Part 4/10:
The kingdom of France began to take shape in 987 with the reign of the Capetian dynasty. Under King Philip II Augustus, France emerged as a formidable power in Europe. The ascent continued with the House of Valois, culminating in the Hundred Years' War against England, rooted in disputes over the French throne. The war concluded in 1453 with a French victory, fostering a strong sense of nationalism and consolidation of the monarchy.
The late 15th and 16th centuries ushered in the French Renaissance, during which the French language experienced its first standardizations, and territorial ambitions led to conflicts with the Habsburg family in Italy.