Philip II’s Entry into Rouen and the Fall of Normandy (April 16, 1203–1204)

On April 16, 1203, Philip II of France entered Rouen, the ducal capital of Normandy, marking the beginning of the final phase of the Capetian conquest of Normandy. This event would eventually lead to the complete unification of Normandy with the Kingdom of France in 1204.

The Fall of Normandy: Philip’s Campaign Against John (1202–1204)

• After John of England’s refusal to answer a summons to Philip’s court in 1202, Philip declared John’s French territories forfeit and launched an invasion of Normandy.
• Château Gaillard, the key fortress protecting Rouen, was besieged in 1203, and after months of resistance, it fell in March 1204.
• John failed to send reinforcements, abandoning Norman nobles and his capital to Philip’s forces.

Philip’s Entry into Rouen (April 16, 1203) and the Unification of Normandy

• With Rouen’s defenses crumbling, Philip entered the city triumphantly on April 16, 1203.
• By June 1204, Rouen officially surrendered, and Philip completed the annexation of Normandy, making it a permanent part of France.
• Normandy, once the heart of the Angevin Empire, was now fully integrated into the Capetian realm, ending two centuries of Anglo-Norman rule.

Consequences of the Capetian Conquest

• John’s reputation was severely damaged, as his failure to defend Normandy led to discontent among his English barons, contributing to the crisis that resulted in Magna Carta (1215).
• Philip II consolidated his power, gaining one of the richest and most strategic provinces in France.
• The French-English rivalry intensified, setting the stage for centuries of conflict over lost Angevin territories.

Philip II’s entry into Rouen on April 16, 1203, and the final fall of the city in 1204, marked a turning point in medieval European history, securing Capetian dominance in France and shattering the Angevin Empire’s hold on the Continent.