Hundred Years’ War

Introduction & Top Questions
Causes of the Hundred Years’ War
- The problem of English lands in France
- Conflict over the French succession
From the outbreak of war to the Treaty of Brétigny (1337–60)
- The war at sea and the campaigns in Brittany and Gascony
- The Crécy campaign and its aftermath (1346–56)
- The Poitiers campaign (1355–56)
- Negotiations during John II’s captivity
From the Treaty of Brétigny to the accession of Henry V (1360–1413)
- Richard II and Charles VI
- Henry IV, the Armagnacs, and the Burgundians
From the accession of Henry V to the Siege of Orléans (1413–28)
- Agincourt and the conquest of Normandy
- Civil war in France and the accession of Charles VII
Expulsion of the English (1428–53)
- Joan of Arc
- Treaty of Arras (1435) and Truce of Tours (1444)
- Reconquest of Maine and Normandy
- Conquest of Guyenne (1453), the Treaty of Picquigny (1475), and the conclusion of the war
Significance of the Hundred Years’ War

References & Edit History Quick Facts & Related Topics

Images & Videos

Medieval illustration of the Battle of Crecy shows armored soldiers fighting with swords, shields, and bows as mounted knights and banners fill the background.

Family tree diagram of the House of Plantagenet, also known as the House of Anjou or Angevin dynasty, showing royal lineage and connections to other European royal families, with names, titles, and dates organized by generation.

What was the Hundred Years' War?

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Medieval illustration of the Battle of Crecy shows armored soldiers fighting with swords, shields, and bows as mounted knights and banners fill the background.

Hundred Years’ War summary

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Medieval illustration of the Battle of Crecy shows armored soldiers fighting with swords, shields, and bows as mounted knights and banners fill the background. — The Battle of Crécy Image depicting the Battle of Crécy, during the Hundred Years' War, in which Edward III of England defeated Philip VI of France on August 26, 1346.

Hundred Years’ War

England and France [14th–15th century]

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Britannica Editors

Last updated

Sep. 21, 2026 •History

Hundred Years’ War, intermittent struggle between England and France in the 14th–15th century over a series of disputes, including the question of the legitimate succession to the French crown. The struggle involved several generations of English and French claimants to the crown and actually occupied a period of more than 100 years. By convention the war is said to have started on May 24, 1337, with the confiscation of the English-held duchy of Guyenne by...

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