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The Wider War – Beyond England and France

The Hundred Years War was not confined to England and France. Other kingdoms, principalities and military forces became involved at different stages of the conflict, sometimes as allies of England or France and sometimes pursuing their own interests.

Scotland, Brittany, Navarre and the kingdoms of Iberia all became involved in conflicts connected to the wider struggle. The activities of the Free Companies also carried the effects of warfare beyond the main Anglo-French theatres.

Medieval manuscript scenes depicting battles in Scotland, Castile and Brittany during the Hundred Years War
Medieval manuscript scenes illustrating the wider conflict of the Hundred Years War, including battles in Scotland, Castile and Brittany.

The Wider War

Scotland

Scotland was closely connected to the Hundred Years War through its long-standing rivalry with England and its relationship with France. Scottish armies fought the English in northern Britain, while Scottish soldiers also served alongside the French in campaigns on the continent.

Brittany

The War of the Breton Succession brought Brittany directly into the wider conflict. Rival claimants sought English and French support, turning a dispute over the succession to the duchy into a prolonged struggle involving both major powers.

Navarre

The rulers of Navarre pursued their own political and territorial interests while seeking advantage from the rivalry between England and France. Charles II of Navarre was particularly active, making and breaking alliances as he sought to increase his influence in France and the Iberian Peninsula.

Castile and the Iberian Peninsula

The political struggles of the Iberian kingdoms became closely connected to the Hundred Years War, particularly during the Castilian Civil War. England and France supported opposing sides, while the conflict created opportunities for military intervention, diplomacy and shifting alliances.

  • The Castilian Civil War and the struggle between Pedro of Castile and Enrique of Trastámara brought English, French and mercenary forces into conflict.
  • The Black Prince intervened in Castile in 1367, leading an English and Gascon army into Iberia in support of Pedro of Castile and defeating Enrique’s forces at the Battle of Nájera.
  • The failure of Pedro to meet the financial costs of the expedition contributed to the Black Prince’s withdrawal from Castile, while the conflict between Pedro and Enrique continued.
  • The Battle of Montiel, 1369, where Enrique defeated and killed Pedro, brought the Castilian Civil War to a decisive conclusion and strengthened the French connection with the new Castilian regime.
  • John of Gaunt’s Castilian claim and the later English involvement in the Iberian succession.
  • Catherine of Lancaster and the Castilian succession.
  • Anglo-Portuguese relations and the Portuguese connection.

The Free Companies

The prolonged warfare of the fourteenth century contributed to the growth of powerful military companies whose activities could continue beyond individual campaigns and treaties. The Free Companies became an important factor in France and in the conflicts of the wider western European world.

  • The Free Companies and the difficulties they created for the French government after the Treaty of Brétigny.
  • Their involvement in the conflicts of the Iberian Peninsula.
  • The movement of military companies beyond the principal theatres of the Hundred Years War.

The Wider Conflict

The involvement of other powers meant that the Hundred Years War was never simply a series of wars fought between England and France. Dynastic claims, regional rivalries, alliances and opportunities for military intervention repeatedly drew other rulers and forces into the wider conflict.

These connections also help explain why campaigns in places such as Brittany, Scotland and the Iberian Peninsula could affect the strategic and political choices made by England and France.

Further Reading