'Tis 800 years since Battle of Bouvines!
King John finally lost almost all the English holdings on the continent. A special case of 'Rags to rags in three generations.' His father, Henry 11, held most of what is now France, Lionheart lost control of much of it while imprisoned by the Holy (!) Roman Emperor, but retrieved much, and John lost the lot.
King John finally lost almost all the English holdings on the continent. A special case of 'Rags to rags in three generations.' His father, Henry 11, held most of what is now France, Lionheart lost control of much of it while imprisoned by the Holy (!) Roman Emperor, but retrieved much, and John lost the lot.
In four or five hours of sustained interpersonal and ghastly butchery, Philippe of France finally beat the loose association of mercenaries and nobles forming John's badly-led army. It would have taken a strong commander, such as Lionheart, to form a concerted battle plan with the assorted troops present.
John had alienated his own barons to the extent they would not fight for him. The army composed German Holy Roman Emperor Otto, the Counts of Hainault and Boulogne plus John in command of Brabancon mercenaries.
It was these mercenaries whom Lionheart had used so effectively to reconquer Normandy and Aquitaine and who were feared the length of Europe for their butchery. The seven hundred captured by Philippe were put to the sword after the battle.
Prof. J France says, 'Without Bouvines there is no Magna Carta, and all the British and American law that stems from that.'
This modern rendition of the battle is from the Xenophon Group Military History Database.
John had alienated his own barons to the extent they would not fight for him. The army composed German Holy Roman Emperor Otto, the Counts of Hainault and Boulogne plus John in command of Brabancon mercenaries.
It was these mercenaries whom Lionheart had used so effectively to reconquer Normandy and Aquitaine and who were feared the length of Europe for their butchery. The seven hundred captured by Philippe were put to the sword after the battle.
Prof. J France says, 'Without Bouvines there is no Magna Carta, and all the British and American law that stems from that.'
This modern rendition of the battle is from the Xenophon Group Military History Database.
RSS Feed