301:. The centre of gravity of this composite realm was generally south of the English channel; four of the first seven kings after the Norman Conquest were French-born, and all were native speakers of French. For centuries thereafter the royalty and nobility of England were educated in French as well as English. In certain respects, England became an outlying province of France; English law took the strong impress of local French law, and there was an influx of French words into the English language.
29:
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42:
614:, war cabinet, and military command. Churchill withdrew the armistice approval, and at 3 p.m. the War Cabinet met again to consider the union document. Despite the radical nature of the proposal, Churchill and the ministers recognized the need for a dramatic act to encourage the French and reinforce Reynaud's support within his cabinet before it met again at 5 pm.
621:
France and Great
Britain shall no longer be two nations, but one Franco-British Union. The constitution of the Union will provide for joint organs of defence, foreign, financial and economic policies. Every citizen of France will enjoy immediately citizenship of Great Britain, every British subject
605:
had arrived in London earlier that day, however, and Monnet told him about the proposed union. De Gaulle convinced
Churchill that "some dramatic move was essential to give Reynaud the support which he needed to keep his Government in the war". The Frenchman then called Reynaud and told him that the
356:
was proclaimed king of
England and of France from 1422 by the English and their allies but the Dauphin retained control over parts of central and southern France and claimed the crown for himself. From 1429 the Dauphin's party, including Joan of Arc, counterattacked and succeeded in crowning him as
661:
Reynaud had erred, however, by conflating opposition to the union – which a majority of the cabinet almost certainly opposed – with support for an armistice, which it almost certainly did not. If the proposal had been made a few days earlier, instead of the 16th when the French only had hours to
597:
on 15 June. On the morning of 16 June, the War
Cabinet agreed to the French armistice request on the condition that the French fleet sail to British harbours. This disappointed Reynaud, who had hoped to use a British rejection to persuade his cabinet to continue to fight.
727:
When the Mollet proposal was first made public in the United
Kingdom on 15 January 2007 through an article by Mike Thomson published on the BBC News website, it received rather satirical treatment in the media of both countries, including the name, coined by the
657:
and some others were supportive, the cabinet's opposition stunned
Reynaud. He resigned that evening without taking a formal vote on the union or an armistice, and later called the failure of the union the "greatest disappointment of my political career".
589:
a draft "Franco-British Union" proposal. They hoped that such a union would help
Reynaud persuade his cabinet to continue the war from North Africa, but Churchill was sceptical when the British War Cabinet discussed the proposal and a similar one from
477:
in 1603, which meant from then on that although still independent, executive power in the
Scottish government, the Crown, was shared with the Kingdom of England and Scottish foreign policy came into line more with that of England than with France.
336:
From 1340 to 1360, and from 1369 on, the king of
England assumed the title of "king of France"; but although England was generally successful in its war with France, no attempt was made to make the title a reality during that period of time.
458:. The young couple were king and queen of France and Scotland from 1559 until Francis died in 1560. Mary returned to a Scotland heaving with political revolt and religious revolution, which made a continuation of the alliance impossible.
372:
in 1658–1662. The kings of
England and their successor kings of Great Britain, purely as a habitual expression and with no associated political claim, continued to use the title "king of France" until 1801; the heads of the
606:
British prime minister proposed a union between their countries, an idea which Reynaud immediately supported. De Gaulle, Monnet, Vansittart, and Pleven quickly agreed to a document proclaiming a joint citizenship,
328:
and soon controlled over half the kingdom, but after the death of King John his support dwindled and he was forced to make peace, renouncing his claim to the throne. England was ultimately able to retain a reduced
320:, was offered the throne of England by rebellious English barons from 1216 to 1217 and travelled there to take it. He was proclaimed king of England in St. Paul's Cathedral, where many nobles, including King
630:
the next day. The declaration immediately succeeded in its goal of encouraging Reynaud, who saw the union as the only alternative to surrender and who could now cite the British rejection of the armistice.
740:
of "France" and "Angleterre", the French word for England). The UK broadcaster stated that Mollet's proposal originated from newly declassified material, arguing no such archive documents exist in France.
293:, Gascony, and other southern French fiefs dependent upon Aquitaine. Together with the northern territories, this meant that the King of England controlled more than half of France – the so-called
1179:
403:
peoples to Scotland. This effectively created a Franco-Scottish aristocracy, with ties to the French aristocracy as well as many to the Franco-English aristocracy. From the
504:, which marked the end of centuries of intermittent conflict between the two powers, and the start of a period of peaceful co-existence. Although French historian
399:
introduced Continental-style reforms throughout all aspects of Scottish life: social, religious, economic and administrative. He also invited immigrant French and
1084:
508:(1902–1985) described England and France as a single unit, nationalist political leaders from both sides were uncomfortable with the idea of such a merging.
634:
Other French leaders were less enthusiastic, however. At the 5 p.m. cabinet meeting, many called it a last minute plan by the British to steal their
461:
Cordial economic and cultural relations did continue however, although throughout the 17th century, the Scottish establishment became increasingly
360:
Fighting between England and France continued for more than twenty years after, but by 1453 the English were expelled from all of France except
427:
also benefited from close economic and trading links with France in addition to its links to the Low Countries, Scandinavia and the Baltic.
1264:
791:
is a common language spoken by the inhabitants on both sides of the Channel, and there is no doubt surrounding them being a single people.
344:'s invasion of France in 1415. By 1420, England controlled northern France (including the capital) for the first time in 200 years. King
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Churchill and de Gaulle called Reynaud to tell him about the document, and they arranged for a joint meeting of the two governments in
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From 1066 to 1214, the king of England held extensive fiefs in northern France, adding to Normandy the counties of
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524:, which co-ordinated joint planning of the two countries' wartime economies. The Frenchman hoped for a postwar
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on 15 June voted to ask Germany for the terms of an armistice. Reynaud, who wished to continue the war from
591:
150:. Such a union was proposed during certain crises of the 20th century; it has some historical precedents.
717:
1229:
19:
This article is about the theoretical union. For the 1422–1453 dual monarchy of England and France, see
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decide between armistice and North Africa, Reynaud's cabinet might have considered it more carefully.
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as a French fief, which was retained and enlarged when war between the two kingdoms resumed in 1337.
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from his northern French fiefs; in the chaos that followed, the heir to the throne of France, later
473:'s aggressively Catholic foreign and domestic policy. The relationship was further weakened by the
321:
174:
99:
983:
863:
Shlaim, Avi (July 1974). "Prelude to Downfall: The British Offer of Union to France, June 1940".
702:
178:
52:
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Gratien, Jean-Pierre; Pasqua, Charles; Clerc, Christine; Slama, Alain-GĂ©rard (16 January 2007),
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lived much longer and managed to unite England and France under his rule; by the 20th century,
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and saw an Anglo-French political union as a step toward his goal. He discussed the idea with
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to the Germans, and so sought to keep Reynaud in office. On 14 June, British diplomat
574:. He claimed that he would have to resign if the British were to reject the proposal.
352:, in favour of Henry V. As Henry predeceased the French king by a few months, his son
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763:"if his request had been made official, Mollet would have been brought to trial for
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The British opposed a French surrender, and in particular the possible loss of the
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The final "Declaration of Union" approved by the British War Cabinet stated that;
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958:"FRENCH REPUBLIC (PROPOSED UNION WITH GREAT BRITAIN) (Hansard, 16 October 1940)"
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Letter From Britain: Darker realities behind Britons' longing for Frangleterre
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554:. In March, they and the British had agreed that neither country would seek a
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PĂ©tain formed a new government that evening, which immediately decided to
377:, out of power since 1688, used the title until their extinction in 1807.
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The prospect of dynastic union came in the 15th and 16th centuries, when
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Norman or French culture first gained a foothold in Scotland during the
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End of the Affair: The Collapse of the Anglo-French Alliance, 1939–40
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Prelude to Downfall: The British Offer of Union to France, June 1940
163:
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1036:"The Franco-British Union: Genius, or Madness Born of Desperation?"
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278:
274:
1108:"Incroyable, but true ... France's 1956 bid to unite with Britain"
933:"June 1940: Britain's forgotten attempt to build a European Union"
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and a common citizenship. As an alternative, Mollet proposed that
638:, and said that "be a Nazi province" was preferable to becoming a
1188:] (broadcast) (in French), LCP public channel, archived from
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330:
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681:, an Anglo-French Task Force was created. French Prime Minister
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of the French Economic Mission in London became the head of the
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married two French brides in succession. His infant daughter,
669:. The British cancelled their plans to travel to Concarneau.
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Ties between France and England have been intimate since the
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OĂą? Quand? Comment? L'Histoire: Qu'est devenu le Gaullisme?
729:
1010:"When Britain and France Almost Merged Into One Country"
1177:
454:, who succeeded in marrying her daughter to the future
744:
On 16 January 2007, during a television interview on
1154:"Papers show France asked Britain for union in 1956"
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rejected both proposals; France went on to join the
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proposed a union between the United Kingdom and the
32:
Map of the Franco-British Union as proposed in 1940.
66:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
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677:In September 1956, due to a common foe during the
910:. London: George Allen & Unwin. p. 230.
759:, about Mollet's 1956 proposal. Pasqua answered,
748:, French journalist Christine Clerc asked former
650:, called the union "fusion with a corpse". While
304:This anomalous situation came to an end with the
297:– though still nominally as the king of France's
1251:
1186:Where? When? How? History: what became Gaullism?
858:
856:
407:, as common enemies of England and its ruling
1063:"France offered to 'merge' with UK in 1950s"
585:and Morton wrote with Monnet and his deputy
498:signed a series of agreements, known as the
853:
550:'s government faced imminent defeat in the
281:. After 1154, the King of England was also
192:. Unsourced material may be challenged and
1085:"S'il vous plaît… can we be British, too?"
486:
469:, a facet which was somewhat at odds with
348:was forced to disinherit his own son, the
16:Proposed political union of the two states
1105:
494:In April 1904 the United Kingdom and the
212:Learn how and when to remove this message
126:Learn how and when to remove this message
1134:"When Britain and France nearly married"
1106:Chrisafis, Angelique (16 January 2007).
368:. England also briefly held the town of
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1225:France and UK considered 1950s 'merger'
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142:is a concept for a union between the
1083:Bremner, Charles (16 January 2007).
783:stories take place in a world where
522:Anglo-French Co-ordinating Committee
190:adding citations to reliable sources
157:
153:
64:adding citations to reliable sources
35:
1240:Le rêve inachevé de la Frangleterre
1034:Moulton, Madison (11 August 2021).
984:"A complete and indissoluble union"
806:English claims to the French throne
237:Dual monarchy of England and France
21:Dual monarchy of England and France
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1008:Tierney, Dominic (8 August 2017).
937:British Politics and Policy at LSE
834:According to Churchill biographer
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1152:Kelland, Kate (21 January 2007).
1132:Thomson, Mike (15 January 2007),
931:Bosco, Andrea (20 January 2017).
622:will become a citizen of France.
340:The situation changed with King
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1265:France–United Kingdom relations
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865:Journal of Contemporary History
801:France–United Kingdom relations
667:ask Germany for armistice terms
540:, and other British officials.
324:, paid him homage. He captured
51:needs additional citations for
1290:British Empire in World War II
1275:United Kingdom in World War II
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385:Further information:
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241:Further information:
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1230:An unlikely marriage
1192:on 28 September 2007
785:Richard I of England
456:Francis II of France
409:House of Plantagenet
346:Charles VI of France
186:improve this section
140:Franco-British Union
60:improve this article
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512:World War II (1940)
475:Union of the Crowns
444:James V of Scotland
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421:Early Modern Period
393:Davidian Revolution
381:Scotland and France
310:Philip II of France
308:in 1214, when King
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601:Reynaud supporter
516:In December 1939,
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342:Henry V of England
306:Battle of Bouvines
225:England and France
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648:Vichy France
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