The end of the Hundred Years’ War and the unification of France

By the peace of 1360 a third of French territory passed to the English. King Charles V (1364–1380) carried out military reforms, created a fleet and an artillery corps, and his commander du Guesclin won back much of the land by small engagements. In 1415 the English landed in Normandy and again defeated the French at Agincourt; the Duke of Burgundy went over to their side and Paris was taken. By the treaty of 1420 the English king was recognized as heir to the French throne and the French dauphin was disinherited. Then the people rose against the English occupation. In 1429 Joan of Arc, a peasant girl, came to the dauphin Charles and convinced him that the French would win; she was given troops and helped to lift the siege of Orléans (hence “the Maid of Orléans”). Afterwards Charles VII (1422–1461) was crowned at Reims. In 1430 the Burgundians captured Joan and handed her to the English, a church court condemned her and she was burned at the stake at Rouen on 30 May 1431. Her heroism raised French patriotism and marked a turning point in the war. In 1453 the English kept only the port of Calais. Victory strengthened royal power: a regular army began to form and taxes were collected regularly. Louis XI (1461–1483) annexed the western part of Burgundy, Provence passed to the crown in 1481 and with Charles VIII’s marriage in 1491 to Anne, daughter of the Duke of Brittany, the unification was essentially complete.