3.2.6 The Hundred Years War and Wars of the Roses

The Hundred Years War was a series of wars between England and France that lasted from 1337 to 1453. English kings claimed the right to the French throne. Famous English victories included the Battle of Crécy (1346) and the Battle of Agincourt (1415), where Henry V defeated a much larger French army. However, England eventually lost the war and all its territory in France except Calais.

After the Hundred Years War, England was torn apart by a civil war known as the Wars of the Roses (1455-1485). This was a struggle for the throne between two branches of the royal family: the House of Lancaster (whose symbol was a red rose) and the House of York (whose symbol was a white rose). The wars ended when Henry Tudor defeated Richard III at the Battle of Bosworth Field in 1485.