Quote Originally Posted by Brenus View Post
"England is an older country than France" ? Please explain this claim, because it is not clear to me. GB was as much invaded than France before and during the Middle Ages. Not only by the Vikings but numerous Germanic Tribes. The division between languages, rival tribes and clans was as effective than on the continental Europe. So, where is this Englishness suddenly comes from? No common identity, no central power, as much as I am aware...
Bede wrote the first "history of the English People"

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eccles...English_People

When was the first "history of the French"?

Alfred the Great was the first King of the Anglo-Saxons and the modern English state is directly descended from his Kingdom, having passed through various dynasties but in fact every English monarch since except Swyen, Cnut, Harcnut, William I, William II, Henry I and Stephen was descended from him.

doubtless you will say that's a long list for "only" but collectively they make up about a century in over 1200 years of the Kingdom existence.

Francia has, by contrast, ceased to exist several times and had to be recreated.

"the very fact that a Norman vassal of the French King could break away and declare war on England independently" That is a modern point of view. William didn't declare war to a State, he claimed his Thrown which, according to him, was his. Noting national, all medieval and feudal. The Great Feudals always fought their King and alleged Suzerains.
In France, the one who put a stop to this was Louis the XIV, after the Fronde. And it is easily forgotten that the ones who started (against their objectives, I might add, it was an unexpected result) the French Revolution was the High Nobility wanting to restore their privileges and forcing Louis the XVI to gather the French Parliament, les Etats Généraux, created in 1302...
Before the Conquest it was treason to fight the King of the English - the claim "The Great Feudals always fought their King and alleged Suzerains." because England was not really a Feudal State, the Earls were not Feudal Vassals but the King's deputies in their respective counties. The English King could do this because there was a greater sense of national identity.