Why did we have the 100yrs war – weren most of the nobles French descended?
Yes, the English monarchs of that era WERE of French descent, which is what caused the misnamed 100 years war. It was actually a series of short wars which together totalled approx 116 years. Edward III of England was the son of Edward II and his wife Isabelle, daughter of Philippe III of France. After Philippe III’s death, in 1314, he was succeeded by his son Louis X who died within 2 years, leaving a daughter and a pregnant wife. Since France had the Salic law, a female could not inherit the throne, so his daughter was passed over (although she was able to become the Queen of Navarre which she had inherited from HER mother) The pregnant wife, Clemence, gave birth to a baby boy but he died a few days later (actually, we now know that he didn’t die but that’s another story) Thereupon, Louis X’s next brother, Philippe V, became King of France. Philippe V had only daughters, so upon his death in 1322, his youngest brother became king, as Charles IV. Although married three times, Charles
