Hundread Years' War

[split from the Transylvania history topic]

Hi Tudor,

Your characterisation of the Anglo-French conflicts in the Middle Ages is very true. Indeed, I would go further than you and suggest that it was only after the Hundred Years War, when the Kings of England had lost virtually all their possessions on the continent and the French monarchy had consolidated its hold on what is now the core French territory, that the earlier conflict began to be interpreted in more nationalistic terms by the likes of Shakespeare. During the Hundred Years War the King of England's legitimate feudal possessions and armies in France were sometimes greater not only than his English possessions and armies, but greater than those of the French monarchy itself.

Even today, the English royal family's coat of arms still contains the Fleur de Lis symbol of the French monarchy, indicating that their feudal claim by right of inheritance through the famale line to the French royal possessions (except Alsace and Lorraine, which were part of the Holy Roman Empire and could only be inherited through the male line) never lapsed. The Hundred Years War was a typical feudal squabble over inheritance laws and land. Pre-existing national identity had little to do with it.

Sorry, guys, for this little diversion. Your discussion is very interesting.

Cheers,

Sid.

Hi Sid,
Wasn't this happened after James 1st of England and 6th of Scotland assumed the throne?Because I remember Elizabeth had a totaly different coat of arms than this one:



(Personal photo)

Note: this does not bring anything to the conversation,mods feel free to mod this down.

Hi Zayets,

True.

James I and VI added the Scottish lion at the top right quarter to the royal coat of arms. However, the Fleurs de Lis and England's three leopards (as seen in the top left and bottom right quarters) were already there on earlier royal coats of arms.

Cheers,

Sid.

Hi Zayets,

I was wrong. George III renounced the claim to the French throne in 1801.

See:

http://www.fleurdelis.com/royal.htm

Cheers,

Sid.