord of the Hundred Years War.

The result of many years of military epic was the victory of France. England lost all possessions on its territory, even those that it had owned since the 12th century. As for the human casualties, they were huge on both sides. But from the point of view of military affairs, there was a lot of progress. Thus, new types of weapons appeared and new tactical methods of warfare were developed.