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Edward III - The Hundred Years' War Begins

© Phyllis Agronsky

The Hundred Years' War (1336 - 1453) had its roots in a dynastic dispute. The last son of King Philip IV (The Fair) died in 1328, and the direct male line of the Capetians finally ended after almost 350 years. Philip however, had a daughter. This daughter, Isabella, had married King Edward II of England, and King Edward III was their son. He was therefore Philip's grandson, and successor in a direct line through his mother.

What complicated matters was Salic law, compiled early in the 6th century by the Salians, a Frankish people that conquered Gaul in the 5th century . According to Salic law, women, or the descendants of kings' daughters, were barred from inheriting property (including the throne). This Frankish land law was extended to the throne to prevent the crown from passing out of the country through the marriage of a woman to a foreigner. It was based on this application of Salic law that Philip VI was duly crowned King of France.

There was little the young English king could do to advance his claim in the early years of his reign. In 1328, he married Philippa of Hainault, and in 1330, his first son, Edward the Black Prince, was born. He assumed full control of the government that same year, and was disposed to fight for his rights in France. There had been diplomatic wrangling between the two countries in 1329, when Edward did simple homage for Aquitaine (Guienne), but refused liege homage to Philip VI. Edward didn't want to tie his hands in future maneuvers by recognizing the French King as his liege lord.

Though it had its beginnings in a family squabble, the Hundred Years' War was really an economic struggle. During the 13th century, upper class English had adopted Norman customs, and began to drink wine instead of beer. Beer and wine were important staples in the medieval diet - the vitamin and yeast complexes that the medieval diet (especially in winter) did not provide could be found in the fermented liquids. England, however, couldn't grow grapes to produce the wine that many of the English were drinking, so they had to import it.

During this period, Flanders had grown to be an industrial powerhouse, becoming extremely wealthy through cloth manufacture. It couldn't produce enough wool to satisfy its market for cloth, so Flanders imported fine fleece from England. The wool was exchanged for Flemish cloth, which was then exchanged with southern France for wine. This arrangement was mutually beneficial to all parties concerned - except for one detail that upset the balance.

France 1337

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