Compare and contrast the French and English armies of the Hundred Years' War.

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Answers will vary. French armies relied on a feudal system that had the King require service from his vassals, who had received land in exchange for service, and common soldiers were therefore required to serve their lord. As a result, the French military were less coherently organized, had less of a sense of purpose than did the English. Also, because feudalism meant that a common soldier could expect death in the event of capture, there was little motivation to remain loyal to the forces when battles went badly, and desertion was high. This meant less organization on the battlefield. The English, however, hired commanders through contracts binding their service, rather than expecting service of vassals. The commanders would then hire soldiers for specific terms of service, providing contractually defined weaponry, and a specific number of troops. Also, King Edward III, although reliant on taxation to pay for his military, involved the people of England by holding public pageants, raising support for the war. In France, the people of the northern territory (where most of the fighting occurred) viewed the conflict as a personal problem among nobility, which was not of their concern.