After the Hundred Years' War

The extension of the royal authority

In this war the peerage in both countries was damaged badly. Until then they were the leading role of the feudal society (封建社会). Although there were some kings, their authority was very weak because the peerage was relatives of kings and had as much power as kings. When we hear about the word peerage we often imagine a strong king and the weak peerage as his followers. However, such a sight was seen during the absolute monarchy (絶対君主制) and in this era the absolute monarchy did not appear yet. The war robbed the peerage of their power, and it led to preparations for the absolute monarchy.

The War of Roses

The war’s name is elegant, but the war was actually a desperate fight. The name came from coats of arms (紋章) of Lancaster and York. It was a struggle for power between the two dynasties in England. As a result, both dynasties ruined themselves and Tudor dynasty (テューダー朝) succeeded to the throne. The peerage lost their power and absolute monarchy also started in England. England finished the era of absolute monarchy and developed.

The colonial wars between France and England

About two hundred years later, the two countries fought again. Then their battle fields moved to the world. They went into the colonial policy and struggled for supremacy over the world. Some people called these battles the Second Hundred Years’ War. It is similar to the War because it continued about hundred years again. This time England won the war and British Empire (大英帝国) prospered.

Famous people in England

 

Edward III

He is the king from Plantagenet Dynasty(プランタジネット朝). He suppressed power of the peerage (貴族) and attacked Scotland. He promoted wool trade, so he is called “the royal wool merchant”.

I have told him several times, so I may tell the same stories. When the French king Charles VI (シャルル6世) died, he demanded the French throne because he is the nephew (甥) of Charles. England defeated French in the Battle of Sluys (スロイスの海戦), the Battle of Crécy (クレシーの戦い), and the Battle of Poitiers (ポワティエの戦い). He concluded the treaty which was favorable to England.

In this way, he used his ability to the full at first. But in his later years, he met with a lot of misfortunes. French regained its strength and the Black Death spread. He lost his wife and oldest son and his fourth son betrayed him.

Edward, the Black Prince

He is the oldest son of Edward III. It is said that he always wore in black armor. French people feared him and denounced him as a devil. He died before he was crowned. Because of these episodes, he is called the Black Prince.

In 1356, he won the Battle of Poitiers. It is said that he was very polite to the prisoner Jean II (ジャン2世) then. He is very popular as a paragon of chivalry (騎士道の鑑). However, he was cruel to the people. For example, he brought about a massacre () in Limoges(リモージュ).

Richard II

He is the last king from Plantagenet. He went on an expedition (遠征) to Ireland. He stopped fighting with France. Henry Bolingbroke (ヘンリー・ボリングブルック) made him abdicate the throne (譲位する) and he met an unnatural death.

Henry IV

He is the first king from Lancaster Dynasty (ランカスター朝). He is the son of John of Gaunt (), who is the fourth son of Edward III and disobeyed Edward. He won his cousin Richard II and became the king, but he was suffering from revolts by peerage.

Henry V

He resumed the war and won the great victory in the battle of Agincourt (アジャンクールの戦い). He subjugated the Western Schism or Papal Schism (教会大分裂). He concluded the Treaty of Troys and troubled Charles VII.

Henry VI

He is the son of Henry V and the last king from Lancaster Dynasty. He defeated the Hundred Years’ War and was dragged into the War of the Roses (ばら戦争). His life is very tragic.

*pictures are from here or Wikipedia:
http://theplantagenets.com/

Cities

Source:http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e0/Hundred_years_war.gif

I will introduce some cities which I think are important to Hundred Years’ War.

London (ロンドン)

Probably everyone knows this city. This city is the capital of England.

On Christmas Day in 1066, when William the Conqueror (征服王ウィリアム) was crowned king of England, the medieval history of the city began. During the Hundred Years’ war, the Wat Tyler's Peasant's Revolt (ワット・タイラーの乱) broke out. In the Middle Ages, London was a labyrinth which consisted of many streets and lanes. Many of the streets were named. Most houses were built of wood, so people always had to aware the fires. There are so many people and public health was not so good. That was one of the reasons the Black Death raged for many years.

source of picture: http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2008/08/london_from_above_at_night.html

Paris (パリ)

Everybody knows this city, too. This is the capital of France.

In 506, Clovis Premier (クローヴィス一世), who was the first king from Merovingian dynasty (メロヴィング朝), decided the city as a capital. After Carolingiens (カロリング朝), Capétiens dynasty (カペー朝) and so on ruled it, Valois (ヴァロワ朝) was going to succeed French king and the Hundred Years’ War started. During the war plagues, political strife, and revolts raged and it fell into great confusion. In 1420, the city fell into English hands. Nine years after, Joan tried to recapture it, but she was not able to do so. In1437, Charles VII was successful and Paris became French city again.

source of picture: http://nmyumyukabegami.blog49.fc2.com/blog-entry-427.html

Calais (カレー)

This city was made terrible sport of by Fortune. In 1347, it is surrounded by the English army. Then in order to save the citizens Eustache de Saint Pierre (ウスタシュ・ド・サン・ピエール) and five people represented the city and presented themselves in front of Edward III (エドワード三世). King Edward was going to execute them, but his wife Philippa of Hainault (フィリッパ・オブ・エノー) persuaded him, so they were saved.

François-Auguste-René Rodin (フランソワ＝オーギュスト＝ルネ・ロダン), who is called “the father of modern carving”, used this story and made “Les Bourgeois de Calais (カレーの市民)”. The work expresses tension and emotions of the six people ingeniously.

 

Source of picture:Wikipedia

Poitiers (ポワティエ)

This city is famous for two battles. One is the battle in 1356 and I have already told it. The other is the battle in 732. Regnum Francorum (フランク王国) and Umayyad (ウマイヤ朝) fought. Europeans think it is very important battle because if Regnum Francorum was defeated it might be Muslim that ruled Europe.

source of picture: Wikipedia

Troyes (トロワ)

The Treaty of Troys was concluded. It sometimes became a stage of tragic events: For example slaughter of Jewish people or the occupation by Nazi Germany. It is famous for knit.

source of picture: Wikipedia

Orléans (オルレアン)

Joan saved the city. Loire (ロワール川) flows through the city.

source of picture: http://yonipo.blog13.fc2.com/blog-entry-335.html

Reims (ランス)

Charles VII did his coronation. The city has Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Reims (ノートルダム大聖堂), which is Catholic great church.

source of picture: http://yuyu6.blog12.fc2.com/blog-entry-201.html

Compiègne (コンピエーニュ)

Joan was caught here. Treaties were concluded during World War I and II.

source of picture: http://stepstone2.at.webry.info/201002/article_1.html

The Truth and Lie about Joan of Arc and Charles VII

Did Joan exist really?

Yes, yes, she did. Before she was executed, she faced trial because England thought she was a witch (魔女) and a heretic (異端者). The trial records in those days are still left.

By the way, today Joan is famous and popular all around the world. However, in fact people had forgotten her for a long time before Napoléon (ナポレオン) introduced her as a heroine of France. He wanted to raise nationalism, and thought that she was effective. As a result, she became very popular among French people, and soon became popular around the world.

Who was Joan?

Some people say that Joan was not a countrywoman but a person of high rank. They insist if Joan had been just a farm, Charles would not have met her. Other people say Charles’ mother, Isabeau de Bavière (イザボー・ド・バヴィエール) supported her because it was Isabeau that was the true mother of Joan and Joan was a half-sister of Charles. Many people are doubtful about these theories. They say that Charles felt like clutching even at straws and her passion moved him. But why Charles met just a country girl and decided to depend on her is still a mystery.

Many legends of Joan

Joan has many legends. For example; She saw through Charles’ disguise right away: She became a dove after she died: She stayed alive. These stories are fiction, but it is natural that people give Joan romantic stories.

Why Charles VII did not save Joan?

Charles does not have good images generally, since he did not save Joan. But actually he sent a threatening letter saying that Joan must be taken care of courteously. However, it is also the fact that he did not prepare a ransom (身代金) for her.

Well , Charles VII seemed to be a timid (臆病) and skeptical man. He did not want to face a situation fearlessly and he always filled with anxiety. I think that he did not want to desert Joan, but his anxiety made him negative.