#charlesvi

Hundred Years' War

The Hundred Years' War (1337-1453) was an intermittent conflict between England and France lasting 116 years. It began principally because King Edward III (r. 1327-1377) and Philip VI (r. 1328-1350) escalated a dispute over feudal rights in Gascony to a battle for the French Crown. The French eventually won and gained control of all of France except Calais.

At first, the English won great victories at the battles of Crécy (1346) and Poitiers (1356) but then Charles V of France (r. 1364-1380) steadily regained much of the lands lost since the start of the war. After a period of peace when Richard II of England (r. 1377-1399) married the daughter of Charles VI of France (r. 1380-1422), the war exploded into action again with the Battle of Agincourt (1415), won by Henry V of England (r. 1413-1422). Henry was nominated the heir to the French throne but his early death and the ineffectual rule of Henry VI of England (r. 1422-61 & 1470-71) resulted in Charles VII of France (r. 1422-1461) retaking the initiative. With help from such figures as Joan of Arc (1412-1431), the French won crucial battles at Formigny (1450) and Castillon (1453) to bring final victory.

War & Peace

The Hundred Years' War was a conflict between the monarchs of France and England. Starting in 1337 and not finally ended until 1453, the war lasted for 116 years, albeit not with continuous fighting but also long periods of peace included. The name we use today for the war was only coined in the 19th century. The Hundred Years' War is traditionally divided into three phases for the purposes of study and to reflect the important periods of peace between the two countries:

The Edwardian War (1337-1360) after Edward III of England

The Caroline War (1369-1389) after Charles V of France.

The Lancastrian War (1415-1453) after the royal house of England, the Lancasters.

When Charles VI of France inherited the French throne in 1380, he was welcomed as a symbol of hope. Crowned at just 11 years old, he grew into a popular ruler known for his kindness, earning the affectionate nickname "Charles the Beloved." Under his early reign, France enjoyed a period of stability as he gradually took control from the powerful nobles who had governed during his childhood.

Everything changed in 1392. While leading a military expedition through a forest near Le Mans, Charles suddenly suffered a terrifying mental breakdown. In a fit of madness, he attacked his own knights, killing several before being restrained. It was the first of many episodes that would haunt the rest of his life.

As his condition worsened, Charles experienced delusions so bizarre that they shocked the royal court. At times, he failed to recognize his wife and children. On one occasion, he believed he was made of glass and refused to let anyone touch him, fearing he would shatter. During his periods of insanity, rival factions of the French nobility fought bitterly for control of the kingdom.

Charles's illness plunged France into political chaos. The feud between the Armagnacs and Burgundians erupted into civil war, weakening the kingdom just as England renewed the Hundred Years' War. This instability paved the way for England's greatest victories, including the devastating defeat of France at the Battle of Agincourt.