Lorem Ipsum
THE 100 YEARS WAR
JUSTIN NESTLEROAD
Chapter 1
INTRO Intro Movie
SECTION 1
Why This Book? I decided to write this book to make a summative text on the Hundred Years’ War because it can be a hard topic to teach grade-level students. That is to say that I intended for the book to be for the level of students at the high school level. Preferably sophomores or juniors because the content can be difficult for younger students to grasp. I’m thinking especially of the battle formations which I go into detail with. This is meant primarily as a teaching aid and is not a definite guide to the War but with a teacher’s guide it can be a very helpful resource.
This work by Justin Nestleroad is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
2
Chapter 2
THE START The 100 Years’ War was a war in which Britain tried to expand their rule into France. This started with their acquisition of the territory of Aquitaine some years before from a diplomatic marriage in which Eleanor of Aquitaine married Henry, duke of Normandy. Within months she became Queen of England with all of the drama that followed. Her previous husband had been King Louis of France, but had her marriage nulled after a failed crusade. This along with some other territories sparked tension and allowed all of the English Kings to question the French King’s right to the throne since they were technically in the nobility of the French and English and gave them some right to the territory of Aquitaine (red on the map on the right) to which England would conquer later...
Territorial Exchanges Now since the Hundred Years’ War doesn’t start officially until 1337, we have some ground to cover. King John of England forfeited Normandy and Anjou to the French in 1204 while Henry III, his son, renounced the claim Britain had to those lands. However, he held Gascony as a duchy which caused more strife. KING EDWARD III ❖
Think about the personalities of the leaders that started the war.
France then allied with the Scots in 1294 against the Brits which caused even more strife and culminated in Edward III’s acquisition of Aquitaine (what did I tell you?) in 1337. This even is often seen by many historians as the beginning of the war. Edward then questioned Philip IV’s right to the throne and proclaimed himself the ‘King of France and the French Royal Arms.’ He used this to stir up malcontents among the French Royalty and create strife among the people. This severely demoralized the armies of France and gave England a leg up on the French. It also gave him some right to the territories that he took right before the war.
4
Chapter 3
THE ENGLISH ARE WINNING At the start of the war, the English are massacring the French army. Battle after battle the English win and gain more and more territory of France and the entire situation looks incredibly bleak for the French. The main reasons for the English victory is that of their new technology and a demoralized French Army that could be easily goaded into a failed battle maneuver.
SECTION 3
The Battle of Sluys
PAINTING FROM FROISSART’S CHRONICLES
Depicts archers shooting from crow’s nests ❖ Fate of the fallen to be thrown overboard. ❖ What is different between war in the medieval era and the war of today? ❖
This naval battle was the first real battle of the war and it occurred in the channel port of Sluys (modern day Netherlands) where the French had been amassing a large navy. This battle is particularly interesting because neither side had a navy in the true sense of the word but had instead merchant ships and crews that were converted into warships. These ships were called Cogs, and could only hold about 25 men and the English had about 400. The French command about 250 ships which were smaller and more agile the the English ships and were called galleys. They also received galley from the Genoese and the Castilians. The English bore up to the French in two lines and found the enemy ships in the standard defensive position of the day, also two lines but each ship in the line boarded together. This was supposed to create an impenetrable line and allowed troops from each ship to help ships under attack. The disadvantage being that the French lost mobility. When the attack came, the second row disbanded and helped to fight or attempted escape. Until the end of the battle, ships were taken and retaken until the English won in an overwhelming victory.
6
SECTION 4
The Battle of Poitiers
THE BATTLE OF PITIERS
Think about the importance of strategy and planning during the course of the battle. ❖ Who does more of it? ❖ How does random happenstance help out? ❖
This battle, taking place in Western France, was between The Black Prince and King John I of France with the numbers skewed heavily in favor of the French. With numbers somewhere between 35,000 and 60,000 depending on which source is used but the British army is somewhere around 7,000. This is the first battle after the plague, the Black Death, stopped military operations for some years and claimed the lives of both Kings that started the war. The English army had landed in Bordeaux some years before and much of the army had fought in Crecy come ten years before and had tromped around Western France without finding a real fight in the region until King John I caught up with them. Both Kings thought the battle would be a disaster for the English, so the Black Prince ran until John I caught up with him at Bordeaux. The English took a defensive formation behind hedge formations and the French attack proceeded on foot to avoid the advantage that the English would have with their bows on the horses. They left their horses and began a lengthy march.
7
However, the French sent their German allied knights in first who were massacred by English bowmen and all those who weren’t killed by arrows were dragged off of their horses and killed or taken prisoner. The French foot soldiers then reached the line, exhausted from carrying their equipment from their long march. Their equipment being a jointed steel plate armor incorporating back and breast plates, a visored bascinet helmet and steel plated gauntlets with spikes on the back, the legs and feet protected by steel greaves and boots, called jambs. The total weight of which must have been fifty or sixty pounds in weight. Not to mention that through about half of their march they were harassed by the arrows of the English.
British charged the French flanks and the bowmen dropped their bows and ran into the fray. The decimated French army fell into a full retreat out of fear and heavy losses. The Black Prince reported that he killed nearly 3,000 French troops, and captured the French King, while only losing 40 men. In reality, English losses were probably much higher but the devastating loss to the English severely demoralized an already demoralized army. Dauphin Charles succeeded the King John I but faced many revolts across the country which made it difficult to raise ransom and war money. As almost a testament to chivalric values, the Black Prince entertained the King very well while in custody.
The first two divisions of French soldiers began fighting the line and the English were so frenzied that they burst through the hedges and began fighting along the flanks of the French soldiers. The retreating soldiers from those divisions joined the last division commanded by King John I who commanded a massive division of walking metal knights and men-at-arms, or those knights too poor to buy armor.
The most interesting thing of this battle is that the English won despite being severely outnumbered as they had showed was the reasons they won in the Battle of Sluys. It showed that good planning and an army that wants to fight for their leaders was much more important than false moral created by large army.
Watching from afar, the Black Prince mistook the retreat of the first divisions of French soldiers to be victory. He mounted a division of knights to chase the supposedly retreating French. As King John I’s army walked up to the hedgerows, a huge group of mounted knights wielding lances broke through the hedges, devastating the French army. At the same time, the Gascon allies of the 8
SECTION 5
The Battle Of Agincourt This is yet another battle in which the English won despite overwhelming numbers of French soldiers. The English army had landed in France with some 30,000 men but after a failed siege and plague the numbers had dwindled down to around 5,000. The French army, depending on the source, consisted of between 30,000 to 100,000 men. LOREM IPSUM
What led to the British victory? ❖ How could have the French have been more effective? ❖ Is there anything more they could have done? ❖
This battle has much set-up. The siege mentioned, that of Harfleur, had take much of the season and the French army was amassing around the King of England, that is King Henry V. Against the advice of his advisors, Henry decided to march his army to Calais for the winter. His advisors had stated that he could have simply sailed his men there instead of risking the long march. A French army blocked their crossing of the River Somme and diverted their march far to the south where the English crossed at a bend in the river. Scouts sent ahead reported that an even larger French army blocked the road to Calais which had time to set up because of the delay with crossing the river.
9
King Henry realized when he saw the massive French army that he couldn’t pass without fighting the force. The men were totally dismayed and were resigned to their fate. They could hear the party the French men were having, celebrating their impending victory.
Near the end of the battle, a small group of French nobles who knew the land well had circled around the rear of the English and had begun attacking them as well. The English were quickly reorganized to meet the new threat and soon had them on their heels.
The next morning, the English lined for battle in three divisions of knights and men-at-arms with archers in wedges along the flanks. Along the sides of the road were muddy forests that prevented the mounted French knights from encircling the British troops.
The battle resulted in an easier march to Calais and a massive destruction of much of the French nobility. The French King Charles also descended into a fit of insanity upon hearing the massive losses. These losses being some 8,000 Frenchmen compared to only hundreds of EnglishReview 3.1 men. This resulted in Calais and Harfleur beWhat was the weapon that the coming English towns. English used which the French
The English waited for the French assault but none came, perhaps from the lack of a central command. King Henry marched his troops within range of his bowmen and began to bombard the compacted frontline of his enemy. The English longbow was a somewhat advanced technology at the time which allowed the English to shoot farther than the French and decimated the French army. He also had archers and men-at-arms maneuver into the treeline.
didn’t have?
A. Excalibur
The outraged French, charged the English line... sort of. The terrain, muddy land from the massive amounts of rain, turned their spirited charge into a stumbling walk. This gave the concealed English archers time to further bombard the helpless French army.
B. Armored Horses C. The Longbow D. Crossbows
When the French reached the English line, the archers abandoned their bows and fell into hand-to-hand combat with all of the knights. The English soldiers that Henry had hidden the trees then flanked the French army. Within hours the English had secured their victory.
Check Answer
10
Chapter 4
FRANCE TURNS IT AROUND The country is nearly conquered by the English in 1420 and all of the leaders were desperately hiding in Southern France. What could they possibly do? Then one day, they were approached by a girl who claimed to be able to hear the voice of God. He said that France would not be conquered by England and that the French would rise up and push them out. Could this be the hope that that the French needed or would it lead to the destruction of the country.
SECTION 6
Interactive 4.1 Maps of England and France
Joan of Arc
A review of what has happened so far and what England has conquered as well as how the war ends. LOREM IPSUM
Take a look at the video above and think about how France got to her lowest point. ❖ On a separate sheet of paper, write how you think it could have been avoided and explain why. ❖ Continue reading about Joan of Arc. ❖
After many decades of harsh treatment from the British, the French could no longer hold out against the enemy. Resigned to his fate, King Charles stayed in his palace in Chinon seeing no way to end this harsh and bloody war. He was, then approached by a teenaged girl name Jeanne d’Arc who was dressed in the clothes of a man and had made an 11-day journey across enemy territory to see him. She resolutely proclaimed that she could hear the voices of God. She said that God intended to see France restored through her to fulfill the prophecy that a virgin would save France. She also asked for an army to siege the city of Orléans to start the campaign against the British. Ignoring his advisors, Charles granted her the request and she set out immediately dressed in white armor. The charge was immensely successful and started the driving back of all the English troops to Paris. King Charles then ordered Joan to hesitate because his advisors had suggested that she was becoming too powerful, and feared her ability to rally people to her side. Ultimately the king feared for his rule. At the start of the campaign season in 1430, the king ordered her to defend Compiégne which caused Joan to be captured by 12
the enemy. She was accused in an English court of being a heretic, a witch and dressing like a man (only one of which I can say is true. King Charles made no effort to negotiate her release. He feared being accused of being a heretic himself by allying with her.
Review 4.1 Joan of Arc
Joan did, however, profess that she didn’t receive divine guidance, after being held a year in captivity and being threatened with death. Several days later, she defied her orders to stop dressing like a man and subsequently was burned at the stake at the age of 19. She was made into a saint of the French people and inspired them to win the war.
Why did King Charles deny Joan to take the city of Paris?
A. He feared her becoming Queen B. There were too many Britains C. He feared the British coming back and winning after such a disadvantage D. He didn’t like Paris that much anyways
Check Answer
13
Bibliography copy Image 1: http://www.kidspast.com/world-history/0230-hundred-years-war.php retrived on 6/17 Image 2: http://wikitravel.org/upload/en/e/eb/Carte_Localisation_RĂŠgion_France_Aquitaine.png Eleanor of Aquitaine: http://www.history.com/topics/british-history/eleanor-of-aquitaine The Start: http://www.goorulearning.org/#resource-play&id=4577533d-0db1-41d8-a64f-8b20453d0e90&pn=resource Image 3: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/bf/BattleofSluys.jpeg The Battle of Sluys: http://www.britishbattles.com/100-years-war/sluys.htm The Battle of Poitiers: http://www.britishbattles.com/100-years-war/poitiers.htm The Battle of Agincourt: http://www.britishbattles.com/100-years-war/agincourt.htm Joan of Arc: http://www.history.com/topics/saint-joan-of-arc
Š Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet eros Lorem ipsum dolor rutur amet. Integer id dui sed odio imperd feugiat et nec ipsum. Ut rutrum massa non ligula facilisis in ullamcorper purus dapibus. Nec leo enim. Morbi in nunc purus ulla mcorper lacinia. Tinc idunt odio sit amet dolor pharetra dignissim. xiv