The Hundred Years' War: A Century of Plunder, Succession, and Scorched-Earth Tactics

History · Published 30 September 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: The Hundred Years' War was not a single, continuous conflict, but a brutal, intermittent struggle fueled by greed, disputed crowns, and territorial friction. From the scorched-earth chevauchée raids of Edward III to the political maneuvering of French monarchs, this century-long clash reshaped the medieval landscape of Western Europe.

While conventionally dated from 1337 to 1453, the conflict between England and France was rooted in centuries of tension over English fiefs on the continent. The struggle intensified in 1346 when Edward III launched a massive invasion of Normandy to claim the French throne. His campaign was defined by the chevauchée, a terrifying scorched-earth policy that involved pillaging and destroying towns like Valognes, Carentan, and St. Lo to weaken the French infrastructure.

The origins of this rivalry trace back to William the Conqueror, who held lands in France as a vassal while serving as King of England. This dual status created a volatile power dynamic that worsened as English kings expanded their continental holdings. By the 1150s, Henry Plantagenet—later Henry II—controlled vast territories including Normandy, Anjou, and Aquitaine. Subsequent French monarchs sought to reclaim these lands, leading to the Treaty of Paris in 1259, which attempted to settle territorial disputes between Henry III and Louis IX.

Despite these diplomatic efforts, the peace was fragile. The French crown frequently intervened in the affairs of the English-held duchy of Guyenne, using its suzerainty to encourage local dissent. Tensions boiled over in 1337 when Philip VI confiscated Guyenne, officially igniting the war. The conflict was further complicated by commercial rivalries and the desire for plunder, turning a dispute over succession into a long-term struggle for supremacy that pitted the most organized state in Europe, England, against the most populous, France.

The war was not merely a series of battles between kings; it was a devastating experience for ordinary soldiers and civilians. As Edward III’s forces pushed toward Caen, the burial site of William the Conqueror, the reality of medieval warfare became clear. However, the tide could turn quickly, as seen when the English advance toward Rouen faced mounting French resistance, shifting the dynamic from hunter to hunted.

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