France at the Brink of the Hundred Years’ War
- 28 July 2026
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Overview
France entered the Hundred Years’ War burdened by disputed succession, conflict over Gascony, unrest in Flanders, financial strain and military setbacks. This article examines how Philip VI’s early decisions and England’s growing strength exposed the weaknesses of the new Valois monarchy.
Cite This Work
France on the Eve of the Hundred Years’ War
France in 1328, based on William R. Shepherd’s Historical Atlas.
The Hundred Years’ War (1337–1453) plunged both France and England into a prolonged struggle over territory, political authority and dynastic legitimacy. The immediate succession crisis began in 1328 with the death of Charles IV, the last direct Capetian king of France (Sumption, 1990, p. 33). Edward III of England later advanced a claim to the French throne through his mother, Isabella of France, Charles IV’s sister, viewing the crisis as an opportunity to assert his dynastic rights.
The events leading up to the long war were complex, especially for the French, who dealt with struggles with the Flemish, as well as a loss of territories. One of the key territories was perhaps Gascony, which both the French and the English wanted. Gascony at the time was in the hands of the English, although it was held as a fief under the French crown. Edward knew of the former king’s actions and claimed that his rights in the territory should be protected. In fact, Edward tried his best to make sure France was his because the new Valois king, Philip VI, refused to acknowledge his wider claim (Sumption, 1990, p. 117).
Gascony was not the only problem. There were also issues of sovereignty, asking who should pay homage to whom. To get to this question, the idea can trace back to the 12th century under Henry II of England. Henry expanded his dominions into parts of France, which led to skirmishes for centuries leading into these events of the Hundred Years’ War over these territories.
Now France and England were playing a political game over who held greater power and control over one another, with a back-and-forth match. Edward knew his chance was right from his claim, but the French did not want an English king on the French throne, nor did they accept a claim passed through a woman, a principle later associated with Salic Law.
Charles of Valois was the son of Philip III, while his own son, Philip VI, became the first king of the Valois dynasty. Yet Philip inherited a kingdom facing a pressing question: how could France survive the mounting crises surrounding it?
By the end of the 13th century, France was a growing powerhouse of lands, although the English still retained parts of Aquitaine/Gascony. However, various wars started to shake France even more and brought it close to a serious crisis. Many have heard of the victories of the English from Crécy to Agincourt, but behind the scenes, the French had some problems that are highly unspoken today in history.
France was already under pressure from the issues of the Avignon Papacy, a crisis of succession, and an increase in debt from the wars caused by Philip IV earlier. Philip VI inherited these problems, as he had a war with the Flemish and soon saw the power of the growing English. Philip VI had no choice but to face the challenge to Edward’s claim, but his decisions can be tricky. He could only ask his people to stick together, but at what cost overall? Was it the support of keeping his territories? Or bad moves?
France faced issues, especially in the earlier stages of the war, from the loss of morale, the growth of English power, and poor decision-making, leading to catastrophic problems in the 14th century.
A Struggle for Power
The Succession Crisis of 1328
On a cold winter morning in 1328, Charles IV of France, the last direct Capetian king of France, ended a dynasty that had ruled for over 350 years. His death sparked a larger conflict as to who would be the next king of France, as at the time, due to the developing exclusion of women from the French succession, later linked to Salic Law, women were not permitted to rule (Sumption, 1990, p. 106).
His wife, Jeanne of Évreux, was heavily pregnant at the time of his death, with hopes of an heir to keep the dynasty alive. However, she gave birth to a daughter, ending hopes for a direct male Capetian heir. The next heir to the kingdom of France can be traced all the way to Philip III (1245–1285), through his son Charles of Valois, and then Charles’s son, Philip of Valois. Philip VI (1293–1350) inherited a kingdom full of problems, including with England, coinage, and debt.
Charles in his reign faced an issue with homage from the late king Edward II for his territories in Gascony. Edward indeed refused to give homage, which led to his wife, Isabella, travelling to France in connection with the negotiations over Gascony. The event led off into a rebellion that took Edward II off the throne and replaced him with Edward III. This particular story can also shift things even more, as it can spark much of the earlier events leading into the Hundred Years’ War itself.
What made things interesting for France was that Charles was also the king of Navarre, being traced back from his mother, Joan of Navarre, tracing the dynasty further, limiting Philip’s inheritance. Perhaps this is possibly an issue with the succession crisis, which can possibly infer why he could inherit the kingdom, limiting France’s growing power. Without Navarre in France’s hands, it limited much support, especially in the kingdom when it came from the late threats (Sumption, 1990, p. 107). Navarre was towards the borders of Spain and was a rich territory known for trade, which France could use to maintain its borders. Philip had no chance to inherit Navarre, which was a large issue, especially in the Hundred Years’ War.
Philip did not just deal with the loss of Navarre but also had continued conflicts with Flanders that Philip IV dealt with early on. Flanders had caused problems from wanting to be independent to having a lord that was anti-France, which became important later on. Philip thought things were going smoothly with England at the start, but again issues with homage led to further disturbances in peace negotiations, especially with Edward’s claim to the throne.
Now three important things Philip had to face were the growth of the English, the Flemish, and military issues, all of which created multiple problems when the war began in 1337. These events are important for understanding the French aspect of the war. With these events that happened when Philip succeeded the throne, the conflict began to take shape, showing that French power was under serious strain.
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Power and Control
Philip VI presiding over proceedings against Robert of Artois. Paris, Bibliothèque nationale de France, MS Français 18437, fol. 2r.
Gascony, Homage, and Edward III’s Claim
The English, after a recovery from the reign of Edward II, saw the chance to claim power and growth in the region by taking back parts of France. This included the expansion into parts of Gascony and other regions that were lost in 13th-century France. Edward III, with the support of many of his men, got as much support as he could for his claim to the French crown, as the French refused to have an English king on the French throne (Sumption, 1990, p. 200).
Meanwhile, Philip was already plotting for more power, as there was still an issue with homage, and decided to test Edward on the task. However, knowing the English very well, Edward was acting smart to test the French king.
One important drain of French power was Robert of Artois, who escaped France to join the side of the English after failing to secure his claim to Artois (Sumption, 1990, p. 171). In fact, Robert was like a spy to Edward, exposing much of France’s tactics to him. It could be a clue for the start of the war, as Philip confiscated Aquitaine/Guyenne from Edward for his disobedience to the French crown.
Robert of Artois’s defection raised serious questions about loyalty within the French court. It exposed the divisions among the French nobility and showed that some nobles were willing to support England when their own interests conflicted with those of the French Crown. Philip VI’s confiscation of Aquitaine threatened Edward III’s authority in the region, and the dispute became one of the principal causes of the Hundred Years’ War.
So much can be answered about the position with France, as at the start they were a powerhouse, with support from the Italian naval powers. The tide soon turned, shifting a lot of power to the English, especially with Edward’s victory at the Battle of Sluys in 1340, giving England control of the sea. This was such a shock, as France had support from Genoese and other allied forces, but the defeat left the French vulnerable to English naval power.
The Battle of Sluys, depicted in a fifteenth-century manuscript of Jean Froissart’s Chronicles. BnF, MS Français 2643, fol. 72r.
Sluys, Crécy, and the Problem of Morale
England’s alliances with France’s enemies were only part of the problem, for the French monarchy also faced serious internal and military weaknesses. French armies often outnumbered their opponents, yet defeats at Crécy and, later, Poitiers resulted in heavy casualties. These repeated setbacks damaged French morale, beginning with the defeat at Sluys in 1340 and the subsequent Truce of Espléchin, which temporarily brought the fighting to a halt (Sumption, 1990, p. 359).
Edward was becoming more powerful, especially with the Arthurian ideology that brought knighthood and chivalry to the English court itself. Philip’s court followed a similar protocol in chivalry, which created another form of political competition. Philip, however, wasn’t the greatest of rulers, as he made poor decisions, especially with his son John, Duke of Normandy, who was at the battlefront at Crécy witnessing the large forces of France. But slow and disorganised French attacks contributed to the failure of the battle.
Yet again, France saw the factor of outnumbering opponents but still losing, which is a major factor in the morale aspect. A few weeks later saw the fall of Calais, which brought the English power to grow in France. What also needs to be noted was that much of John’s domains supported the English, which can lead to a problem of trust. How can France trust anyone anymore, especially after the failures of Robert of Artois and the support given by some of France’s enemies to the English?
France always saw itself as a power-hungry state, but some issues of command, like with John and Normandy, saw the fissures of a shattered monarchy that Philip could not control.
A Lesson Learned
After 1328, France struggled and somehow lost control of the success and riches of its rulers before Philip VI. France in the 13th century had a large territory of reconquered lands from the English and had a successful military campaign. However, the early Valois rulers and late Capetian kings could not stand the challenge, as they were facing a battle on many fronts.
Philip also faced the difficult task of securing popular support for a costly war, particularly as higher taxation placed an increasing burden on his subjects. Flanders later aligned itself with England, while the defection of figures from within the French political circle further weakened confidence in the Crown. Philip had less experience of kingship and military command than Edward III, who pursued his claim to the French throne with greater preparation and a stronger network of allies. The French king, meanwhile, struggled to find capable commanders and maintain unity within his realm.
Other problems included the Breton War of Succession, which had both sides involved after a succession crisis for the Duchy of Brittany (Graham-Goering, 2020, p. 76). Taxes were an issue as Philip ran short of money, upsetting the people even further and raising questions about whether the kingdom needed stronger leadership. So much can be answered by what Philip was doing as king, as his realm had a crisis at the start, bringing France down with it for the next one hundred years.
Further Reading
Frequently Asked Questions
What caused the French succession crisis of 1328?
Why was Edward III’s claim to the French throne rejected?
Why was Gascony so important to France and England?
How did Flanders complicate Philip VI’s position?
Why was the Battle of Sluys important?
What weaknesses did the early war expose in France?
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Sources
- Graham-Goering, E. (2020). Princely power in late medieval France: Jeanne de Penthièvre and the war for Brittany. Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108773904
- Sumption, J. (1990). The Hundred Years War: Vol. 1, Trial by battle. Faber & Faber.
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Talia Bega
Talia Bega is a historian, writer, and content creator specialising in medieval and art history. A self-taught historian with a long-standing passion for the humanities, she focuses particularly on the Plantagenets, Capetians, the Hundred Years’ War, and the cultural world of medieval Europe. She is currently studying at the American University of Rome while also developing independent historical research and writing projects.
Through her platform, History With Talia, she publishes articles, reflections, and historical commentary exploring medieval politics, royal courts, warfare, and art history. Her work combines narrative storytelling with accessible historical analysis aimed at engaging modern audiences with the medieval past. She has also hosted history-focused podcast discussions and is currently working on her first book, centred on Isabeau of Bavaria and the political world of late medieval France during the reign of Charles VI of France.
Inspired by historians such as Dan Jones and Tracy Borman, Talia’s work reflects a strong interest in bringing medieval history to wider audiences through digital media, independent scholarship, and public history writing.
