French
Philip VI
1293-1350
Philip VI was the first French king of the Valois dynasty. When King Charles VI died, Philip took the throne. Unfortunate loses of many battles such as Crecy and Sluys were due to crisis and plague that struck during his reign. France was still a very divided country when he died.
John II
1319-1364
John was the son of Philip VI and his reign was considered a failure. He fought the English and often quarreled with his son-in-law, Charles II of the Kingdom of Navarre. He was ransomed in 1360 after being captured by Edward the Black Prince at the battle Poitiers in 1356, while his son Charles was his regent. John signed the Treaty of Bretigny in 1360, which claimed that John will relinquish control over Calais and Aquitain, in return for having Edward III give up the French crown. John died in London in 1364 after volunteering to return there as a hostage.
Charles V
1338-1380Charles V was the first French heir to be called Duphin, after the region of Dauphine was bought by the French. Charles' army was lead by Bertrand du Guesclin, a very powerful military leader, during the war. Bertrand du Guesclin had not only battled the English but also successfully defeated the King of Navarre and his forces. Charles worked on restoring and enhancing the Louvre and was considered a patron of the arts. A major factor in his life was his support that he gave to Pope Clement VII over Pope Urban VI. This lead to the Great Schism, which was one of the most important events in medieval times. The Great Schism was the split between Eastern and Western Christian Churches. Eventually this led to the development of the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches.
Charles VI
1368-1422
Charles was crowned in 1380 when he was only 11 years old. While he was ruling, France was under control of his uncle Philip the Bold, the duke of Burgundy. Charles declared himself ruler in 1388, four years before he experienced his first bout of insanity. These bouts would occur every three to five months for the rest of his life. The duke of Burgundy became regent again in 1392, and a conflict broke out between him and the duke of Orleans. The French were defeated by the English in 1415, and in 1420 Charles signed the Treaty of Troyes which recognized Henry V as his successor. He completely shut out his son Charles.
Charles VII
1403-1461
Charles VII is considered one of the most important French monarchs. He started the process of reunifying the country into a national whole. Before this, the war with England had created a broken society. Charles acted as a regent for his insane father in 1418, which was when he first experienced power. Then, his father declared Henry V as the heir and bypassed Charles VII. In 1422, Charles still declared himself ruler to the area south of the river Loire. In 1429, Joan of Arc persuaded him to send a force under the control of Joan to relieve the town from siege by the English. This helped the French defeat the English and Charles to be crowned again. In the next 20 years, French forces drove most of the English from France.
Joan of Arc (The Maid of Orléans)
1412-1431
Joan believed that she was under a divine mission to save France. She persuaded Charles VII to let her lead a force to relieve Orleans in 1429. She then led the forces to a victory which allowed France to gain permanent advantage over the English. In 1430, she was captured by the Burgundians, but Charles VII did not attempt to ransom her. She was accused of witchcraft and burned at the stake when she was only 19 years old.
English
Edward III
1312-1377
Edward ruled for 50 years starting in 1327 when he was 14 years old. He was considered one of the most successful warrior kings. He greatly supported chivalry, helping him develop good relationships with the nobility of the kingdom. He defeated the Scots at the battle of Halidon Hill in 1333. Also, the English came up with a new method of battle that was used multiple times during the 100 Years' War. In 1338, he led his first raid into French territory and landed in Antwerp. In 1340, after hesitating for a few years, he declared himself King of France. He defeated the French at Crecy in 1346 after landing in Normandy with an army of 15,000 men. He captured the town of Calais before the bubonic plague caused the war to pause in 1348. He signed the Treaty of Bretigny in 1360 which gave him power of Calais and Aquitaine if he renounced his claim to the French crown. After that, the English lands in France were slowly lost. He died in 1377 and his crown was given to Richard II.
Richard II
1367-1400
When he was 10 years old, Richard took over his grandfather, Edward III's throne. In 1380, Richard helped stop the Peasant's Revolt. In 1385, he went to Scotland to face the Scottish and the French, but could not pressure them into a battle, so returned home. In the next few years, Richard began picking favorites and giving them higher pay and power. In 1386, a group of lords joined together to rebel against him. Richard gained control of them in 1397 and started ruling with total power, forcing subjects to live in fear. In 1400, Richard died in captivity under Henry Bolingbroke.
Henry IV
1366-1413
In 1399, after Richard II banned Henry from England for life and confiscated his estates, Henry invaded England to steal the throne from Richard. He captured Richard and claimed himself king. He battled a large revolt from 1400 to 1403 in Wales. At the battle of Shrewsbury in 1403, he defeated the rebels and in 1405 defeated another rebel army. He died in 1413.
Henry V
1387-1422
When Henry was 26, he was crowned king of England. During his reign, he was usually campaigning in France to regain territories that his ancestors claimed. He invaded France in 1415, 1417, and 1422. During the Battle of Agincourt, he crushed a large French army in only a few hours. This left him in control of Northern France until he died at age 35.
Henry VI
1421-1471
When he was only an infant, Henry was crowned the king of England and France. While he was ruling, his country lost the entire 100 Years' War and all of its French territories except Calais. He married Margaret of Anjou in 1445, and in 1453 he had his first attack of mental illness. The country was taken over by Richard, the duke of York. The next year, after he recovered, he fought with Richard over who would rule England, which started the War of Roses.
John of Gaunt
1340-1399
The fourth son of Edward, he was the most powerful and rich lord in England. He lead a 600 mile long raid from Calais to Bordeaux in 1373 with 10,000 men. There was no siege or battle, even though he cut right through the middle of France. His nephew, Richard II, was then crowned king, but John stayed loyal and he helped his brother's son while he was ruling.
Edward (The Black Prince)
1330-1376
Edward was the heir and first son of Edward III. He was a key commander for the English and joined with his father during his raid of 1346. He lead his own raid in 1355 and 1356 after defeating the French in the Battle of Poitiers. He died of the Black Plague a year before Edward III, so his crown was passed on to Richard II. His nickname may have come from his bad temper or the color of his armor.
Joan believed that she was under a divine mission to save France. She persuaded Charles VII to let her lead a force to relieve Orleans in 1429. She then led the forces to a victory which allowed France to gain permanent advantage over the English. In 1430, she was captured by the Burgundians, but Charles VII did not attempt to ransom her. She was accused of witchcraft and burned at the stake when she was only 19 years old.
English
Edward III
1312-1377
Edward ruled for 50 years starting in 1327 when he was 14 years old. He was considered one of the most successful warrior kings. He greatly supported chivalry, helping him develop good relationships with the nobility of the kingdom. He defeated the Scots at the battle of Halidon Hill in 1333. Also, the English came up with a new method of battle that was used multiple times during the 100 Years' War. In 1338, he led his first raid into French territory and landed in Antwerp. In 1340, after hesitating for a few years, he declared himself King of France. He defeated the French at Crecy in 1346 after landing in Normandy with an army of 15,000 men. He captured the town of Calais before the bubonic plague caused the war to pause in 1348. He signed the Treaty of Bretigny in 1360 which gave him power of Calais and Aquitaine if he renounced his claim to the French crown. After that, the English lands in France were slowly lost. He died in 1377 and his crown was given to Richard II.
Richard II
1367-1400
When he was 10 years old, Richard took over his grandfather, Edward III's throne. In 1380, Richard helped stop the Peasant's Revolt. In 1385, he went to Scotland to face the Scottish and the French, but could not pressure them into a battle, so returned home. In the next few years, Richard began picking favorites and giving them higher pay and power. In 1386, a group of lords joined together to rebel against him. Richard gained control of them in 1397 and started ruling with total power, forcing subjects to live in fear. In 1400, Richard died in captivity under Henry Bolingbroke.
Henry IV
1366-1413
In 1399, after Richard II banned Henry from England for life and confiscated his estates, Henry invaded England to steal the throne from Richard. He captured Richard and claimed himself king. He battled a large revolt from 1400 to 1403 in Wales. At the battle of Shrewsbury in 1403, he defeated the rebels and in 1405 defeated another rebel army. He died in 1413.
Henry V
1387-1422
When Henry was 26, he was crowned king of England. During his reign, he was usually campaigning in France to regain territories that his ancestors claimed. He invaded France in 1415, 1417, and 1422. During the Battle of Agincourt, he crushed a large French army in only a few hours. This left him in control of Northern France until he died at age 35.
Henry VI
1421-1471
When he was only an infant, Henry was crowned the king of England and France. While he was ruling, his country lost the entire 100 Years' War and all of its French territories except Calais. He married Margaret of Anjou in 1445, and in 1453 he had his first attack of mental illness. The country was taken over by Richard, the duke of York. The next year, after he recovered, he fought with Richard over who would rule England, which started the War of Roses.
John of Gaunt
1340-1399
The fourth son of Edward, he was the most powerful and rich lord in England. He lead a 600 mile long raid from Calais to Bordeaux in 1373 with 10,000 men. There was no siege or battle, even though he cut right through the middle of France. His nephew, Richard II, was then crowned king, but John stayed loyal and he helped his brother's son while he was ruling.
Edward (The Black Prince)
1330-1376
Edward was the heir and first son of Edward III. He was a key commander for the English and joined with his father during his raid of 1346. He lead his own raid in 1355 and 1356 after defeating the French in the Battle of Poitiers. He died of the Black Plague a year before Edward III, so his crown was passed on to Richard II. His nickname may have come from his bad temper or the color of his armor.
