Conflicts with France

This section explains England’s conflicts with France, 11th to 13th Century. The period from the 11th to the 13th century saw England’s fortunes in France rise and fall dramatically. While rulers like Henry I and Henry II expanded English influence through diplomacy and conquest, internal rivalries and military defeats under Richard I and John significantly weakened English control. This era laid the groundwork for centuries of conflict between England and France, including the Hundred Years’ War.

England’s Ties to France

England’s relationship with France began with the Norman Conquest in 1066 when Duke William of Normandy became King William I of England. This connection deeply entwined the two nations for centuries, leading to frequent conflicts over land, power, and sovereignty.

Henry I and the Union of England and Normandy

• King Henry I, son of William I, ruled over England and Normandy as a united kingdom.
• Known for his strong and decisive leadership, Henry I maintained control by manipulating powerful barons in both regions.
• His reign was stable until tragedy struck in 1120, when his only legitimate son and heir, William Adelin, drowned in the White Ship disaster.

With no male heir, Henry I named his daughter, Matilda, as his successor and arranged her marriage to Geoffrey of Anjou, a French nobleman whose territory bordered Normandy.

The Anarchy: Civil War Over Succession

The marriage between Matilda and Geoffrey of Anjou created tension rather than stability:

• Their relationship with Henry I soured, and conflict broke out along the border between Normandy and Anjou.
• In 1135, Henry I died unexpectedly, leaving the succession in disarray despite having named Matilda as his heir.

Instead of Matilda taking the throne, her cousin, Stephen of Blois, claimed the crown. This sparked a civil war in England and Normandy known as The Anarchy.

• Matilda and Geoffrey fought to reclaim her inheritance:
  • By 1144, they captured Normandy, securing it under Geoffrey’s control.
  • Matilda led a military campaign in England, seeking to establish herself as queen.

During the turmoil, Matilda’s son, Henry, emerged as a significant figure:

• He took control of Normandy and Anjou.
• In 1154, following Stephen’s death, Henry became King Henry II of England.

The Angevin Empire: Expansion Through Marriage

King Henry II proved to be a capable and ambitious ruler, expanding English influence in France.

• Territorial Gains
  • Henry acquired new lands in France through small wars and diplomacy.
  • His most significant achievement was his marriage to Eleanor of Aquitaine in 1152, which brought her vast territories—including Aquitaine, Poitou, and Gascony—under his control.
  • These territories, combined with Henry’s hereditary lands in Normandy and Anjou, formed the Angevin Empire, spanning large parts of France and England.
• Family Rivalries
  • Henry II and Eleanor had four sons: Henry, Richard, Geoffrey, and John.
  • Family infighting destabilised the empire:
    • Eleanor supported her sons in a rebellion against Henry II.
    • Tensions between the brothers, particularly Richard and John, further fractured their inheritance.

King Richard I: The Absent Crusader

• Richard I, also known as Richard the Lionheart, succeeded his father but spent little time in England.
• His reign focused on military campaigns:
  • He raised taxes in England to fund his wars in France and his participation in the Third Crusade (1189–1192).
  • During the Crusade, Richard briefly acquired Cyprus, adding it to the Angevin Empire.
  • However, his absence allowed France, under King Philip II, to seize significant portions of English-held territory in France.
• Richard’s younger brother, John, schemed against him during this period, weakening their family’s position further.

King John and the Loss of Normandy

• After Richard’s death in 1199, King John inherited the throne. His reign was marked by military failures and political instability:
  • From 1200 to 1204, John faced relentless attacks from King Philip II of France.
  • John’s poor leadership led to the loss of Normandy and most of England’s French territories.
  • The barons of Normandy were forced to choose between allegiance to the French king or relocation to England.

These territorial losses undermined the Angevin Empire and created instability in England. Discontent among John’s English barons would eventually culminate in the Magna Carta crisis of 1215.