How often was war in the Medieval Ages?

[SirDestroyer]

When somebody says the word medieval I always think of war but how often was war in Europe? Was it that another war would start each decade, or was it more frequent, or rare (I doubt it)?

[{GrailKnight}]

There is way too many wars and conflicts to count lol

[★Bandiera Rossa☭]

Well.. there is always a war going on somewhere in the world.. even in modern times...

[SirDestroyer]

Kind of what I mean is if 2 countries had problems, war is one of the most popular answers most of the time or something like that.

[LCD Soundsystem]

well probably, as seeing as there was no UN.

[Civil1z@tion]

War was endemic in the middle ages until the 19th century even. The late 20th century has actually been the most peaceful period in European history since the Roman Empire (with nearly 40 years between WW2 and the conflicts in the former Yugoslavia, and the large nations of Europe like France, Germany, Poland, etc. have had 64 years of peace on the continent). When wars weren't going on between states, raids or civil wars would happen. The entire noble class indentified itself as warriors and even if the heads of state didn't want a war the nobles, especially the young ones looking to establish their reputation as warriors and thereby secure the only way for nobles to socially advance, were always demanding monarchs fight wars over the smallest offenses. The Middle Ages combined the warrior spirit of the old Germanic tribes with technology originally developed by the Meditterrean civilizations and then enhanced by the invaders. This led to a situation much like modern Africa. The warfare of Europe didn't start dieing down until the French Revolution, where the huge conscript armies and ever-increasing expense of warfare made the kind of constant fighting of previous centuries politically impossible and economically cost prohibitive.

This is not to suggest certain areas of Europe couldn't be peaceful at certain times, but that was certainly the exceptiong to the rule.

[Azog 150]

War was endemic in the middle ages until the 19th century even. The late 20th century has actually been the most peaceful period in European history since the Roman Empire (with nearly 40 years between WW2 and the conflicts in the former Yugoslavia, and the large nations of Europe like France, Germany, Poland, etc. have had 64 years of peace on the continent).

Really not true. There was also the Algerian War of Independence, the First Indochina War, the Falklands War, Korea, the Indonesia Malaysia Confrontation, the Suez Crisis, Malaysian Emergency and the Northern Ireland Conflict amongst others. Unless you were talking about wars fought in Europe itself.....


However, the rest of your post was right. Wars were pretty constant throughout the Medieval ages. Aside from religious factors which greatly influenced foreign policy in the medieval ages (Culminating in wars like the crusades), it was also perfectly acceptable for Kings and Emperors to wage wars for land, money and glory. Wars were a good way of distracting a countries population from their usually lives of just farming enough food to keep you alive. There were also a lot of rebellions and civil wars in middle ages- usually wars of succession and claims to the throne of a country which we don't really get today. Top this off with the reasons we wage war today which were still used as reasons for war in the Middle Ages, and you have a lot of war....

[IZob]

Someone did ancient history at school I wish ancient history...

[{GrailKnight}]

I do sadly we don't really learn alot about ancient battles except for the "Greek World 500-440BC" topic, where we learn about the Greco-Persian Wars, but even then we don't delve very deep only summarising the strategies and what not, it's mainly just source work *sigh* but i got 100% on my essay woot lol, too bad i'm not gonna persue history at uni i'm a busines man

I do sadly we don't really learn alot about ancient battles except for the "Greek World 500-440BC" topic, where we learn about the Greco-Persian Wars, but even then we don't delve very deep only summarising the strategies and what not, it's mainly just source work *sigh* but i got 100% on my essay woot lol.

Back on topic, like Civil1z@tion said nobles identified themselves as warriors and went to war quite often to prove themselves so they can advance and gain considerable reputation and most likely power. Sadly wars still go on these days, but it is quite less frequent than in the middle ages lol, back then states made agreements and treaties but wars would still happen. I guess Medieval Europeans just loved to fight lolz

[ashenhigh]

Just use Wikipedia.


Short answer: Non-stop war in Europe throughout the medieval period, non-stop war in the world. It wasn't continuous for any one country, but Europe as a whole always had some nation or country disputing another, over land, resources, women, personal vendettas, succession, always something. No Pax Europa.

[Ochiee]

yeah...europe is a big continent with lots of countries, and quiet rich in economy, unlike other continent like africa or asia, which also have lots of countries but average economy (only some of them are quiet rich), but it all come to 1 conclusion i think, war ALWAYS comes from the rich (country, lol)

[Thalassocrat]

yeah...europe is a big continent with lots of countries, and quiet rich in economy, unlike other continent like africa or asia, which also have lots of countries but average economy (only some of them are quiet rich), but it all come to 1 conclusion i think, war ALWAYS comes from the rich (country, lol)

Are you sure Europe was the RICHEST continent during the Medieval Period? Try reading up on the Solomonic Dynasty in Ethiopia or the Vijayanagara Empire before jumping to conclusions.

FYI Timur never really bother about Europe, he fought up till the Urals to settle some old scores but then turned most of his energies to India

[SirDestroyer]

Thanks everybody for the answers.

[Dust be in Thy Mouth, Infidel!]

Heard of the Hundred Years War between France and England?
The Crusades?
There's a history forum called the Vestigia Vetustatis anyway.

[SirDestroyer]

Heard of the Hundred Years War between France and England?
The Crusades?
There's a history forum called the Vestigia Vetustatis anyway.

Yeah, France got their ass whooped but pulled of a victory in the end.
Greedy Christains wanting land and money? Yup.

[Last Roman]

Yeah, France got their ass whooped but pulled of a victory in the end.
Greedy Christains wanting land and money? Yup.

a very simplified (and in the latter case, wrong) version of history.

The Hundred Years War was not a constant war, but rather a series of wars with intermittent periods of peace. Nor was France getting its "ass kicked" but near the end of the war, did suffer several humiliating defeats, culminating at Agincourt.

As per the Crusades, they started by the Byzantine Emperor calling for help. The west, who really did see it as a religious war (as opposed to one simply for land) answered.

Anyhoo, to answer the OP, war was a fairly common occurrence in medieval Europe, especially in the early middle ages, where lords even within a kingdom would fight each other constantly. The emerging power of the Church, along with the Crusades, would bring an end, or at least, lessen, how often that happened. But violence, whether between kingdoms, lords, peasant uprisings or simply raids by brigands, was hardly unknown.

[Dust be in Thy Mouth, Infidel!]

The Hundred Years War was not a constant war, but rather a series of wars with intermittent periods of peace. Nor was France getting its "ass kicked" but near the end of the war, did suffer several humiliating defeats, culminating at Agincourt.

DIdn't the English suffer some humiliating defeats after Agincourt?

[Rapax]

The OP couldn't work up the passion to ask anything a little less generalized and oversimplified?

[SirDestroyer]

a very simplified (and in the latter case, wrong) version of history.

The Hundred Years War was not a constant war, but rather a series of wars with intermittent periods of peace. Nor was France getting its "ass kicked" but near the end of the war, did suffer several humiliating defeats, culminating at Agincourt.

As per the Crusades, they started by the Byzantine Emperor calling for help. The west, who really did see it as a religious war (as opposed to one simply for land) answered.

Anyhoo, to answer the OP, war was a fairly common occurrence in medieval Europe, especially in the early middle ages, where lords even within a kingdom would fight each other constantly. The emerging power of the Church, along with the Crusades, would bring an end, or at least, lessen, how often that happened. But violence, whether between kingdoms, lords, peasant uprisings or simply raids by brigands, was hardly unknown.

I forgot to mention in my post that the 1st crusade was actually an act of faith.

[Double A]

He meant Europe had a better economy as a whole than Africa or Asia.