Unit Summary

Due to the destruction of France caused by the Hundred Years War, France was unable to initiate trade with North America until long after the Spanish had began their conquests. The widespread poverty during the war caused several revolts, like the Jacquerie and the Cabochiens, left France divided, in deeper poverty, and in a more hectic state. The results of these revolts left France in a state where it had to recover, leaving it unable to fund expeditions overseas. The civil war that broke out in France between the Armagnacs and Burgundians factions left France divided and, at one point, caused the Burgundians allies with the English. The civil war and treachery left France needing to recover even more. The war left the land ravaged and the farms unable to produce crops, a major part of the French economy. After the war Louis XI focused on uniting France, leaving them behind in naval advancements and eventually the trade with North America.