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By the 14th century, the feudalism in Europe had started to decline. The decline of feudalism was determined by objective factors that led to the consistent changes in socioeconomic and, therefore, political life of European countries. In this respect, England and France were in the avant-garde of the socioeconomic and political changes which led to the downfall of feudalism. The break of the feudal equilibrium in government was one of the major reasons that led to the decline of feudalism in Europe. To put it more precisely, feudalists used to be autonomous, practically independent of the monarch, who was rather a nominal than real ruler of a country, such as England or France. In the 14th century, the balance of power had started to change because monarchs in the advanced countries of Europe, such as England and France, had started to concentrate the political power in their hand. In fact, they became steadily rulers who controlled the political power in the country, whereas their dukes and lords were subordinated politically. Monarchs united their subordinates and headed their countries.
In such a context, the role of the Hundred Years’ War can hardly be underestimated. The existence of the external threat to the independence and safety of the country was a strong stimulus that forced feudalists to unite under the rule of the monarch. As a result, French feudalists agreed to obey the monarch to survive under the pressure of the English army, whereas the English was united under the rule of the king to succeed in the war.
References:
Ross, C. (1976). The Wars of the Roses, London: Thames and Hudson.
Seward, D. (1999). The Hundred Years War. The English in France 1337–1453. New York: Penguin Books.