The Hundred Years' War was a century-long struggle for supremacy

Wars & Conflicts · Published 17 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: While history books often frame it as a single continuous fight, this conflict was an intermittent struggle spanning generations. It wasn't just about borders; it was a complex web of disputed successions, commercial rivalries, and the bitter greed for plunder between two of Western Europe's most organized powers.

The conflict is conventionally dated from May 24, 1337, to 1453, but periodic fighting actually dates back to the 12th century. At its core was a struggle for the French crown and territorial control over English fiefs in France. By the early 14th century, France was the wealthiest and most populous kingdom in Western Europe, while England emerged as the most closely integrated state, making a collision between the two almost inevitable. A primary driver of tension was the position of William the Conqueror, who held continental fiefs as a vassal to the French king. This created an 'overmighty vassal' problem that escalated in the 1150s when Henry II became King of England and Duke of Aquitaine.

Despite various treaties—such as the 1259 Treaty of Paris which saw Henry III retain Guyenne while resigning other claims—the relationship remained strained by French royal officials intervening in English-held lands and disputed inheritance rights. The period between 1369 and 1389, known as the Caroline War, highlights the war's complexity. Following the Treaty of Brétigny (1360), where Edward III traded his claim to the French throne for full sovereignty over Aquitaine, Charles V of France resumed hostilities in 1369. This phase saw France dominate much of the fighting and involved international entanglements, including a Castilian Civil War where French-backed mercenaries deposed Pedro the Cruel to place Henry of Trastámara on the throne.

The war was prolonged by more than just military tactics; it was sustained by bitter litigation and commercial rivalry. Even when formal peace treaties were signed, local conflicts persisted, such as the War of the Breton Succession (beginning in 1341), where England and France backed opposing heirs to a duchy that allowed female succession. These overlapping disputes ensured that even during 'peace' years, the two powers remained locked in a cycle of geopolitical friction.

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