France in 1440 was a nation emerging from the Hundred Years' War, a conflict that had ravaged its lands. While the English were gradually pushed back, the country was still recovering from the devastation. A strong monarchy was re-establishing centralized authority, but the nobility wielded significant power. Economic recovery was slow, and the peasantry bore the brunt of the war's aftermath. Despite the challenges, there was a growing sense of national unity and a desire to restore France to its former glory.