3. The French Resistance

England and France fought each other for the Castilian crown. The long war caused Britain more debts so they imposed more taxes on the people in Aquitaine since based on the Magna Carta the king can no longer impose new taxes or raise the old ones in England. Consequently, Aquitaine’s nobles left to France who seized back the lands and war erupted once more in 1369. The new Valois King of France, Charles V, helped by Bertrand du Guesclin, a guerrilla leader, reconquered much of the English gains while avoiding any large pitch battles with the attacking English forces. The British were better armored especially that they could develop the longbow a strategic weapon which could shoot several arrows at the same time and for a longer distance.

The Black Prince died in 1376, and Edward III in 1377, both sides were avoiding encounters. By 1380, the year both Charles V and du Guesclin died so both sides were growing tired of the conflict. England and France were both ruled by minors, according to Wide when Richard II of England came of age he “reasserted himself over pro-war nobles (and a pro-war nation), suing for peace. Charles VI and his advisors also sought peace, and some went on crusade. Richard then became too tyrannical for his subjects and was deposed, while Charles went insane”. At that period the bubonic plague first struck Europe from 1346 to 1351. It returned in waves that occurred about every decade into the 15th century, leaving major changes in its wake.  Some historians estimate that 24 million Europeans died of the plague—about a third of the entire population. The rate of deaths sped up leading to changes in Europe's economic and social structure and consequently led to the decline of feudalism. Trade and commerce reduced during the plague years.

As Europe began to recover, the economy needed to be rebuilt. But it wouldn't be rebuilt in the same way, as feudal lords lost their powers and money. After the plague, historians accentuated the shift in power from nobles to the common people. A huge number of workers died and those who survived could, thus, demand more money and more rights. In addition, according to Wide “many peasants and some serfs abandoned feudal manors and moved to towns and cities, seeking better opportunities. This led to a weakening of the manor system and a loss of power for feudal lords”. After the plague, a number of peasant rebellions broke out. When nobles tried to return to the system from before the plague, peasants revolted throughout Europe in France, Flanders, England, Germany, Spain, and Italy. The most famous of these revolts, according to historians, was the English Peasants' War in 1381. The English rebels went to London and presented their demands to the king, Richard II who ordered to kill the leader of the rebellion and weakened the revolt. Still, in most of Europe, the time was coming when servitude would end.