Baron's War
Page 28
Unfortunately, Isabella was already engaged to Hugh of Lusignan, an important member of a key Poitou noble family and brother of Count Raoul of Eu, who possessed lands along the sensitive eastern Normandy border. Just as John stood to benefit strategically from marrying Isabella, so the marriage threatened the interests of the Lusignans, whose own lands currently provided the key route for royal goods and troops across Aquitaine. Rather than negotiating some form of compensation, John treated Hugh "with contempt"; this resulted in a Lusignan uprising that was promptly crushed by John, who also intervened to suppress Raoul in Normandy.
Although John was the Count of Poitou and therefore the rightful feudal lord over the Lusignans, they could legitimately appeal John's actions in France to his own feudal lord, Philip. Hugh did exactly this in 1201 and Philip summoned John to attend court in Paris in 1202, citing the Le Goulet treaty to strengthen his case. John was unwilling to weaken his authority in western France in this way. He argued that he need not attend Philip's court because of his special status as the Duke of Normandy, who was exempt by feudal tradition from being called to the French court. Philip argued that he was summoning John not as the Duke of Normandy, but as the Count of Poitou, which carried no such special status. When John still refused to come, Philip declared John in breach of his feudal responsibilities, reassigned all of John's lands that fell under the French crown to Arthur – with the exception of Normandy, which he took back for himself – and began a fresh war against John.
De Ferrers
De Ferrers was a favourite of King John and also the Sherriff of Nottingham! His coat of arms was vairy or with gules. It is easier to show you rather than trying to describe it!
Eleanor Fair Maid of Brittany
I did not know the story of Eleanor until I began researching this book. Hers is a sad story. Eventually King John captured her and imprisoned her in a castle: although the exact location is uncertain. Some said Corfe and then Bristol. When King John died his heir, Henry III continued to have her incarcerated. Her burial and her final resting place are unknown. There is a story there.
Treadmill crane
The medieval treadmill was a large wooden wheel turning around a central shaft with a treadway wide enough for two workers walking side by side. While the earlier 'compass-arm' wheel had spokes directly driven into the central shaft, the more advanced 'clasp-arm' type featured arms arranged as chords to the wheel rim, giving the possibility of using a thinner shaft and providing thus a greater mechanical advantage.
Treadmill crane- courtesy of Wikipedia.
Fall of Normandy
Prince Arthur was in Falaise and, after he was moved to Rouen he was, reputedly, killed by his uncle. That action and the ill treatment of prisoners drove William des Roches into the French camp. Between 1202 and 1204 Normandy, Brittany, Anjou and Maine were all lost. Most of Poitou also fell and only the wine rich region of Aquitaine remained in King John’s hands. He never gave up on Normandy and spent the next ten years trying to retake it. He even built a fleet to defend the seaways to Bordeaux.
He might have succeeded but he had a poor relationship with the barons. They cost him Normandy and, as events turned out, almost cost him England.
King William and Scotland
King John invaded Scotland and forced William to sign the Treaty of Norham, which gave John control of William's daughters and required a payment of £10,000. This effectively crippled William's power north of the border, and by 1212 John had to intervene militarily to support the Scottish king against his internal rivals. John made no efforts to reinvigorate the Treaty of Falaise, though, and both William and Alexander in turn remained independent kings, supported by, but not owing fealty to, John.
Books used in the research:
The Crusades-David Nicholle
Crusader Castles in the Holy Land 1097-1192- David Nicolle
The Normans- David Nicolle
Norman Knight AD 950-1204- Christopher Gravett
The Norman Conquest of the North- William A Kappelle
The Knight in History- Francis Gies
The Norman Achievement- Richard F Cassady
Knights- Constance Brittain Bouchard
Knight Templar 1120-1312 -Helen Nicholson
Feudal England: Historical Studies on the Eleventh and Twelfth Centuries- J. H. Round
English Medieval Knight 1200-1300
The Scandinavian Baltic Crusades 1100-1500
For the English maps, I have used the original Ordnance survey maps. Produced by the army in the 19th century they show England before modern developments and, in most cases, are pre-industrial revolution. Produced by Cassini they are a useful tool for a historian.
I also discovered a good website http://orbis.stanford.edu/. This allows a reader to plot any two places in the Roman world and if you input the mode of transport you wish to use and the time of year it will calculate how long it would take you to travel the route. I have used it for all of my books up to the eighteenth century as the transportation system was roughly the same. The Romans would have been quicker!
Griff Hosker
December 2017
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Griff Hosker
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