The Great Events by Famous Historians, Volume 06: (From Barbarossa to Dante)
Dante Alighieri · en
The war which followed was characteristic of both kings alike.
Philip's attack took the form not of a regular invasion, but of a
series of raids upon Eastern Normandy, whereby, in the course of the
next three months, he made himself master of Thillier, Lions,
Longchamp, La Fertéen-Braye, Orgueil, Gournay, Mortemer, Aumale, and
the town and county of Eu. John was throughout the same period
flitting ceaselessly about within a short distance of all these
places; but Philip never came up with him, and he never but once came
up with Philip. On July 7, 1202, the French King laid siege to
Radepont, some ten miles to the southeast of Rouen. John, who was at
Bonport, let him alone for a week, and then suddenly appeared before
the place, whereupon Philip immediately withdrew. John, however, made
no attempt at pursuit. According to his wont, he let matters take
their course till he saw a favorable opportunity for retaliation. At
the end of the month the opportunity came.
At the conclusion of the treaty in May, 1200, Arthur, after doing
homage to his uncle for Brittany, had been by him restored to the
guardianship of the French King. The death of the boy's mother in
September, 1201, left him more than ever exposed to Philip's
influence; and it was no doubt as a measure of precaution, in view of
the approaching strife between the kings, that John on March 27, 1202,
summoned his "beloved nephew Arthur" to come and "do right" to him at
Argentan at the octave of Easter. The summons probably met with no
more obedience than did Philip's summons to John; and before the end
of April Philip had bound Arthur securely to his side by promising him
the hand of his infant daughter Mary. This promise was ratified by a
formal betrothal at Gournay, after the capture of that place by the
French; at the same time Philip made Arthur a knight, and gave him the
investiture of all the Angevin dominions except Normandy.