In the event of a failed norman conquest, what would the effects on the Kingdom of France be? On the surface we might assume france would steamroll the european continent as seen here and also here, but middle ages france was seriously decentralized, with Brittany, Burgundy, even Provence and Lorraine being incredibly autonomous if not wholly separated. So what turned course and allowed for a single, centralized force?
The Hundred Years War. Edward III's decision to press his not-really-existent claim was pressed because of Phillip Vi's decision to revoke some french lands edward held. French lands they wouldn't have held without a norman conquest, especially considering Henry II's, the king who brought those lands to England own rise to power was partially luck based.
So, that baguettes the question: would France have been a centralized, great power of europe without the Norman Conquest and subsequent 100 Year's War? or would it be gobbled up into other neighbors gradually?
The Hundred Years War. Edward III's decision to press his not-really-existent claim was pressed because of Phillip Vi's decision to revoke some french lands edward held. French lands they wouldn't have held without a norman conquest, especially considering Henry II's, the king who brought those lands to England own rise to power was partially luck based.
So, that baguettes the question: would France have been a centralized, great power of europe without the Norman Conquest and subsequent 100 Year's War? or would it be gobbled up into other neighbors gradually?