Anna Whitelock's talking points: Friends or enemies?

Elizabeth of Warwick (@oshay moishe1) tweeted: “Sadly it’s a rivalry that goes back to the Norman conquest. Just mention the Hundred Years’ War or Agincourt and the English start to salivate. War against France was the one way people would happily dig into their pockets to fund it.”

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Tyler (@CasperoBull) was perplexed: “It’s all very strange, considering that post-1066, we were ruled by essentially a French dynasty for 400 years and adopted much of their culture and customs that formed our country… odd how some people keep fighting a 200-year-old war in their imagination.”

Shelagh Sneddon (@ShelaghSneddon) noted that, “It’s one of the biggest differences between Scotland and England. This animosity doesn’t really exist in Scotland, largely because France were our allies against England for much of the Middle Ages. As a result, it bewilders me whenever I meet it.” On this, John Stanners (@JohnStanners) said: “Do you think the problem England has with the French is due to the Auld Alliance [a 1295 alliance made between the kingdoms of Scotland and France]? It’s the only reason that I can think of for the current issues.” Tricia Greig (@Triciagreig2) was also among those to point to the Auld Alliance, noting that it “recognised close association and [agreed] in some measure to protect each other from English encroachment… [It was] never formally revoked”.

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And so the discussion went on, with pearsisido (@PearsiSido) making perhaps the most pithy, although arguably the most controversial, contribution, asking: “Isn’t England basically French?” Answers on a postcard, or a tweet, please…

Join the debate at twitter.com/historyextra

This article first appeared in the Christmas 2021 issue of BBC History Magazine