Essay Examples on Hundred Years War

1st Essay Sample on Hundred Years War

How long did the Hundred Years War last?The answer is actually a surprising 116 years.The Hundred Years war is the name given to the series of on and off warfare fought between the kings of England and France, from 1337 to 1453.The war consisted of sieges, raids, sea and land battles, and long periods truce (“Hundred Years War”, 222).The war shaped the way the time period ended and the way western Europe looks today.

The events of the Hundred Years War created a framework for the way we look at the Middle Ages. A major cause of this outbreak of battle was the battle over Flanders, an industrial center of northern Europe.The counts of Flanders were vassals to the king of France, but the English saw Flanders as their major center of foreign trade due to its cloth manufacture.This caused fighting between the two countries to begin.The English also controlled southern France after Eleanor of Aquitaine married King Henry II in the mid-12th century.

Therefore, the French allied the Scots to control a northern stronghold, called the “Auld Alliance”.The two countries also fought over control of the English Channel and the North Sea.All of these forces caused the long war to begin (Nelson). The Hundred Years War is broken up into three stages or phases.Thefirst lasted until the signature of the Treaty of Bretigny in 1360 (1337-1360).The second phase lasted from 1360-1413 when Henry V became king, and the third phase lasted from 1413-1453.

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Thefirst phase was marked by English victories in France and alliances with French feudal lords.The second phase was marked by English inactivity and French raids keeping the English on the defensive.The third phase began with major and dramatic English victories but ended in defeat and England’s nearly complete withdrawal from France (“Hundred Years War”, 223).

2nd Essay Sample on Hundred Years War

Many things occurred during the hundred years’ war. One of the reasons for this war could be called unnecessary. If Edward III would have just waited until Phillip VI of Valois died , then he could have been king and lived happily ever after. But he had to get impatient and try to take the throne as soon as possible. Another thing that I disagree with is how Charles VII didn’t interfere when the Burgundians took Joan of Arc.This situation could have been avoided if Edward III wouldn’t have been so stubborn in his quest for the throne.

He was only fifteen years old and was already very greedy. He had plenty of time to wait for Phillip VI to die and then he would have rose up and taken the throne rightfully. Also it was definitely not worth going to war over something that he would have attained in a 5-10 year period anyway.One of the most amazing things that happened during this war is when Joan of Arc, a peasant with no military experience told Charles VII how to defeat the English. This could be considered a miracle to the French, especially since her strategy that the King of The Heavens delivered to her worked perfectly. Yet there is a downside to this story.

When the Burgundians captured her Charles VII did very little for her, and she was eventually burned at the stake.In conclusion, this was a very interesting war of the Middle Ages. Some could say that miracles even occurred. Overall, this was a very interesting era of European history, and nothing will be quite like it.