* The Hundred Years' War placed an enormous financial burden on the French crown.
* To fund the war, the monarchy imposed heavy taxes on the peasantry, reducing their disposable income and increasing economic hardships.
2- Wartime Devastation:
* The war resulted in widespread devastation across the French countryside.
* Villages were pillaged, crops were destroyed, and livestock was stolen, leading to food shortages and famine, further worsening the peasants' living conditions.
3- Loss of Manpower:
* Many peasants were conscripted into the French army, leaving their families without able-bodied workers to tend to their lands and earn a living.
* This further contributed to economic difficulties and social unrest among the peasantry.
4- Decline of Feudalism:
* The Hundred Years' War challenged the traditional feudal system, weakening the power of the nobility.
* As a result, many peasants began to question their feudal obligations and sought greater freedom and autonomy.
5- Impact of Bubonic Plague:
* The bubonic plague, also known as the Black Death, swept across Europe during the Hundred Years' War.
* The pandemic claimed the lives of millions, including a large portion of the population, further disrupting the labor force and agricultural productivity, adding to the peasants' grievances.
6- Influence of Urban Life:
* Many peasants who served in the war or came into contact with urban centers were exposed to new ideas about social equality, justice, and the potential for social mobility.
* This exposure challenged traditional rural hierarchies and contributed to a growing sense of discontent among the peasantry.
7- Leadership and Organization:
* The Hundred Years' War also created opportunities for peasant leaders to emerge and organize resistance against oppressive feudal lords and the monarchy.
* These leaders could mobilize the peasantry and leverage their collective power to demand reforms and challenge the existing social order.
In conclusion, the Hundred Years' War created several social, economic, and political conditions that fostered peasant unrest and ignited peasant revolts. These revolts aimed to address the oppressive conditions imposed by feudal lords and the French crown, seeking justice, economic relief, and greater social equality.