The Late Middle

Ages

The 14th Century –

The Century of War, Plague and
Disorder
 The 14th Century
• Disastrous for Britain, as well as for most of Europe
• Plague killed one third of Europe’s population
• 1330s – England began a long struggle against the
French Crown
• France and England – exhausted economically by the
cost of maintaining armies
• England also fighting the Scots
• Its control of Ireland and Wales, which were trying to
throw off English rule
• A new class of armed men – local private armies, which
damaged the local economy, but increased the nobles’
ability to challenge the Crown
 War with Scotland and France
• Major setback in England’s wish to control
Scotland
• Edward II himself was lucky to escape
• 1328 – England gave up its claim to control
Scotland
• Soon they were at war again, because of
England’s war with France
• Scotland and France – allies since 1295, when
Edward I attempted to take over Scotland
• An alliance that lasted into the 16th century
• Long periods of time when it was not needed or
used
 The Hundred Years War
1337-1453
• 1337 – Edward III declared war on France
• He claimed the right to the French Crown – a
bold claim that could not be taken seriously
• Later called the Hundred Years War
• It ended in 1453
• The English Crown lost all its possessions in
France, except for Calais
 The Hundred Years War

• At first, the English

were far more
successful: an
experienced army –
lightly armed men,
quick in movement
• The most important
weapon – the Welsh
longbow
 The Hundred Years War
• Two major victories: Crécy (1346) and Poitiers (1356),
where the French king himself was taken prisoner
• A huge treasure captured
• The French king bought his freedom for an enormous
sum of money (£500,000)
• 1360 – Edward III happy to give up his claim, control
over areas previously owned by the French Crown
• Fighting soon began again: during the next 15years, all
this land was taken back by French forces
• The struggle between the French and the English kings
over French territories was to continue into the 15th
century
 Edward II and Edward III
Edward II – King of England from 1307 until he
was removed, in January 1327. The fourth son
of Edward I, Edward became the heir to the
throne following the death of his elder brother
Alphonso. Beginning in 1300, Edward
accompanied his father on campaigns to
pacify Scotland.
Edward III – King of England and Lord of
Ireland from January 1327 until his death.
He is noted for his military success and for
restoring royal authority after the
disastrous and unorthodox reign of his
father, Edward II.
English Monarchy Family Tree
Middle Ages
The Plantagenet Dynasty
The Plantagenet Queens