How Hundred Years' War Affected 14th Century England 1337 - 1453
Three Important happening during the 14th century which affected both kinds of literature as well as people's life:
i) The Hundred Years’ War:- 1337 - 1453
The Hundred Year War started in
1337 between England and France. The reason was Edward’s claim to the French
throne through his mother, Isabella. In actual, after the murder of wilful and
weak king Edward II, Edward III decided to start foreign campaigns to recover
the prestige of England. Meantime England’s biggest customer of Wool,
Flanders appealed for aid to Edward in their conflict with the king of France.
Series of victories made England pride in the mid 14th century.
The Battle of Crecy in 1346
The Battle of Poitier in 1356
The peace of Bretigny in 1360
Though these victories
contributed to making Edward ruler f 1/3rd of France, yet the financial burden
of the war began to tell on England. After the victory of Najera in 1367, the
the war dragged on and finally, England was left with a foothold around Calais and a
weakened navy.
Consequences of war: - It changed
the old code of chivalry; modern infantry was created. The yeoman archer, the
development of local militia at home which was very much like modern recruitment.
Democratic forces emerged in England. Various classes in England prospered
because of high rich booty and high wages for soldier.
ii) The Black Death:- (1348- 49)
In Europe black rats carried over
the deadly highly infectious bubonic plague. The people of the town got infected
most because of the poor sanitary conditions and they died like flies. In
estimation 1/3rd of the population perished in the plague. This epidemic
revived time to time in 1361, 1362, and 1369. In the 17th century,
the condition got improved when medical science enhanced and the brown rat could drive
out a black rat. The labourers were in demand, in fact, many ecclesiastical posts
fell vacant and labourers’ demand for high wages were supported by the clergy. This
devastation didn’t diminish the martial ardour of the king and his barons. Edward
III developed the Order of Garter, which became the model for all chivalric orders,
even when the Black Death was raging.
iii) The Peasant Revolt:– (1381)
The Magna Carta of 1215 which
guaranteed the basic privileges to everyman in the reign of King John. More
than half of the people didn’t possess those privileges in 1381. The serf and
villain were treated as livestock in the master’s household, they started moving to
towns for having more freedom of craft. To counterbalance the Steward and
Bailiff as a representative of labourers, The Reeve was elected who later on
proved to be the feared enemy of people. The poor were resented as they have to
pay fines for marriages, school, in human heriot at the death-bed. The major reason
for this revolt was the Poll Tax or the head tax which was forced on people by
the govt. because of the financial burden of the wars. These taxes were levied even
on the poorest. In the leadership of Wat Tyler, peasants rebelled and attacked
in London, destroyed properties, even the archbishop of Canterbury was put to
death. King Richard 2’s shrewdness didn’t let this movement go on for long.
Though the moment got failed yet for the first time poor peasant came together
to fight for their basic rights.
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