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Napoleonic Wars versus Hundred Years War
The Napoleonic wars are a series of wars fought between the shifting alliances of European powers and Napoleonic France. The shifting European alliances produced a short period of French supremacy over a significant part of Europe. The wars consist of a re-current 23-year period of wars that ended with the waterloo battle. The wars ended after Napoleon’s second abdication from Paris (Schneid).
The hundred years war is a conflict era between England and France that lasted 116 years. The hundred years wars were marked by several conflicts with two lengthy periods of peace (Curry). The main reason for the conflict was the claims of the English kings over the French throne. The war finally ended after the expulsion of the English from France, leaving Calais Pale. King Edward III started the first war, which led to a series of other wars within 116 years.
After the French revolution, Napoleon Bonaparte became a leader in France. He was well known for his military prowess and confidence that he brought to France after taking the revolution wars (Schneid). His combative style of leadership shaped the many conflicts between France and the forming of European alliances. The wars are known as the Napoleonic wars, as he was at the center of them all. Napoleon instigated the Napoleonic wars. On the other hand, Edward III of England instigated the first war of the hundred wars when he laid claim over the French throne. The hundred years wars were mostly instigated by a king’s determination to legitimize their reign just as Henry V of England did. Some of the wars were a result of the French attempt to regain their lost territory and birthright (Curry).
The Napoleonic wars can be seen as a means to grow nationality among the French people. Napoleon set out to battles hoping he would win the battles and set a mark for the French nation among other European nations. For instance, he had set up a plan to invade England and had invested enough money to fight them (Schneid). The hundred years wars are also wars seeking to gain nationalistic pride for its citizens, the issue of nobility during the hundred years war was put to the test as some nobles choose to migrate to other nations and the few that remained fought among themselves. For instance, during the battles of Charles IV many of his nobles were fighting against each other; therefore, he lacked a strong foundation to launch a war against England and win. The French attempts to fight back can be seen as attempts to regain the nation’s lost glory, as seen in the case of the Dauphin (Curry).
By the end of both wars, they were great changes in Europe. By the end of the hundred wars many of the nobles had moved to other territories leaving France and England with a handful of nobles. Most of the remaining nobles were not in support of endless battles. The Napoleonic Wars led to greater alliances among European countries that formed alliances to fight against Napoleon.
Works cited
Schneid, Frederick C. Napoleonic Wars. Washington, D.C: Potomac Books, 2012.
Curry, Anne. The Hundred Years’ War: 1337-1453. , 2014.