Louis: The French Prince Who Invaded England (37 page)

BOOK: Louis: The French Prince Who Invaded England
9.35Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub

Let us not forget just how startling this was. Sealed by Guala and William Marshal, the reissuing of the charter meant that the legate was supporting on behalf of the papacy the very cause which Pope Innocent III had annulled in such strong language (‘shameful and base … illegal and unjust … we utterly reject and condemn this settlement … null and void of all validity for ever’) as soon as he heard of it; and also that the regent – and by extension the king – was voluntarily promising to uphold an agreement which his predecessor had gone to war to avoid just two years earlier. This would not have happened had it not been for Louis and his intervention in English affairs. Had Louis not invaded, it is likely that the baronial rebellion would have been crushed; Magna Carta might well have been annulled and forgotten, relegated to a footnote in history as the monarchy forged ahead unabated and unanswerable to the law. Louis’s part in tempering royal authority therefore left a legacy to the English which is still being felt to this day.

CHRONOLOGY

 

 

 

 

 

 
1187
5 Sep

 

Birth of Louis in Paris; he is heir to the throne from birth. 

 

 
1188
4 Mar

 

Birth of Blanche of Castile. 

 

 
1190
Mar

 

Birth and death of twin brothers to Louis; death of his mother, Queen Isabelle. 

 

 
1191
Jul

 

Health crisis for Louis who is suffering from dysentery; the clergy and people of Paris pray for his safe recovery. 

 

 
1193
14 Aug

 

Marriage of Philip Augustus to Ingeborg of Denmark. He repudiates her the day after the wedding. 

 

 
1193
5 Nov

 

Philip Augustus’s marriage to Ingeborg is annulled. 

 

 
1196
1 Jun

 

‘Marriage’ of Philip Augustus to Agnes of Merania, which is not recognised by the pope. 

 

 
1198

 

Birth of Marie, half-sister to Louis. 

 

 
1199
6 Apr

 

Richard the Lionheart dies. This interrupts the marriage negotiations in which Philip Augustus is engaging on behalf of Louis. 

 

 
1200
26 Jan

 

The papal Interdict comes into force in France, having been proclaimed in December 1199. 

 

 
1200
22 May

 

Treaty of Le Goulet between Philip Augustus and King John. Philip Augustus accepts John’s offer of a dowry for Blanche; he also recognises John’s claim to the English throne, abandoning his support of Arthur of Brittany. 

 

 
1200
23 May

 

Marriage of Louis to Blanche of Castile. Due to the Interdict in France the marriage takes place in Normandy. 

 

 
1200

 

Birth of Philip Hurepel, half-brother to Louis. 

 

 
1200
31 Oct

 

Pope Innocent lifts the Interdict on France. 

 

 
1201
Jul

 

Death of Agnes, ‘wife’ to Philip Augustus. 

 

 
1201

 

Pope Innocent III legitimises Philip Augustus’s children by Agnes, Marie and Philip Hurepel. 

 

 
1203–4

 

Philip Augustus’s campaign in Normandy, which he takes from John. 

 

 
1205

 

Birth and death of a daughter to Louis and Blanche. 

 

 
1206

 

Louis is present in Philip Augustus’s army on campaign in Brittany. 

 

 
1209
17 May

 

Louis is knighted at Compiègne during the feast of Pentecost. 

 

 
1209
9 Sep

 

Birth of Philip, son and heir to Louis and Blanche. 

 

 
1212
25 Feb

 

Treaty of Lens between Louis and Count Ferrand of Flanders. The treaty is recognised by Philip Augustus. 

 

 
1212
Nov

 

Louis takes Philip Augustus’s place at a meeting with Frederick of Hohenstaufen and a treaty is agreed. 

 

 
1213
Jan

 

English prelates returning from Rome pronounce a papal sentence deposing King John and proposing a crusade against him. 

 

 
1213
26 Jan

 

Birth of twins (possibly Alfonso and John), sons to Louis and Blanche. They die shortly after birth. 

 

 
1213
Feb

 

Louis takes the cross for the crusade against the Cathars in the south. His expedition is delayed until 1215. 

 

 
1213
8 Apr

 

Assembly of nobles and barons at Soissons. Philip Augustus engages his nobles for the projected expedition to England and declares he will confer the crown on Louis (with conditions). 

 

 
1213
spring

 

Philip Augustus reinstates Ingeborg as queen, thus clearing last hurdle to papal reconciliation. He does not take her back as his wife. 

 

 
1213
May

 

Philip and Louis gather their fleet for the invasion of England. 

 

 
1213
22 May

 

Innocent cancels the invasion and threatens Philip Augustus with excommunication if he goes ahead with it. Philip Augustus agrees. Louis turns his attentions to Flanders instead. 

 

 
1213
30 May

 

The earl of Salisbury attacks and destroys the French invasion fleet as it lies at anchor at Damme. 

 

 
1213
Jun

 

Philip Augustus returns to Paris, leaving Louis in charge of the army in Flanders. Louis makes a brief trip to Paris in August but otherwise remains in Flanders several more months. 

 

 
1213
autumn

 

Louis takes, pillages and burns a number of towns in Flanders. 

 

 
1214
15 Feb

 

King John lands at La Rochelle. 

 

 
1214
Feb/Mar

 

Ferrand of Flanders strikes a deal with John and they become allies. They go into coalition with Otto of Saxony. 

 

 
1214
25 Apr

 

Birth of the future Louis IX, son to Louis and Blanche. 

 

 
1214
spring

 

Philip Augustus and Louis leave Paris and head towards the Loire. Philip Augustus then turns northwards to deal with the situation there, leaving Louis in charge of operations in Poitou. 

 

 
1214
25 May

 

Hugh IX de Lusignan betroths his son to John’s daughter Joan. He and other Poitevin nobles join John. 

 

 
1214
Jun

 

John makes an abortive attack on Nantes, then goes back along the Loire: he takes Ancenis on 11 June and Angers on 17 June. 

 

 
1214
19 Jun

 

John begins a siege at La-Roche-aux-Moines. 

 

 
1214
2 Jul

 

John hears Louis’s army is a day’s march away and flees. Louis pursues and defeats his forces at La-Roche-aux-Moines. Louis stays in the west until September 1214. 

 

 
1214
27 Jul

 

Philip Augustus is victorious at Bouvines. 

 

 
1214
18 Sep

 

Truce with John sealed at Chinon. Louis then returns to Paris. 

 

 
1215
Apr

 

Louis sets off south on the expedition postponed from 1213. He meets Simon de Montfort at Vienne on 20 April. During a forty-day campaign the host takes Toulouse, then Louis returns to Paris. 

 

 
1215
17 May

 

London opens its gates to the rebel barons in support of their cause. 

 

 
1215
15 Jun

 

John seals Magna Carta. 

 

 
1215
24 Aug

 

Innocent III rejects Magna Carta. 

 

 
1215
Sep

 

John rescinds Magna Carta; Innocent excommunicates the rebel barons (though not specifically by name). 

 

 
1215
autumn

 

English barons arrive in France to offer the throne to Louis. 

 

 
1215
6 Dec

 

John takes Rochester Castle from the rebels. 

 

 
1215
Dec

 

First 120 French knights cross the Channel and travel to London. 

 

 
1215
16 Dec

 

Innocent excommunicates, by name this time, the rebel English barons. 

 

 
1216
Jan

 

A fleet of approximately twenty ships travels to England carrying more supporters; John launches raids into northern counties. 

 

 
1216
23–25 Apr

 

Assembly of Melun; Louis’s arguments are put to the nobility of France and to the papal legate Guala. 

 

 
1216
20 May

 

Louis sets sail from Calais for England. 

 

 
1216
22 May

 

Louis lands in England on the Isle of Thanet. 

 

 
1216
29 May

 

Louis and his followers are excommunicated by the papal legate Guala. 

 

 
1216
2 Jun

 

Louis arrives in London, where he is welcomed and proclaimed king. 

Other books

The Lantern Bearers (book III) by Rosemary Sutcliff, Charles Keeping
Handmaiden's Fury by JM Guillen
At Sword's Point by Katherine Kurtz, Scott MacMillan
From the Cradle by Louise Voss, Mark Edwards
Loving A Cowboy by Anne Carrole
Seduced by the Loan Shark by Rivera, Roxie