Hundred Years' War Books

About Hundred Years' War

The Hundred Years' War was a prolonged series of conflicts fought between the Kingdoms of England and France from 1337 to 1453, though not continuous, spanning over a century. The war had its roots in dynastic disputes: the English monarchy’s claim to the French throne through Edward III, whose mother was a French princess. The conflict is characterized by periods of intense warfare punctuated by truces and diplomatic negotiations. Iconic battles such as Crécy (1346), Poitiers (1356), and Agincourt (1415) demonstrated the effectiveness of English longbowmen against heavily armored French knights. These English victories, however, were not enough to secure lasting dominance. The tide eventually turned in favor of France, especially with the rise of figures like Joan of Arc, who inspired French forces and played a crucial role in lifting the siege of Orléans. The war ended with the French reclaiming nearly all their territory, and the English retaining only Calais. The Hundred Years’ War had profound consequences: it fostered early national identities in both England and France, saw shifts in military tactics and feudal structures, and contributed to the eventual end of medieval chivalric warfare. It also strained both economies and led to internal unrest, including the Wars of the Roses in England.