Richard’s unexpected death occurred during a negotiation for peace with Philip; and John succeeded at once, just as Richard himself had done, to the claims in whole accumulation of dynastic and territorial grievances, which had been mounting up for fifty years; with the addition of Arthur’s claims, which gave Philip the opportunity of interfering in every possible question. Before the coronation these claims had been raised; Philip had determined to be beforehand, and had seized the city of Evreux on the receipt of the news of Richard’s death. At the same moment the barons of Anjou, Maine, and Touraine had declared Arthur their count, and Constance had delivered him bodily into Philip’s keeping. John, in revenge for this, had destroyed the walls and imprisoned the citizens of le Mans, which he regarded as the stronghold of Arthur’s party. He returned to Normandy directly after the coronation, on June 20, and made a truce with Philip for two months, during which Philip accepted Arthur’s homage for all the Continental estates of the family and constituted himself his champion. Immediately on the expiration of the truce the kings met again, and Philip then proposed by way of compromise that John should retain Normandy, and Arthur have the remaining states, Philip himself receiving the Vexin as a remuneration for his good offices in thus arbitrating. John refused this, and war broke out again, in which Philip showed himself so much more anxious for his own interest than for Arthur’s that the unhappy boy allowed himself to be removed from Philip’s protection and placed under John’s. He discovered his mistake, however, almost instantly, and fled from his uncle’s court to Angers, in company with his mother, who took the opportunity of finally breaking with the Earl of Chester, and without waiting for a divorce, bestowed herself in marriage on Guy, a brother of the Viscount Thouars. [Sidenote: Peace between John and Philip, 1200. ] [Sidenote: John’s marriage. ]