Can anyone explain how such a big country with so many people managed to be so weak throughout history...

Can anyone explain how such a big country with so many people managed to be so weak throughout history? Why did it take so long for them to be conquered by great powers like Germany after the Roman Empire and the English?

back to your tree island monkey, oh wait you cut it all down already

>France
>weak

Is this bait?

t.

Nigga they singlehandedly dominated Europe from like 509 to 1871, and then they were in perpetual second place until today. The fuck are you on about?

what the fuck are you talking about

Explain then

>france
>weak
I don't even.

Second place is Germany behind the UK (excluding Russia)
and if they dominated Europe as you said how come their country has expanded so little in +1,000 years?

What a horrendous post

dont give this anglo another you, jelly rosbif

>Second place is Germany
The country that lost 2 for 3 of its wars?

Look at the map. France sits in the centre of W-Europe surrounded by Germany, Italy, Spain and and the British Ocean.

Veeky Forums was a mistake

t. guy that thinks HRE was one country

France had equal population to Russia in 1800 but was over the course of next century kicked down the ranks by Germans. France blew their chances to remain the dominant power of Europe.

>Rome was insignificant because it expanded so little in 27BC - 476AD?

I mean, France took over most of europe once and only lost because of the Russian winter. During the 1700s they were rival to Britain in strength with their colonies until the 7 year war, which kicked them out of the USA. They then defeated the British in the American revolution. They defeated the british in the 100 years war, and they were a dominant power in the world all the way up until 1871 when they got their arses kicked.

*Kicked them out of north america

In Europe, the UK was third or fourth. Until 1815, where they went to second behind France, then Germany surpassed both of them over the end of the 19th.

>only lost because of the Russian winter
this is false though, most fatalities were before, from disease mostly, when it wasn't winter yet
But the winter sure was the last blow

Britain was a rival on the seas, sure, so that extended to the colonies, but never a serious contender on continental Europe. People need to stop jerking off about muh eternal British empire, it’s only the industrial revolution that got them out of the mud.

True, but you get what I mean. While I am interested in the Napoleonic wars it's not exactly something I'm an expert on.

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France was not weak, but they could maybe have been stronger if they hadn't had to turn their strength inward so often.

France has been weak since their revolution.

Before then, they were one of the greatest, powerful countries in Europe for several centuries. France belong a surrenderfag is a relatively new thing.

> France single handedly dominated Europe
> Second was Germany, then UK

What is the Hapsburg Empire?

Germany doesn't even unite until the 19th century. Prussia is not a match for Austria until then as well.

At times, France was Europe's greatest power, but the Austria held that title more often.

>What is the Hapsburg Empire?
An Empire ruled from Spain, to begin with.

But not rulers from Spain.

Which language do you think Philip II spoke?

yes

Which language did Charles V speak?

(Protip, he never had complete control of Spanish)

Burgundian French, brodda.

>their country has expanded so little in +1,000 years?
You missed 2 or 3 history pages apparently. They expanded a lot, they still have the biggest EEZ and have their flag on 4 continents and 3 oceans.

The Habsburg did all that just to contain France.

Its the wests european heartland after rome fell mannnnn.

Is there a better place for legitimate discussion? The state of this board is atrocious.

Probably an American poster. Its sad but most likely true.American meme is what they teach here instead of actual history.

Strong enough to conquer and enslave your people, Nigel

>surviving despite being surrounded on all sides
>weak

They only won cause the Saxons were weakened by the Vikings though....

Dutch and French,

Spanish to God, Italian to women, French to men and German to his horse.

the english are descended from normans, daftfag