Why did the hundred year war start?
It was a dynastic dispute. After the death of king Philippe IV of France, none of his 3 sons left any male heirs. Philippe, the second son had his lawyers dig up or make up an obscure Frankish law (known as Salic law) that prevented women from inheriting so as to ensure he would get the crown over Louis X’s daughter Joan of Navarre (who additionally was suspected of being a bastard, due to her mother’s misconduct) When the 3rd son died with no male children, a dispute happened between Edward III of England, who was Philippe IV’s grandson through Isabel of France, and Philppe’s nephew Philippe de Valois who was the closest relatie though anall male line. Philippe got to be crowned as Phippe VI and started the Valois line of French kings, and Edward started a war to get what he regarded as his birthright. The fact that English kings had long been at odds with the kings of France over the suzerainship of their French mainland possessions only exacerbated the enmity, and turned Philip the
