ful ruler of France. As England continued to win the early battles and keep the in France, the military's feelings of inferiority and insecurity were replaced with self-confidence and optimism. The first phase of The Hundred Years' War went well for England. Eventually the false sense of prosperity created by the pillaging of the French towns and villages began to surface. Also, the commoners were becoming dissatisfied with the high war expense. The war was a strain on England's resources and it was beginning to get difficult to pay the soldiers' wages as well as maintain the garrisons. The English subjects were taxed out and tired of the misappropriation of the war funds by the corrupt royal officials and military commanders. Moreover, the military began to decline. "King Richard II was not a good general. Most of Edward III's captains were dead or in captivity and the new generation of officers showed little aptitude for war." 15 But King Richard II had to fight France not only for glorious tradition but to save the wine trade with Gascony and the wool trade with Flanders. These resources were needed to help finance the war. However, his campaign ended in retreat. The Gascons were opportunists. They did not adhere firmly to one lord. Even though they did better under English rule, they were not resistant to the French. Consequently, France gradually gained control of the Channel trade routes. Then King Henry V renewed The Hundred Years' War with a victory at Agincourt. He was a strong, brilliant military leader and continued to win battles against the French, recapturing the Gascon territory. 16 Also, with the marriage to Charles VI's daughter, King Henry V achieved the goal of French sovereignty. He became the French regent and upon Charles VI's death, the King of England would succeed to a dual monarchy. However, when Charles VI died, the King of England was a child. 17 Henry VI was too young and inexperienced to supervise a kingdom...
