The definition of the Golden Rule is that those with the gold make the
rules. In other words, those with the gold have the power as well as those
with the power have the gold. History books will discuss the general reasons
for war such as freedom from adversity or freedom from religion. But the
real issue for any war is the thirst for power and control; and the means to
finance them are the economic issues.
Nations will endure years of fighting for power and control. France
and England fought each other for more than a hundred years to have control
of the Channel trade routes. 1 This century of warring was known as The
Hundred Years' War and is the longest war in record history. It began in
1337 when King Edward III invaded Normandy and ended in 1453 when
France won the Battle of Bordeaux. However, it was not a hundred years of
constant battle; there were periods of truces in between. 2
One cause for the Hundred Years' War was the claim to the French
throne. The conflict began when the direct line of succession died without a
male heir and the nobles decided to pass the crown to a cousin, Philip of
Valois. But this left two other male cousins equally deserving of the crown;
Charles, King of Navarre and Edward III, King of England. 3 Edward III
claimed that he himself was deserving of the throne because his mother was
the sister of the late French king, while Philip VI was only a cousin. But
according to French law, no women could inherit the throne, nor could the
crown be inherited through a woman. 4
"Philip of Valois chances of becoming King of France had been remote
and he had not been brought up as the future lieutenant of God on Earth.
Philip VI spent much of his resources on entertainment and finery with gay
abandon." 5 This caused conflict with the king's subjects. Since the king was
considered to be sacred and inviolable, neither cousin would challenge Phil...