What was the Hundred Years' War?
The Hundred Years' War was a series of conflicts between England and France from 1337 to 1453, mainly over who should rule France. Despite its name, it lasted 116 years.
The war began when King Edward III of England claimed the French throne through his mother. The fighting was not continuous but came in phases separated by truces. English armies won famous battles at Crécy in 1346, Poitiers in 1356 and Agincourt in 1415, largely thanks to longbow archers.
After Agincourt, England controlled much of northern France. The tide turned in 1429, when Joan of Arc helped lift the siege of Orléans, and Charles VII was crowned king. French forces gradually drove the English out, and by 1453, England held only the port of Calais.
Its effects
The war strengthened national identity in both countries. It also changed warfare, as gunpowder weapons and professional armies became more important than knights. England lost Calais in 1558, ending its hold on mainland France.
Did You Know?
The name Hundred Years' War was invented by historians in the 1800s. People living at the time did not see it as one single war.