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Essay On The Hundred Years War

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One of the longest conflicts in the history of warfare, the Hundred Years’ War was a time that defined history for both England and France. The war lasted from 1337 until 1453 passing over one hundred years and reaching a total of one hundred and sixteen years. It began in May 1337 when King Philip VI of France tried to confiscate English territories located in Southwestern France and it then ended in July 1453 when the French finally expelled the English from the continent. In the one hundred and sixteen years’ time span, there were about sixty eight years of peace, and forty four years of a series of battles full with raids, sieges, and naval battles. Like many other wars, it did not achieve anything except for destruction, disorder, and the misery of the common people living in these events, though it marked the start of early modern times for England and France. (Bishop) Although the war started in 1337, the roots trace back all the way to the reign of William the Conqueror. When William the Conqueror became king in 1066. He launched an invasion of England from Normandy, his territory within France. He then in the Battle of Hastings came out victorious and he united England with Normandy …show more content…

This battle took place at the present village of Crecy, in the department of France of Somme. The English army led by Edward III defeated a much larger army led by Philip VI. About half of the French army was killed in this battle, including more than a thousand knights. For the first time English archers on foot using new weapons such as long bows and crossbows proved to be more effective and efficient than the French knights on horses. (Allmand) A year later because of the victory at Crecy Edward III of England laid siege to Calais and forced the city to surrender. The Black Death or also commonly known as the Bubonic plague afterwards struck Europe, and forced the war to halt until the disaster

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