The In asion o P ince Louis o F ance
o England, 1216–1217
Jan Malý
In he middle o he mon h o June 1215, an assembly o English ba ons, cu en ly in
e ol agains King John o England, called “Lackland” me him in Runnymede be-
ween London and Windso . They came up wi h ase ies o a icles, limi ing oyal
powe and es ablishing bounda ies be ween he king and his people. A e ew days
o nego ia ions, King John inally ag eed o pu his oyal seal on he documen , which
became one o he mos amous no only in he his o y o B i ish Isles bu also in
he his o y o whole wo ld. On 19 June o 1215, Magna Ca a was bo n.1 The pa h o
Runnymede was he beginning o se ious ci il wa , which would ea England apa
o almos wo yea s, du ing which King John would be deposed and eplaced by
aman, who wouldn’ be expec ed by many— an hei o he F ench h one, P ince
Louis. Wha was he ue pu pose o Louis’s in i a ion and how i e en ually ended?
We will y o e eal in ollowing lines.
Be o e we can examine he s o y o “King Louis o England”, i ’s necessa y o look
on he easons o his English ad en u e. The eign o King John,2 who succeeded
his b o he Richa d in 1199, was in many ways oubled and ull o con lic s. A e he
had se led his ini ial p oblems wi h succession, when he had o s uggle agains his
nephew A hu o B i any (disappea ed in 1203, p obably killed by his uncle John)
1 One o he mos acknowledged and ulles wo k abou Magna Ca a is J. C. HOLT, The Mag-
na Ca a, 2nd Ed., Camb idge 1992; mo e ecen wo ks include N. VINCENT, Magna Ca -
a: AVe y Sho In oduc ion, Ox o d 2012; D. CARPENTER, Magna Ca a, London 2015;
G.HINDLEY, AB ie His o y o he Magna Ca a, London 2008; mo e gene al wo k abou
he ime o Magna Ca a co e ing a ious opics o li e and poli ics is J. GILLINGHAM—
D.DANZIGER, 1215: The Yea o Magna Ca a, New Yo k 2005.
2 The e a e se e al s udies o King John and his eign. Classic wo k abou John is K. NOR-
GATE, King John, London 1902; Ka e No ga e was B i ish his o ian o 19 h cen u y, au ho
o many s udies conce ning Ange ins, besides he biog aphy o King John, she w o e also
biog aphies o King Richa d he Lionhea (1924) and King Hen y III (1912). Mo e ecen
wo ks abou King John a e ep esen ed by W. L. WARREN, King John, 2nd Ed., New Ha en
1997; R. V. TURNER, King John: England’s E il King?, 2nd Ed., S oud 2005; mos ecen wo k
is S. D. CHURCH, King John: England, Magna Ca a and he Making o aTy an , London 2015;
some new app oaches o John’s eign we e published in S. D. CHURCH (Ed.), King John: New
In e p e a ions, Woodb idge 1999.
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8 PRAGUE PAPERS ON THE HISTORY OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS 2/2016
and es ablished his ule o e England, he had o igh agains King Philip II o F ance,
who in aded No mandy and in wo yea s beginning in 1202, he ipped John o his
no he n domains, when he conque ed No mandy, Anjou and pa s o Poi ou.3 Loss o
No mandy was an ini ial s ep o e en ual comple e des uc ion o Ange in empi e,4
once one o he mos o midable powe o wes e n Eu ope.
Ano he se ious p oblem o King John’s eign was his p olonged con lic wi h pa-
pacy conce ning con es ed elec ion o he A chbishop o Can e bu y. Bo h King John
and ecclesias ical digni a ies we e eage o pick hei own i ing candida e o he
mos impo an a chbishop ic in England. When S ephen Lang on was in oduced as
new a chbishop in 1207, suppo ed by he pope, John e used o accep his decision.
He ell in con lic wi h one he mos powe ul pe son o he Middle ages, Pope Inno-
cen III. England was pu unde in e dic and e en ually John was excommunica ed.5
This was a eal h ea o all medie al ule s since subjec s o excommunica ed pe -
son we e no bound by any p e ious a achmen o oa h o eal y and hus his pe son
was h ea ened by abandonmen o assals. E en John ealized his imminen dange
and he e en ually came o e ms wi h Innocen , when he was a he same ime acing
a e ol o Welsh leade s and also o no he n ba ons led by Robe i zWal e and Eu-
s ace de Vesci.6 Mo eo e , King Philip II o F ance was p epa ing acampaign agains
John and was jus abou o sail om F ance. His young son Louis was o be a he
head o his in asion. In he sp ing o 1213, inal ag eemen was es ablished be ween
King John and Roman pon i . The kingdom o England became a ie o he Holy See
wi h annual paymen o 1,000 ma ks, which seemed a easonable e m o King John.
F ench in asion o 1213 was called o , when he lee was des oyed by John’s na y in
he po o Damme.
Now, King John decided o enew his powe on con inen and o b ing los domin-
ions back unde English con ol. He ga he ed allies, among hem O o o B unswick,
his nephew and he Empe o o he Holy Roman Empi e, coun o Flande s, Fe and
o Po ugal, coun o Boulogne, Rennaud o Damma in and o he s. In Feb ua y
1214, John sailed om Po smou h and a acked posi ions in Poi ou while John’s hal -
b o he William Longswo d, ea l o Salisbu y led he a my in he no h o F ance.7
John was aced wi h he a my o P ince Louis o F ance, which de ea ed English
o ces nea Roche-au-Moine. Main F ench ic o y was ne e heless ough ou in
he amous ba le o Bou ines.8 The allies o King John we e dispe sed and he d eam
o econque old ealm o John’s a he in F ance aded away. John was compelled o
ag ee wi h uce, signed in Chinon o i e yea s and he e u ned o England o ace
his inal and mos se ious e ol .
3 The ulles s udy abou his ma e is F. M. POWICKE, The Loss o No mandy (1189–1204):
S udies in he His o y o he Ange in Empi e, Manches e 1913.
4 The e m was in oduced by Ka e No ga e in 19 h cen u y o desc ibe as es a es o English
kings, who we e also coun s o Anjou and Maine and dukes o No mandy and Aqui aine.
Equally, he ealm o Hen y I(1100–1135) is some imes called he Anglo-No man empi e.
5 Fo e mo e in o ma ion see TURNER, pp.109–127; WARREN, pp.154–174.
6 See J. C. HOLT, The No he ne s: AS udy in he Reign o King John, Ox o d 1961.
7 A. L. POOLE, F om Domesday Book o Magna Ca a, Ox o d 1991, pp.466–467.
8 See G. DUBY, Le dimanche de Bou ines, Pa is 1973.
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JAN MALý 9
The eign o King John was also illed wi h con lic s, which s emmed om his
inancial demands owa ds English nobili y. When John demanded so-called scu age,
o shield money o subs i u e he absence o ce ain nobles on his a al F ench cam-
paign, he me wi h s ong opposi ion, which e en ually esul ed in signing Magna
Ca a. Financial needs o he C own du ing John’s eign we e high, bu Hen y II’s
o Richa d’s we e no much be e . The de ea o John’s a my in ba les o Roche-au-
Moine and Bou ines in he summe o 1214 and he loss o majo i y o con inen al
ie s o king o F ance mean , ha John’s e enues we e na owing. John me wi h
his opponen s in London in Janua y 1215 only o see hem eally ang y, which was
p o en by he a mou , wo n by ba ons. John p omised ano he mee ing o be held
in No hamp on in Ap il bu he also began o seek o suppo . A he beginning o
Ma ch, he ook he C oss and hus became p o ec ed by he Chu ch as ac usade .9 I
was e y cle e manoeu e because John gained suppo o Innocen III, his liege lo d
and now also he p o ec o . Innocen was sma enough o see, how di icul he si u-
a ion in England could ha e become and e en when he s a ed, ha ba ons shouldn’
ha e made leagues agains he king, he also said, ha John should lis en o ba onial
demands i jus i ied. When he impending mee ing was sc a ched and when John’s
ambassado s e u ned om Rome wi h messages om pope in a ou o John, he e-
bellion was almos ine i able. Ba ons, now ga he ed a ound Robe i zWal e gained
an impo an success, when London opened i s ga es o hem in May 1215.10 John saw,
ha he si ua ion was becoming c i ical wi h he capi al in hands o ebels and in
June, he en e ed inal s ages o nego ia ions, mos ly done by S ephen Lang on.11
Magna Ca a, his amous documen , limi ed oyal powe and es ablished laws
and jus ice o whole land and a ious g oups o inhabi an s o he kingdom in i s
six y- h ee a icles. Bu while oday, Magna Ca a is aken as asymbol o eedom and
coope a ion be ween king and his subjec s, in he summe o 1215, a leas o John, i
was only amanne o gain some ime, o elie e he p essu e and o p epa e o nex
ound. Ce ainly, mos o ba ons we e no so nai e o belie e, ha his s uggle is o e
and hen King John would now submi o hei e ms. Upcoming e en s should p o e
his hinking.12
Magna Ca a o 1215 was alid only o couple o mon hs and King John did
e e y hing he could o p e en u he sp ead o i s alues. And i was Innocen III
and P ince Louis o F ance, who should ha e played an impo an pa in upcom-
9 CHURCH, p.217.
10 WARREN, p.235; sho ly be o e, ba ons o icialy enounced hei allegiance o King John.
This in o ma ion makes an opening line o e en s o 1215 in Coggeshall’s ch onicle (Ralph
o COGGESHALL, Ch onicon Anglicanum, ed. J. S e enson, RS 66, London 1875, p.171). I was
a eac ion o John’s eluc ance o mee ba ons and o accep hei e ms as well as his co-
ope a ion wi h Innocen III.
11 S ephen Lang on was i s appoin ed a chbishop o Can e bu y in 1207 wi h he suppo
o Innocen III, bu his decision was ejec ed by John and S ephen had o s ay in exile,
whe e he emained un il 1213, when he inally ook o e his see. In 1215, he ac ed as ame-
dia o be ween ebel ba ons and King John. I ’s sugges ed by some sou ces, ha he was he
chie au ho o Magna Ca a, bu i ’s mo e p obable, ha he was bu one o he au ho s.
12 Fo mo e a i udes o Magna Ca a see e.g. TURNER, pp.182–189; CHURCH, pp.227–234;
WARREN, pp.236–240.
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10 PRAGUE PAPERS ON THE HISTORY OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS 2/2016
ing d ama. A he beginning o Sep embe , Innocen ’s answe o John’s complain s
a i ed.13 Innocen s a ed, ha Magna Ca a is unlaw ul and audacious and he p o-
claimed i oid and in alid.14 Nex s age o wa was opened. One o he mos amous
siege o au umn campaign was ha o Roches e ,15 s ong cas le held by ebels un il
he end o No embe . King John had se e al successes du ing his campaign and some
ebel ba ons sough peace wi h him.
A his ime, nego ia ions a F ench oyal cou we e in p og ess. Ba ons u ned
o King Philip o F ance and hey o e ed he h one o England o his eldes son and
hei Louis.16 They buil hei o e upon he ac , ha Louis had ce ain claim on he
h one o England bu i was e y emo e and p oblema ic. As pa o peace ea y
o Le Goule , signed in May 1200, Louis ma ied Blanche o Cas ile, John’s niece,
g and-daugh e o King Hen y II (Blanche’s mo he Eleano had ma ied Al onso o
Cas ile).17 The claim o Louis was hus de i ed om ha o his wi e. I was he who
was hei o he English h one. Bu she wasn’ he only possible claiman o he h one
in 1215. The e was also O o o B unswick,18 he Empe o o he Holy Roman Empi e
and son o John’s ano he sis e Ma ilda, who had ma ied Duke Hen y he Lion and
hen, ce ainly, child en o o he daugh e s o Hen y II and also asis e o deceased
Duke A hu o B i any Eleano , kep in English cus ody.19 He b o he was suppos-
edly mu de ed by John in 120320 du ing he wa leading o loss o No mandy. O o o
13 TURNER, p.190.
14 Fo ull eco d o Innocen ’s le e , see T. RYMER (Ed.), Foede a, Con en iones, Li e ae e
Ac a Publica, Vol. 1, Pa i–ii, London 1745, p.68; Ch. BÉMONT (Ed.), Cha es des libe és
anglaises (1100–1305), Pa is 1892, pp.41–44.
15 Roches e in Ken is loca ed in he own o he same name nex o he ca hed al. King John
occupied he su oundings o cas le, bu i ook him se e al weeks o b eak i s de ence. He
unde mined sou h owe and when i collapsed, he ga ison su ende ed.
16 Wal e o COVENTRY, Memo iale a is Wal e i de Co en ia, ed. W. S ubbs, (RS 58, 2 Vols.,
London 1872–1873), Vol. 2, p.225.
17 Fo ull eco d o he ea y see Foede a, pp.37–38; by his ea y, John was ully ecognized
as ule o Ange in ealm a e he was econciled wi h his nephew and i al claiman o
English h one A hu o B i any.
18 O o was aised in England and his uncle Richa d he Lionhea ga e him acoun y o Poi-
ou in 1196. He was elec ed king o he Romans in 1198 agains Philip o Swabia and a e
he la e ’s dea h, he was gene ally acknowledged and c owned Empe o in 1209. When he
b eached he p omise gi en o he pope, he was excommunica ed and e en ually eplaced
by F ede ick II o Hohens au en.
19 Hen y II and Eleano o Aqui aine had eigh child en and i e o hem had hei own p og-
eny. Geo ey o B i any had wo child en, A hu , who disappea ed in 1203 and Eleano ,
who died in 1241, Eleano , who ma ied Al onso VIII o Cas ile had, besides Blanche, i e
o he child en who li ed in 1215 (Hen y was he only su i ing son and became aking o
Cas ile in 1214, Eleano became queen o A agon in 1221, Cons ance was anun, U aca was
queen o Po ugal since 1212, Be enga a was sho ly queen o Cas ile and queen conso
o Léon), Joan ma ied i s William II o Sicily and a e his dea h in 1189, she was ema -
ied o Raymond VI o Toulouse, hey had ason, Coun Raymond VII o Toulouse. All hese
people had possible claim o English h one due o hei kinship o Hen y II.
20 A hu was cap u ed in 1202 a Mi abeau when he was besieging he cas le and he was
anspo ed i s o he cas le o Falaise and hen o Rouen, whe e he was gi en o he cus-
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JAN MALý 11
B unswick, whose claim was compa able o ha o A hu , only wi h one di e ence
ha O o was adescenden o Hen y II in emale line, was a his ime employed by
he s uggle wi h F ede ick II o Hohens au en and hus he wasn’ e y good choice.
Louis o F ance on he o he hand was skilled mili a y leade in his la e wen ies and
he could also p o ide he ebellion wi h soldie s and o he suppo . Bu he ac , ha
ba ons decided o choose Louis o hei new mas e was also e y sensi i e opic
o his a he , King Philip II. In 1214, Philip had concluded a i e yea s’ uce wi h
John a e he ba le o Bou ines and i he would openly suppo he ad en u e o
his son, i could be conside ed as a iola ion o his uce.21 And ha eally wasn’
Philip’s aim. Al hough he wan ed o diminish English con inen al powe and he had
p epa ed he in asion o England be o e, he didn’ wan o dis u b now unc ional
peace. Mo eo e , since England was papal ie , an a ack agains King John would be
also a ack agains Holy See and Philip ce ainly didn’ wan o exaspe a e Innocen
III wi h whom he himsel hadn’ had only iendly ela ions.22 On he o he hand, he
p ospec o England unde he ule o his son could sound well o him. Louis, appa -
en ly la e ed by his p oposal, p omised his help and his own a i al o England as
soon as possible. He sen some oops o help he ebellion.23
King John’s campaign h ough England con inued in ollowing yea and we canno
say ha unsuccess ully. He di ided his a my and pe sonally led ope a ions in he
No h o he coun y. We ha e se e al accoun s o his pe iod, one o hose which a e
mo e us wo hy comes om Ralph, abbo o Coggeshall, whose Ch onicon Anglica-
num is e y good sou ce o John’s eign a all.24 Ano he g ea and ull accoun o he
ime o ebellion is so-called Ba nwell ch onicle .25 Li le less p ecise and some imes
ody o William de B aose, possibly he las man who saw him ali e. A hu disappea ed
some ime in 1203, supposedly killed by his uncle John. Sou ces di e abou his e en so
i ’s unce ain wha exac ly happened and whe e and i A hu was bu ied.
21 See Foede a, pp.63–64.
22 I pa icula ly conce ned Philip‘sma i al policy. In 1193 Philip had ma ied Ingebo g o
Danema k bu he immedia ely epudia ed he . Th ee yea s la e , he ma ied Agnes o
Me an, bu Roman Cu ia didn’ app o e his ma iage and insis ed on e u n o Ingebo g
o Philip’s a ou . An in e dic was imposed on F ance o p ess Philip u subdue. Some in-
e es ing ci cums ances o his a ai a e discussed in W. ULLMANN, A hu ’s Homage o
King John, in: The English His o ical Re iew, Vol. 94, No. 371, 1979, pp.356–364. Fo he
eign o Philip II as awhole, see J. W. BALDWIN, The Go e nmen o Philip Augus us: Founda-
ions o F ench Royal Powe in he Middle Ages, Ox o d 1986; A. LUCHAIRE, Philippe Augus e
e son emps, Pa is 1980; J. BRADBURY, Philip Augus us, King o F ance 1180–1223, New Yo k
1998; G. SIVÉRY, Philippe Augus e, Pa is 1994.
23 COGGESHALL, p.176.
24 Ralph Coggeshall was amonk and since 1207 an abbo o Coggeshall abbey in Essex. He be-
gan his own en ies o he ch ońicle a ound 1187. He died p obably in 1226. His eco d o
e en s conce ning eign o King Richa d, John and he mino i y o King Hen y III is one
o he bes . He is less hos ile o King John han Roge Wendo e so his accoun can be con-
side ed mo e balanced.
25 The manusc ip o his ch onicle was kep in Ba nwell p io y nea Camb idge. The e is no
p in ed edi ion o his ch onicle, which is conside ed he bes and mos aluable eco d
o King John’s eign in wo ds o J. C. Hol , bu i ’s included in he edi ion o Memo iale o
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12 PRAGUE PAPERS ON THE HISTORY OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS 2/2016
biased is he wo k o Roge o Wendo e , Flo es His o ia um.26 Al hough Wendo e ’s
accoun is e y b oad, he o en exagge a ed and s ong displeasu e owa d King John
is p esen in his ch onicle. His desc ip ion o John’s campaign is ull o blood and
de ilish o u e om he side o king’s a my. We ob iously ha e o ake Wendo e ’s
desc ip ion wi h he knowledge ha he was genuinely hos ile o King John and no
e e y hing in his ch onicle is pu e u h. Ralph o Coggeshall also men ions some
a oci ies o ad ancing oyal a my bu in mo e mode a e way. F om F ench side, we
can ely on he accoun o William le B e on, chaplain o King Philip II. He is an au-
ho o wo signi ican wo ks, Ges a egis Philipi Augus i, acon inua ion o Rigo d, and
Philippide, apoem in ended o glo i y Philip.27
While P ince Louis s ill emained in F ance p epa ing o ull scale in asion,
some o his oops we e sen o England o en o ce ba onial con ingen s. Mean-
while, he mission o papal lega e Gualo ied o pe suade Louis no o in ade Eng-
land.28 Gualo nego ia ed wi h King Philip and emphasized he posi ion o King John
as papal assal and c usade . Final discussion ook place in Melun nea Pa is. I
was necessa y o legi imise Louis’s in asion in pa icula in he eyes o papal leg-
a e. King Philip, P ince Louis and he ba ons b ough many a gumen s suppo ing
Louis’s claim and jus i ying his upcoming campaign. Ve y colou ul accoun o his
mee ing comes om Wendo e , o he sou ces, men ioned abo e, as well as F ench
au ho , William le B e on only men ion i pa ially.29 Conce ning he ques ion o
England as papal ie , hey opposed, ha King John was no allowed o pu England
unde he assalage o he Holy See o he himsel had been condemned by he
assembly o pee s in 1194 o his eason o King Richa d, his b o he and so he
couldn’ ha e been conside ed as ue king.30 The u h is, ha John was econciled
wi h his b o he h ough media ion o hei mo he .31 I would be mo e app op i-
Wal e o Co en y, la e 13 h cen u y au ho , who inco po a ed he ex o Ba nwell annal-
is o his own wo k.
26 Roge Wendo e was amonk o S . Albans Benedic ine abbey, o some ime, he was also
ap io o Bel oi , bu he was suspended on he g ounds o his misuse o p io y inance.
His ch onicle has h ee basic pa s beginning wi h he a i al o Anglo-Saxons. His own
accoun s include he eign o King John and he mino i y o Hen y III. Roge died in 1236.
Ma hew Pa is con inued in his wo k up o 1259.
27 William le B e on, na i e om Léon, B i any, was e y close o he cou o King Philip II
and hus he was an eye-wi ness o many e en s o his eign, including ba le o Bou ines
in 1214. He en e ed he se ice o King Philip a ound 1200. He con inued in he wo k o
ano he ch onicle o Philip’s cou , Rigo d om 1207 o 1224. He died some h ee yea s
la e . His wo k is impo an pa icula ly because o his access o oyal documen s and
ea ies and his pe sonal a endance in many c ucial e en s. His ch onicle, and much mo e
his poem we e in ended as aglo i ica ion o Philip’s success ul eign in F ance.
28 ROGER OF WENDOVER, Ch onica si e Flo es His o ia um, ed. Hen y O. Coxe, 4 Vols., Lon-
don 1841–1844, Vol. 3, pp.363–364.
29 COVENTRY, p.229; F. DELABORDE (Ed.), Ges a Philippi Augus i (Oeu es de Rigo d e de Guil-
laume le B e on), Pa is 1882, pp.306–308.
30 WENDOVER, Vol. 3., p.364.
31 We ha e an accoun o hei app ochemen in he ch onicle o Roge o Howden, one o
he mos us wo hy au ho s o la e 12 h cen u y. John was summoned o explain his hos-
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JAN MALý 13
a e o use his unclea claim o English h one and his s uggle wi h his nephew in
1199–1203 (wi h he excep ion o almos wo yea s ollowing ea y o Le Goule )
and so hey uly did i . They a gued ha e en i his condemna ion p o ed oid, he
was s ill guil y o mu de o his nephew A hu in 1203 o which ac he was judged
in he cou o F ench king in 1203.32 This cou in ac is no p o en and he e is no
clea e idence in con empo a y sou ces ha i ac ually happened.33 He was only
summoned be o e F ench oyal cou in 1202 ollowing aplea o he Lusignans, o -
ended by John’s misconduc ega ding he ma iage o Isabella o Angouleme.34 His
subsequen eluc ance o appea in Pa is made ap e ex o F ench in asion o No -
mandy ollowed by i s conques in 1202–1204. In ac , i wasn’ possible o judge John
as king by F ench cou because he was so e eign ule in his kingdom and he was
only he subjec o King Philip o his con inen al possessions. The cou o 1203 is
no men ioned in con empo a y sou ces up o his poin . I is s ange ha such p o-
li ic au ho s like Ralph o Coggeshall o Rigo d (F ench biog aphe o King Philip)
didn’ men ion i . Mo eo e , he in o ma ion abou mu de o A hu in 1203 wasn’
publicly sp ead immedia ely a e i and ha King Philip knew p ecisely wha hap-
pened is also cu ious.
King Philip couldn’ gi e his assen o his son’s ac ion openly bu he ag eed wi h
i p i a ely. E en o he pope, his whole a ai was unpleasan o on he one side
he was John’s o e lo d and he should ha e p o ec ed him, all he mo e ha John was
also ac usade , bu on he o he , he didn’ wan o aliena e F ench kings, who had
p o ed e y e ec i e in p o ec ion o in e es s o Ca holic Chu ch. P ince Louis him-
sel ook pa in supp ession o Albigensian he esy in sou he n F ance, King Philip
was one o p ominen leade s o hi d c usade.35 Besides s a emen s, used o suppo
Louis’ claim and o jus i y his upcoming in asion in Melun, F ench side also sen le -
e s s aigh o he pope and nego ia o s wen o Rome.36 As we can ead in Ba nwell
ch onicle, no he p o idence o he king, no le e s o he pope and pe suasion o
he lega e could s op Louis om his plans o in asion.37
ile beha iou du ing Richa d’s absence and imp isonmen , bu he e used o come o No -
ingham and was h ea ened wi h o ei u e o his es a es and disinhe i ance bu he e en-
ually came o e ms wi h Richa d.
32 WENDOVER, Vol. 3, p.365.
33 See WARREN, p.264.
34 Fo u he in o ma ion on his subjec , see CHURCH, pp.101–113; WARREN, pp.64–76;
Isabella was be o hed o Hugh IX o Lusignan, bu in Augus 1200, John ma ied he wi h
no compensa ion o Lusignans. In 1201, hey appealed o John’s o e lo d, King Philip II.
Isabella o Angouleme e en ually became awi e o Hugh X o Lusignan, ason o he o -
me iancé.
35 Thi d c usade was a eac ion o de ea o Ch is ian a my in he ba le o Ha in in 1187 and
ollowing all o Je usalem o Muslim hands. Mili a y ope a ions o hi d c usade did no
s a un il 1189, when Empe o F ede ick Ba ba ossa le o he Holy Land only o die on
he way. Philip II depa ed o he Eas in summe 1190 oge he wi h Richa d he Lion-
hea . Due o hei mu ual dissensions, Philip e u ned back o F ance in 1191 only o be-
gin plo ing wi h Richa d’s b o he John.
36 WENDOVER, Vol. 3, p.367.
37 COVENTRY, p.229.
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14 PRAGUE PAPERS ON THE HISTORY OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS 2/2016
Louis ga he ed imp essi e na al o ces in he po o Calais and his campaign be-
gan. Al hough he me wi h some di icul ies when his ships we e hi by s ong wind,
on Sa u day a e he Ascension, which was 21 May, Louis s ood on English soil in
Sandwich. When King John saw F ench a my, he, acco ding o Coggeshall, led igh -
ened and wi h lamen a ions.38 As we can ead in o he sou ces ela i e o his e en ,
like Ba nwell annalis o Wendo e ’s Flo es, John was also conce ned abou ideli y
o his oops as hey we e mos ly o eign me cena ies om F ance. John was awa e
o his ac and he was wo ied ha hey could ha e gone o e o Louis39. John hen
made his way o Winches e , acco ding o Ba nwell ch onicle, “wi h dismayed mind
and sadness on his ace”.40 Louis, a e he had disemba ked, isi ed Can e bu y and
ook con ol o i and hen also “all cas les in Ken excep well- o i ied Do e ”.41 He hen
eached London, whe e he was welcomed by i s ci izens and ba ons. Then, Louis e-
cei ed hei homage and bo h Londone s and ebellious ba ons made oa hs o eal y.
Wi h London secu ed o F ench p ince and eal y g an ed o him by oa hs and
wi h King John unning wes wa d away om him, i seemed ha Louis would soon
achie e his goal and became king o England. Was his eally wha English nobili y
wan ed? Fo now, ba ons ac ed like loyal se an s o hei new o e lo d. When Louis
ini ia ed acampaign o conque new posi ions a e om he cen e o ebellion, se -
e al ba ons joined his cause and swo e eal y. Among hem also William, ea l o Salis-
bu y, called “Longswo d”, who was John’s hal -b o he and ecen ly, he was in cha ge
o one pa o John’s a my.42 The coun y o n apa by his ebellion showed o he cu-
iosi ies. While William Ma shal, ea l o Pemb oke was s ill loyal o John since he had
been eliable se an o Hen y II and Richa d, his sons we e pa o ebellion. Alex-
ande II, king o Sco s, a i ed o Can e bu y oge he wi h ce ain no he n ba ons
o make homage o Louis.43 Despi e hese p oceedings, no e e y hing was asuccess.
The siege o Lincoln cas le by Louis’s allies me wi h ailu e due o ac i i ies o Nicola
de la Hay, adhe en o King John.44 Do e , migh y cas le gua ding one o he en e ing
ga es o England, was also a ough one o conque . Louis pe sonally led siege om
a ound 22 July, bu a e many ui less e o s and many weeks o besieging wi hou
any signi ican p og ess, he was compelled o make uce wi h Hube de Bu gh, who
was in cha ge in Do e , on 14 Oc obe . I was es ablished ha i John wouldn’ ha e
sen ein o cemen s o elie e he cas le, he ga ison would esign he cas le o Lou-
is.45 England was basically di ided among John, who held g ip o e wes e n pa s o
his kingdom, and Louis, who was amas e o sou h-eas .
38 COGGESHALL, p.181.
39 COVENTRY, pp.229–230; WENDOVER, Vol. 3, p.368.
40 COVENTRY, p.230.
41 COGGESHALL, p.181; Do e was one o key cas les because i gua ded he English sho e
and he po o Do e in e y exposed place since i was he sho es way o c oss he
Channel be ween Calais and Do e wi h dis ance a ound 40 kilome es.
42 WARREN, p.252.
43 D. CARPENTER, The S uggle o Mas e y: The Penguin His o y o B i ain 1066–1284, London
2004, p.299.
44 COVENTRY, p.230.
45 COGGESHALL, p.182; WENDOVER, Vol. 3, p.380.
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JAN MALý 15
In asion o P ince Louis o England also mo ed Pope Innocen III and lega e Gualo
o ac ion. Louis, oge he wi h his pa isans, was excommunica ed as expec ed. When
Innocen died in July 1216 and was succeeded by Hono ius III, adhe en s o Louis we e
in hope o change o a i ude o Cu ia owa ds his mas e , bu his p o ed misleading
since papal suppo emained on he side o King John. Se e al membe s o insula
cle gy we e adhe en s o Louis bu many o hem emained loyal o he king.46
Wi h Louis’ ad ance h ough he Isle, we can wonde , why he e was ne e any
men ion abou his co ona ion. Iwill la e a gue, ha om he beginning, he aim o
ba ons wasn’ Louis as king, bu jus a e his in asion, his co ona ion migh ha e
been seen as alid poin since he was p omised he c own o England. I would be
ali le di icul o a ange his ce emony a e all. S ephen Lang on, a chbishop o
Can e bu y and one o he key igu e in nego ia ions be ween ebels and king in 1215,
was summoned o Rome when he e used o ca y ou papal o de s o excommunica e
king’s opponen s and he e u ned o England a e conside able ime in 1218.47 A ch-
bishop o Yo k, ano he possible igu e capable o p o ide oyal co ona ion, was Wal-
e de G ay, pa isan o King John. Co ona ion by ano he bishop, should ha e been
conside ed p eca ious. Mo eo e , Louis was excommunica ed, ano he good eason
o ake his whole ac as unlaw ul by hose who emained loyal o John.
In au umn 1216, John mo ed no hwa d wi h his sui . He eached Lynn, whe e he
was welcomed and he s ayed he e o se e al days. Abou his ime, John was aken
by an a ack o dysen e y. We can ead in con empo a y sou ces, ha i happened
because o king’s insa iabili y. Wendo e adds he in o ma ion abou wo sening o
king’s illness by o e ea ing and o e d inking. John, acco ding o S . Albans ch oni-
cle , a e oo many peaches ollowed by cide .48 When John a i ed a Newa k, he was
al eady e y sick. Du ing he nigh o 18–19 Oc obe , King John died. Jus be o e his
dea h, he a anged his las will. He exp essed awish o be bu ied in he chu ch o S .
Wul s an in Wo ces e . Execu o s o his will we e also appoin ed in his o de : Gualo,
lega e o he Holy See, Pe e , bishop o Winches e , Richa d, bishop o Chiches e , Sil-
es e , bishop o Wo ces e , William Ma shal, ea l o Pemb oke, and se e al o he s.49
His nine yea s old son Hen y was decla ed hei o he Kingdom. King John was he
only Ange in ule o be bu ied in England and ou h since 1066 o e all. He uled o
se en een yea s and he was o y-eigh .50
Wi h he dea h o King John, si ua ion in England should ha e d ama ically
changed. I was ac ucial poin in his wa . Casus belli o mos o ebel ba ons sud-
denly disappea ed. Mind o many ba ons began o change soon. We can also no e his
change o si ua ion in na a i e sou ces o ha pe iod. Louis was now con on ed
46 COVENTRY, pp.230–231.
47 COVENTRY, p.228; CHURCH, pp.235, 241–242.
48 WENDOVER, Vol. 3, pp.384–386; king’s insa iabili y is also men ioned by Coggeshall
(p.183).
49 N. H. NICOLAS (Ed.), Tes amen a e us a, Vol. 1, London 1826, p.5.
50 John’s a he Hen y was bu ied in he abbey o Fon e aud in Anjou, as well as John’s
b o he Richa d he Lionhea . O he b o he s o King John we e bu ied in Rouen o in
Pa is, he eldes son o Hen y II and Eleano o Aqui aine William, who died in his 3 yea s,
was bu ied in Reading.
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