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Religion and the Church During the Hundred Years War

Religion and the Church were important to political and social life during the Hundred Years War. The Papacy, bishops and other Church authorities could influence diplomacy and royal legitimacy, while religious ideas were used to justify warfare and shape attitudes towards the conflict.

The period also witnessed major divisions and challenges within the Church, including the Avignon Papacy, the Western Schism and growing criticism of ecclesiastical authority.

Medieval manuscript scenes depicting the Church, religious worship and warfare during the Hundred Years War
Medieval manuscript scenes illustrating religious authority, worship and warfare during the Hundred Years War.

Religion and the Church

The Papacy

The Papacy was an important diplomatic and political force during the Hundred Years War. English and French rulers sought papal support for their positions, while the location of the Papal court at Avignon brought the Papacy into particularly close contact with the French monarchy.

The Western Schism

The division of the Catholic Church between rival Popes from 1378 added a further dimension to the political conflicts of the period. England generally recognised the Pope at Rome, while France supported the Pope at Avignon, making papal allegiance part of wider European diplomacy.

Crusading and Religious Warfare

Crusading remained an important feature of medieval political culture. During the Hundred Years War, crusading could be used to give military campaigns a religious purpose, particularly when directed against opponents of the recognised Papacy.

Joan of Arc and Religious Authority

Joan of Arc’s claims to receive divine guidance became closely connected with the French struggle against the English. Following her capture, questions about her visions, conduct and religious beliefs became central to her ecclesiastical trial.

Religious Reform and Heresy

The later fourteenth and early fifteenth centuries saw growing criticism of aspects of Church authority and practice. In England, John Wycliffe challenged established ideas about ecclesiastical authority and the wealth of the Church. Other individuals faced investigation or prosecution when their religious beliefs or claims were judged unacceptable.

The Church and Warfare

Warfare affected churches, monasteries and religious communities as well as the populations and territories through which armies travelled. Religious institutions could suffer from military occupation, destruction and financial demands, while clergy and ecclesiastical institutions remained involved in the political and administrative life of the kingdoms at war.

Religion was therefore not separate from the Hundred Years War. The Church could provide authority and legitimacy, religious divisions could reflect wider political rivalries, and warfare itself could be presented in religious terms.

Further Reading