Warfare underwent a gradual transition during the Hundred Years' War.
Medieval armies had been traditionally formed by using the feudal obligations of lords and tenants. However, as the feudal system was increasingly unable to supply the numbers of soldiers needed for sustained campaigns overseas English kings turned to a system of paid contracts instead to raise men-at-arms and archers. French kings also paid their troops but still relied on older feudal powers to raise their soldiers. A career as a professional soldier was made possible because of the many wars.
The University of Southampton's The Soldier in Later Medieval England Database may provide further information about the people of the Hundred Years' War.
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