List of wars involving the Kingdom of France

This is a list of wars involving the Kingdom of France from 987 until the abolition of the French monarchy on 21 September 1792.


  French victory - 59
  French defeat - 28
  Another result * - 15

*e.g. a treaty or peace without a clear result, status quo ante bellum, result of civil or internal conflict, result unknown or indecisive, inconclusive

Kingdom of France (987–1792)

ConflictCombatant 1Combatant 2Outcome
Reconquista
(722–1492)

Location: Iberia

  • Islamic states and factions of Iberia
Christian victory
First Norman Rebellion against William
(1047)

Location: Normandy

  • Norman rebels
French-Norman victory, rebels defeated
Second Norman Rebellion against William
(1052–1054)

Location: Normandy

Norman victory, French and rebels defeated
War of the Flemish succession (1070–1071)
(1070–1071)

Location: County of Flanders

Pro-Arnulf Flanders
Kingdom of France
County of Hainaut
County of Boulogne
Duchy of Normandy
Pro-Robert Flanders
West Frisia (later County of Holland)
West Frisian victory
First Crusade
(1096–1099)

Location: Mostly Levant and Anatolia

Crusader Victory
Crusade of 1101

Location: Anatolia

Rum victory
Anglo-French War 1109–13

Location: Normandy

Kingdom of FranceTruce
Anglo-French War 1116–19

Location: Normandy

Anglo-Norman Victory
Anglo-French War 1123–1135

Location: France

Rebellion in Maine suppressed by Anglo-Normans, French remain in a strong position, Henry I dies. The White Ship incident opens succession question and the Anarchy begins before conclusive result
Second Crusade
(1147–1150)

Location: Iberia, Levant and Anatolia

  • Various Muslim Kingdoms
Mixed results
  • Iberia - Crusader Victory
  • Levant - Status Quo Ante Bellum
  • Anatolia - Crusader Defeat
Anglo-French War 1158–1189

Location: France

Kingdom of EnglandRevolt of 1173-74 defeated, Richards revolt successful in 1189 with the help of Philip II and French forces, Treaty of Azay-le-Rideau, Prince Richard becomes king of England at expense of Henry II following the battle of Ballans
Anglo-French War 1193–1199

Location: France

Kingdom of France Kingdom of EnglandTruce at Vernon
Third Crusade
(1189–1192)

Location: Levant and Anatolia


Crusader Victory
Fourth Crusade
(1202–04)

Location: Holy Land and Byzantine Empire

In Europe:

Holy Land:

Division of Byzantine Empire
French invasion of Normandy (1202–1204)

Location: Normandy

Kingdom of France Kingdom of EnglandFrench Victory, Normandy, Anjou and Maine annexed by France
Albigensian Crusade
(1209–1229)

Location: Languedoc, France

Crusade

County of Aurenja

Crusader Victory
Anglo-French War (1213-14)

Location: France, Flanders

Kingdom of France Angevin Empire

Holy Roman Empire County of Flanders County of Boulogne

French Victory, Collapse of Angevin Empire
First Barons War
(1215–17)

Location: England

Army of God and Holy Church
Kingdom of France
Pro-Angevin forcesFrench Invasion Defeat
Fifth Crusade
(1217–1221)

Location: Egypt and Levant

AyyubidsCrusader Defeat
Poitou War
(1224)

Location: Poitou

France EnglandFrench Victory
English invasion of France (1230)
(1230)

Location: Brittany and Western France

France EnglandEnglish Withdrawal
Barons' Crusade
(1239–1241)

Location: Levant

AyyubidsCrusader Diplomatic Victory
Saintonge War
(1242–1243)

Location: Saintonge

France EnglandFrench Victory
Seventh Crusade
(1248–1254)

Location: Egypt

Kingdom of France

Principality of Morea
Knights Templar

AyyubidsCrusader Defeat
Eighth Crusade
(1270)

Location: Tunisia

Hafsid dynastyInconclusive, Death of King Louis IX
War of the Sicilian Vespers
(1282–1302)

Location: Sicily and Catalonia

Angevin Kingdom of Naples
Kingdom of France
Kingdom of Majorca
Crown of Aragon
Kingdom of Trinacria
 Byzantine Empire
Division of the kingdom of Sicily into Aragonese Trinacria and Angevin Naples, Aragonese Crusade defeated
Anglo-French War (1294–1303)

Location: South-Western France

France EnglandFrench Victory
Franco-Flemish War
(1297–1305)

Location: Flanders

France County of FlandersFrench Victory
War of Saint-Sardos
(1324)

Location: Aquitaine

France EnglandFrench Victory
Peasant revolt in Flanders 1323–1328
(1323–1328)

Location: Flanders

Kingdom of France
Flemish count and loyalists
Flemish rebelsFrench Victory
Hundred Years' War
(1337–1453)

Location: France, England, Spain, Scotland and Low Countries


France
Burgundian State (1337–1419 and 1435–53)
Kingdom of Scotland
Crown of Castile
Republic of Genoa
Kingdom of Bohemia
Crown of Aragon
Avignon Papacy[a]
Kingdom of England
Burgundian State (1419–35)
Kingdom of Portugal
Kingdom of Navarre
Ghent Rebels[b]
Papal States[c]
French Victory
Wars of the Roses
(1455–1487)

Location: England

House of Lancaster
House of Tudor
France
Kingdom of Scotland
House of York
Burgundian State
Victory and beginning of the Tudor dynasty
Castilian Civil War
(1351–1369)

Location: Spain

Forces of Henry of Trastámara
Kingdom of France
Crown of Aragon
Forces of Peter of Castile
Kingdom of England
Kingdom of Navarre
Kingdom of Majorca
Kingdom of Granada
Victory for Henry of Trastámara
Barbary Crusade
(1390)

Location: Tunisia

Kingdom of France
Republic of Genoa
Hafsids
Zianids
Bejaia
Truce negotiated, Both sides claim victory
Nicopolis Crusade
(1396)

Location: Nicopolis

Crusade:


Holy Roman Empire

 Kingdom of France[1][full citation needed]

Kingdom of Hungary[1][full citation needed]

Principality of Wallachia[2]
Knights Hospitaller[1][full citation needed]
 Republic of Venice[1][full citation needed]
 Republic of Genoa
Bulgarian Empire[3]
Polish Crown
Crown of Castile
Crown of Aragon
Kingdom of Portugal
Kingdom of Navarre
Teutonic Order
Byzantine Empire

Ottoman EmpireDefeat
Old Zurich War
(1440–1446)

Location: Swiss plateau

Imperial City of Zurich
Habsburg Further Austria
France
  Old Swiss Confederacy:

Vogteien of Appenzell

Peace of Einsiedeln
Milanese War of Succession
(1447–54)

Location: Italy

House of Sforza
Duchy of Milan (1450–4)
Republic of Florence (1452–4)
Kingdom of France (1452–4)
Republic of Venice
Margravate of Mantua

Ambrosian Republic (1447–50)
Duchy of Savoy

Francesco Sforza recognised as Duke of Milan
War of the Burgundian Succession
(1477–1482)

Location: France, Low Countries

Valois-Orléans:
 Kingdom of France
Burgundy-Habsburg:
 Burgundian State
France annexes several Burgundian territories, Maximilian I retains the Netherlands, the County of Burgundy, Artois and Charolais.
Catalan Civil War
(1462–1472)

Location: Catalonia

John II of Aragon
France
Principality of Catalonia rebelsJohn reestablished as King
War of the Castilian Succession
(1475–1479)

Location: Spain

Isabella is recognised as Queen of Castile in exchange for Ferdinand breaking alliance with Maximilian I, Duke of Burgundy
Mad War
(1485–1488)

Location: France

Kingdom of France Duchy of Lorraine
Duchy of Brittany
Lordship of Albret
Principality of Orange
County of Angoulême
Supported by:
Holy Roman Empire
Kingdom of England
Kingdom of Castile-León
Royal Victory
French-Breton War
(1487–1491)

Location: Duchy of Brittany

Kingdom of France Duchy of Brittany
Holy Roman Empire
Kingdom of England
Kingdom of Castile and León
French Victory, Anne of Brittany marries Charles VIII of France
First Italian War
(1494–1498)

Location: Italy

 Kingdom of France

Duchy of Milan (before 1495)

1494:
 Kingdom of Naples
1495:
League of Venice
 Papal States
 Republic of Venice
 Kingdom of Naples
Kingdoms of Spain
Duchy of Milan
 Holy Roman Empire
 Republic of Florence
 England (1496–98)
Duchy of Mantua
 Republic of Genoa
Victory for the League of Venice
Second Italian War
(1499–1501)

Location: Italy

 France
 Papal States
 Venice (1499)
Spain (1500)
Marquisate of Saluzzo
Duchy of Milan
 Naples
France conquers the Duchy of Milan
Third Italian War
(1502–1504)

Location: Italy

 France SpainSpanish victory, France cedes Naples
War of the League of Cambrai
(1508–1516)

Location: Italy, France, England and Spain

1508–1510: League of Cambrai:1510–1511:

1511–1513:

1513–1516:

1508–1510:

1510–1511:

1511–1513: Holy League:

1513–1516:

French and Venetian Victory
Italian War of 1521–1526

Location: France, Italy and Spain

 France

 Republic of Venice
 Papal States (1524–1525)
Marquisate of Saluzzo

 Holy Roman Empire
Spain
 England
 Papal States (1521–1523 and 1525–1526)
Habsburg Victory, Capture of Francois I
War of the League of Cognac
(1526–30)

Location: Italy

 Kingdom of France

 Papal States

 Republic of Venice
Republic of Florence
 Kingdom of England
 Republic of Genoa (1526–1528)
Kingdom of Navarre
Duchy of Milan

 Holy Roman Empire
Spain
Duchy of Ferrara
 Republic of Genoa (1528–1530)
Duchy of Mantua (1528–1530)
Habsburg Victory
Italian War of 1536–1538

Location: Provence, Piedmont and Lombardy

Truce of Nice, Savoy and Piedmont acquired by France
Italian War of 1542–1546

Location: England, France, Italy, Spain, and the Low Countries

Treaty of Crépy and Treaty of Ardres
Rough Wooing
(1542–1551)

Location: Northern England and Scotland

Scottish and French Victory
Italian War of 1551–1559

Location: France, Flanders, Italy and the Mediterranean

Spanish-Imperial Victory
Anglo-French War (1557–1559)

Location: Pale of Calais

Kingdom of France  Kingdom of EnglandFrench Victory
French Wars of Religion
(1562–1628)

Location: France


Edict of Nantes 1598, Edict of Fontainebleau 1685 revokes treaty of Nantes
English expedition to France (1562-1563)

Location: Le Havre, Dieppe

Kingdom of France  Kingdom of England, Huguenots (Before Edict of Amboise)Elizabeth I accepts French rule over Pale of Calais
War of the Portuguese Succession
(1580–1583)

Location: Portugal, Atlantic Ocean, and the Azores Islands

Pro-Crato Portugal
Supported by:
 France
 England
 Dutch Republic
Spain
Pro-Philip Portugal
Spanish Victory, Philip II of Spain crowned king of Portugal, Iberian Union
Franco-Spanish War (1595–1598)
(simultaneously supporting the Dutch Republic in the Eighty Years' War during 1596–98)

Location: Western Europe

Kingdom of France
England
SpainFrench Victory
Franco-Savoyard War (1600–1601)

Location: Savoy

Kingdom of France Duchy of SavoyTreaty of Lyon (1601)
War of the Jülich Succession
(1609–10)

Location: United Duchies of Jülich-Cleves-Berg

Margraviate of Brandenburg
Palatinate-Neuburg
 United Provinces
 Kingdom of France
Protestant Union
Rudolph II
Principality of Strasbourg
Prince-Bishopric of Liège
Catholic League
France did not participate when war resumed in 1614
Franco-Algerian war (1609–1628)

Location: Algiers

Kingdom of France Regency of AlgiersDefeat
Valtellina War
(1620–26)

Location: Valtellina

 France
The Three Leagues
 Venice
 Savoy
 Papal States
 Holy Roman Empire
Spain
Treaty of Monzon, France prevents complete Habsburg control of Valtellina
First Savoyard-Genoese War
(1625)

Location: Genoa

 Kingdom of France
 Duchy of Savoy
 Spain
 Republic of Genoa
Defeat
Anglo-French War (1627–1629)

Location: France, Quebec

 France  EnglandTreaty of Susa, English withdraw support for huguenots, Status Quo Ante Bellum in Canada
War of the Mantuan Succession
(1628–31)

Location: Northern Italy

Supporting the Duke of Nevers:
 France
 Venice
Supporting the Duke of Guastalla:
 Holy Roman Empire
 Duchy of Savoy
Spain
Duke of Nevers is recognised as ruler of Mantua
Thirty Years War
(1618–1648)

Location: Europe, primarily in Germany

 France (from 1635)

Bohemia (until 1620)
Sweden (from 1630)
Palatinate (until 1632)
 Duchy of Savoy (1618–19)
Transylvania (until 1621)[5]
 Dutch Republic (from 1619)
Denmark–Norway (1625–29)
Heilbronn League (1631–1635)
Hesse-Kassel (from 1629)
Brandenburg-Prussia (1631–1635)[d]
 Brunswick-Lüneburg (1634–1642)
 Saxony (1630–1635)[d]

Supported by:

 Habsburg Monarchy

Spanish Empire
Electorate of Bavaria
Catholic League (1618–1635)

Supported by:

France annexes Décapole and Upper Alsace[6]
Franco-Spanish War (1635–1659)
(simultaneously supporting the Dutch Republic in the Eighty Years' War during 1635–48)

Location: Northern France, Catalonia, Spanish Netherlands, Northern Italy, the Rhineland

Kingdom of France
Dutch Republic (1635–48)
 Commonwealth of England (1654–59)
 Duchy of Savoy
Modena and Reggio (1647–49, 1655–59)
 Duchy of Parma (1635–37)
Principality of Catalonia (1640–41)
Catalan Republic (1641)

Co-belligerent:
Kingdom of Portugal (1640–59)[e]

Spanish Empire (incl. Spanish Netherlands)
 Holy Roman Empire (1635–48)
Modena and Reggio (1635–46)
English Royalists (1657–59)[f]
Treaty of the Pyrenees, Artois, Roussillon and Perpignan annexed by France
Portuguese Restoration War
(1640–1668)

Location: Portugal

Kingdom of Portugal

 France  Kingdom of England

Spanish EmpirePortuguese and allied victory, end of the Iberian Union
War of Candia
(1645–1669)

Location: Cretan

 Venice
Knights of Malta
 Papal States
 France
 Ottoman EmpireCrete conquered by the Ottoman Empire
Venetian gains in Dalmatia
Savoyard–Waldensian wars
(1655–1690)

Location: Piedmont, Duchy of Savoy

Waldensian rebelsStatus quo
  • Waldensians resettle their valleys
  • Savoyard-Waldensian alliance against France, Savoy joins Augsburg League
  • Edict of Reintegration 1694
Austro-Turkish War (1663–1664)

Location: Kingdom of Hungary

League of the Rhine:

 Kingdom of France
 Holy Roman Empire

 Piedmont-Savoy
 Kingdom of Hungary
 Kingdom of Croatia
Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth

 Ottoman EmpirePeace of Vasvár
Second Anglo-Dutch War
(1665–1667)

Location: Europe, Caribbean, North Sea and English Channel

Treaty of Breda
War of Devolution
(1667–1668)

Location: Spanish Netherlands, Franche-Comté, Northern Catalonia

 France Spanish Empire (incl. Spanish Netherlands)
Triple Alliance:
Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle (1668), France gains Armentières, Bergues, Charleroi, Kortrijk, Douai, Veurne, Lille, Oudenaarde and Tournai
Franco-Dutch War
(1672–1678)

Location: Low Countries, England, Alsace, Rhineland, Brandenburg, Sicily, France, North America, West Indies

Treaties of Nijmegen, France gains Franche-Comté
War of the Reunions
(1683–1684)

Location: Spanish Netherlands, Catalonia, Genoa

 France*  Holy Roman Empire Spain

 Republic of Genoa

French Victory,
French conquest of Senegal
(1659–1895)

Location: Senegal

 FranceWaalo Kingdom
Kingdom of Cayor
Jolof Empire
Baol
Kingdom of Sine
Saloum
French victory
  • France conquers territory of present-day Senegal
French-Tripolitania War (1681-1685)

Location: Chios, Tripoli and Tunis

FranceFrench Victory
French-Algerian War 1681–88
(1681–88)

Location: Algiers

France Regency of AlgiersPeace treaty
Siamese revolution of 1688
(1688)

Location: Siam

Prasat Thong dynasty
 France
Phetracha and various Siamese lords
Supported by:
French defeat
Nine Years' War

Location: Europe, Ireland, Asia, North America

 France
 New France
Wabanaki Confederacy
Jacobites
Grand Alliance:Treaty of Ryswick
French and Iroquois Wars
(17th century)

Location: Great Lakes region

Huron, Erie, Neutral, Odawa, Ojibwe, Mississaugas, Potawatomi, Algonquin, Shawnee, Wenro, Mahican, Innu, Abenaki, Miami, Illinois Confederation, other nations allied with France
Supported by:
 France
Haudenosaunee
Supported by:
 England
 Dutch Republic
Military stalemate
  • Great Peace of Montreal
  • Growth of French token influence in the Great Lakes region
  • Huron-Wendat Confederacy destroyed or assimilated
  • Military refugee migration results in expansion of Iroquois hunting grounds down to Mississippi River
  • Further Iroquois territorial expansion halted in military campaigns by the Council of Three Fires
War of the Spanish Succession
(1701–1714)

Location: Europe, North America, Asia, Africa

*  France Holy Roman EmpireTreaty of Utrecht, Treaty of Portsmouth
Chickasaw Wars
(1721–1763)

Location: Mississippi River

 France
Choctaw
Illini
 Great Britain
Chickasaw
Chickasaw victory
War of the Quadruple Alliance
(1718–1720)

Location: Europe, North America

 Great Britain
 France
Austria
 Dutch Republic
 Savoy
SpainAllied victory
Fox Wars
(1712–1733)

Location: Detroit

 Kingdom of France and Indigenous AlliesFox PeoplesFrench victory
War of the Polish Succession
(1733–1735)

Location: Poland, Rhineland, Italy

* Poland loyal to Stanislaus I* Poland loyal to Augustus IIITreaty of Vienna, Bourbon territorial gains, France guaranteed Lorraine following death of Stanisław Leszczyński
War of Austrian Succession
(1740–48)

Location: Europe, North America

*  France

Wabanaki Confederacy

*  Great Britain

Iroquois Confederacy


Co-belligerents:

Status quo ante bellum
Father Le Loutre's War
(1749–1755)

Location: Acadia and Nova Scotia

 France

Wabanaki Confederacy

 Great BritainFrench defeat
Seven Years' War
(1756–1763)
 France

Wabanaki Confederacy

Algonquin
Lenape
Ojibwa
Ottawa
Shawnee
Wyandot

 Great Britain

Iroquois Confederacy
Catawba
Cherokee (before 1758)

French defeat
Larache expedition
(1765)

Location: Larache, Morocco

 France MoroccoFrench defeat
Anglo-French War (1778–1783)
(1778–83)

Location: English Channel, Atlantic Ocean, West Indies, North America, Straits of Gibraltar, Balearic Islands, East Indies

 France
Spain
United States

Co-belligerent:
 Dutch Republic (1780–1784)

 Great BritainFrench victory
  • United States gain independence from Britain
  • France weakens Britain, but incurs huge debts
  • Dutch economy ruined, Patriots radicalise
French conquest of Corsica
(1768–1770)

Location: Corsica

 France Corsican RepublicFrench victory
War of the First Coalition
(1792–1797)

Location: France, Central Europe, Italy, Belgium, Netherlands, Spain, West Indies

 France

Spain (from 1796)[i]

Army of Condé

 Dutch Republic (until 1795)
 Great Britain
 Holy Roman Empire (until 1797)[j]

 Naples (until 1796)
 Portugal
 Sardinia (until 1796)[m]
Spain (until 1795)[n]
Other Italian states

French victory
Haitian Revolution
(1791–1804)

Location: Saint-Domingue

Collage of the Haitian Revolution
Slave owners
Kingdom of France
French Republic
Ex-slaves
French royalists
Captaincy General of Santo Domingo (1793–1795)
 Great Britain
Ex-slaves (1802–1803)
Haitian victory

Wars France was not involved in but provided support (material, political, advisory etc.)

ConflictSupported by FranceOpposed by FranceOutcome
Byzantine–Norman wars
(1040–1189)

Location: Italy

Norman SicilyByzantine EmpireNorman victory
Breton–Norman War
(1064–1066)

Location: Normandy and Brittany

Norman victory
Norman conquest of England
(1066–1075)

Location: England

Duchy of NormandyAnglo-Saxon EnglandNorman conquest of England
Loon War
(1203–1206)

Location: Low Countries

Ada and Louis II
Loon
William
Holland
Support by:
England
House of Welf
Military and long-term political victory for William
  • William recognised as count of Holland

Civil wars and revolutions

ConflictFrench GovernmentRebelsOutcome
Shepherds' Crusade (1251)

Location: France

Kingdom of France
Catholic Church in France
Civilians (especially Jews)
French peasant crusadersFrench government victory
  • Crusaders dispersed
Shepherds' Crusade (1320)

Location: France, Crown of Aragon

Kingdom of France
 Crown of Aragon
Civilians (especially Jews)
French peasant crusadersFranco–Aragonese victory
  • Crusaders dispersed
War of the Public Weal
(1465)

Location: France

Kingdom of France

Loyal Nobles:

Supported by:

Rebellious Nobles:

Supported by:

Louis makes concessions to the rebels in the Treaty of Conflans before going back on them in the following years.[7][8]
War in the Cevennes[9]
(1702–1710)

Location: Cévennes

 Kingdom of FranceCamisardsFrench victory
French Revolution
(1789–1799)

Location: France

Kingdom of FranceRevolutionariesFrench Republican victory

See also

Notes

References

Citations

Bibliography

  • Brown, Kenneth L. (1976). People of Sale: Tradition and Change in a Moroccan City, 1830–1930. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press. ISBN 978-0-674-66155-4.
  • Croxton, Derek (2013). The Last Christian Peace: The Congress of Westphalia as A Baroque Event. Palgrave Macmillan. ISBN 978-1-137-33332-2.
  • Kendall, Paul Murray (1974). Louis XI. Cardinal.
  • Ottaway, David (1970), Algeria: The Politics of a Socialist Revolution, Berkeley, California: University of California Press, ISBN 9780520016552
  • Patman, Robert G. (2009). The Soviet Union in the Horn of Africa: The Diplomacy of Intervention and Disengagement. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-10251-3.
  • Saenger, Paul (Spring 1977). "Burgundy and the Inalienability of Appanages in the Reign of Louis XI". French Historical Studies. 10 (1): 1–26. doi:10.2307/286114. JSTOR 286114.
  • Teretta, Meredith (2013). Nation of Outlaws, State of Violence: Nationalism, Grassfields Tradition, and State Building in Cameroon. Athens: Ohio University Press. ISBN 9780821444726.