A simple, but seemingly Google-resistant question:
Which was first, the loss of the last English possession on mainland France, or the first Anglo-French conflict on North America?
Well, since Calais, the last English holding on the Continent, was lost under Mary I, I think in 1556, and the first English colonies in North America were founded under Elizabeth I and James I, the next two reigns, I’d say the former has to be first.
Polycarp has the right of it, though it was 1558, right before Mary died. England did briefly hold Le Havre by treaty with the Huguenots 1562-1563, hoping to eventually exchange it for Calais. That fell apart after the Huguenots and Catherine de Medici reconciled and combined to expel the English once again.
But at best that was a sideshow - Calais was the last hurrah.
Well, if it’s a trick question, Toulon was an English possession for all practical purposes in 1793. It was occupied and held by British troops with their Spanish and Italian allies. It was theoretically being held in the name of the French king but a British general was appointed to run the city and no French officials were allowed to land and take over. In the face of a French siege, the British withdrew on 18 December, ending their three month rule.
Dunkirk was a British possession between 1658 and 1662.
Britain still holds sovereignty in Gibraltar. According to Wikipedia, it was “ceded by Spain in perpetuity in 1713 under the Treaty of Utrecht.”
True, but Gibraltar couldn’t be considered part of mainland France.
:smack: For some reason I read the OP as ‘European Mainland’ instead of limited to ‘France’. Nevermind me.
The first war between Britain and France that had a significant North American component was the Nine Years War (1689-97).
Unless one counts the Toulon occupation, or similar temporary occupations of French territory at the end of the Napoleonic wars by Wellington (1814-1815), the loss of British possessions in mainland France took place first.
It’s outside the question, but it’s worth noting that the British* mainland possession that France repeatedly threatened in various wars was Hanover, which remained under British rule until 1837.
*Actually, not part of Britain, but ruled by the same kings.
Although there had been no serious attempt to act on the claim for centuries, it’s interesting to note that the British monarch continued to style him/herself as the King/Queen of France up until the Act of Union of 1800