Causes of the Hundred Years War By Dmitri Bludov

During the eleventh century the English nobles and upper-class began adopting Norman fashion with switching from beer to wine. Alcohol might not have a great importance today but back then it was widely known to be an inexpensive food source that provided a good amount of calories. Acting as a source of food wine and beer was priced accordingly. The change of alcohol caused the English start a triangular trade with Flanders and Southern France from lack of the ability to grow grapes. England exchanged fleece for Flemish cloth which the English used to trade in Southern France for wine.

The counts in Flanders had ties to France, France tried to take control of the counts to gain the wealth of Flanders, a war broke out between the land owners of Flanders who were supported by France and the middle-class supported by the English. (Keep in mind that England wasn't in good relations with France before hand and Flanders playing a major role in England's trade while France tries to sees more power to the trade center doesn't help much.)

Double "nut-cracker" plays a major role in the war. England has large land ownership in South France and controls Flanders, with France right in between it would make an effective attack easy. France, to even out the odds created their own nut-cracker by making an alliance with the Scots keeping the English on their toes.

The last son of King Phillip IV died in 1328, his daughter Isabelle married King Edward II of England, Edward III was their son and as grandson of King Phillip IV, King Edward III had a valid claim to the French throne. At that same time French lawyers enacted an old law which stated that property, in this case the throne of France, could not be inherited through a female.

Additional causes include the English spirit and the English Channel. The English possessed an aggressive spirit, gained from the conflicts with the Scots to the north, which takes little to steer into a fight. The English Channel played a major role in Western Europe for many reasons. To England the channel was their proud area of dominance with their fleet, the way to aid their Flemish allies, and a direct route to their triangular trade. To France, "The Sleeve" as they called it was the key to springing their nut-cracker into action.

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