In 1215 King John had agreed to the terms of Magna Carta, but he then reneged on his word, plunging the kingdom into war. The rebellious barons offered the throne to the French prince Louis and set off the chain of events that almost changed the course of English history.
Louis first arrived in May 1216, was proclaimed king in the heart of London, and by the autumn had around half of England under his control.
However, the choice of a French prince had enormous repercussions: now not merely an internal rebellion, but a war in which the defenders were battling to prevent a foreign takeover.
John’s death in October 1216 left the throne in the hands of his nine-year-old son, Henry, and his regent, William Marshal, which changed the face of the war again, for now the king trying to fight off an invader was not a hated tyrant but an innocent child.
A nascent sense of national identity began to swell. Three key battles would determine England’s destiny. The fortress of Dover was besieged, the city of Lincoln was attacked, and a great invasion force set sail and, unusually for the time, was intercepted at sea.
1217: The Battles That Saved England by Catherine Hanley is published on 9 May, 2024.
Read Catherine’s feature about William Marshal and chivalry. She’s written other pieces for Historia about topics related to this book: Magna Carta, England’s Forgotten King, The Battle That Saved England and England’s First Great Naval Victory.
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