The Hundred Years War

The Hundred Years War was an armed conflict that lasted in reality 116 years (1337-1453) between the kingdoms of France and England. This war was feudal roots, as its purpose was none other than settle who would control the vast possessions of the English monarchs in French territories since 1154, due to the accession of Henry II Plantagenet, Count of Anjou and married to Eleanor of Aquitaine, the throne English. Had international implications. Finally, after countless avatars, resulted in the removal English French lands.

Origins of the conflict

The huge rivalry between France and England had already begun at the time of the Battle of Hastings, in which the French Duke William of Normandy (William the Conqueror or William the Bastard) from seizing England (1066). Now the Normans were kings of a great nation, and would require the French king to be treated as such. But the point of view of France was not the same. The Dukes of Normandy had always been his vassals, and that had risen from his duchy to a high throne in a country "far" did not have to change their traditional subservience to the crown of Paris.

The war

Among the children of Philip the Fair was Elizabeth, who was the mother of Edward III of England. The young king, of only sixteen years, tried to claim his right to the throne of France by appealing to this. if the host had English thesis, the daughters of Louis X, Philip V and Charles IV would have more right to pass the crown over his aunt Elizabeth of France.

Of course, France disagreed therefore invoked the Salic Law, which forbade the transmission of the crown through the female line, and therefore decided that the newly abandoned crown passed to the Capetian younger brother of Philip the Fair: Charles of Valois. But this was 1328, and Charles had died three years earlier. Thus, the theory corresponded French crown to his son, Philip of Valois, under the real name of Philip VI. This was the first monarch of the Valois dynasty, which reigned in France without Edward III could do anything about it.