Hundred Years' War: 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.