Joscelin fully endorses Baldwin II, despite their former hostility, over the candidacy of Baldwin I's brother Eustace III of Boulogne, as the successor to Baldwin I as king of Jerusalem; he is rewarded with the County of Edessa.

The Revolt of 1173–1174: Henry II’s Sons Rebel

By 1173, Henry II of England ruled England, Normandy, and Anjou, while his wife, Eleanor of Aquitaine, controlled the vast Duchy of Aquitaine. Their four legitimate sons—Henry the Young King, Richard (later "the Lionheart"), Geoffrey, and John ("Lackland")—all stood to inherit parts of this empire, creating tensions over succession and power.

When Henry II decided to bequeath three castles—which were supposed to be part of Henry the Young King’s inheritance—to his youngest son John, tensions within the Plantagenet family erupted into open rebellion.

The Young King's Grievances and the Spark of Rebellion

• Henry the Young King, 18 years old in 1173, was widely admired for his charm and good looks, but he lacked real power or resources, despite being officially crowned King of England in 1170.
• He had been married for years to Margaret of France, the daughter of Louis VII, making him the son-in-law of the French king.
• However, Henry’s father refused to grant him any real authority, keeping him in a ceremonial role without independent rule.
• The final insult came when Henry II granted three castles to his youngest son, John, as part of John’s proposed marriage to the daughter of the Count of Maurienne.

Encouraged by discontented nobles, the Young King fled to the court of Louis VII in March 1173, seeking support to forcibly claim his inheritance.

Formation of the Anti-Henry II Alliance

• Louis VII of France immediately backed his son-in-law, seizing the opportunity to weaken Henry II.
• Henry's younger brothers, Richard and Geoffrey, soon joined the rebellion, hoping to secure their own inheritances.
• Their mother, Eleanor of Aquitaine, who had long feuded with Henry II, attempted to join her sons but was captured by Henry II and imprisoned.
• The rebels forged a broad alliance, promising lands and wealth to powerful nobles:
  • The Counts of Flanders, Boulogne, and Blois were promised land and revenues in England and Anjou.
  • William the Lion, King of Scotland, was promised Northumberland, giving him a reason to invade England.

This rebellion effectively sought to break apart Henry II’s empire, dividing it among his sons and their allies.

The Stakes and Consequences

• This was not just a family dispute—it became a major European conflict, as it involved:
  • The King of France.
  • The rulers of Flanders, Boulogne, Blois, and Scotland.
  • A large number of discontented English and Angevin barons.
• The rebels aimed to carve up Henry II’s realm, redistributing power among his sons and their allies.
• The rebellion would rage across England and France, marking one of the greatest challenges to Henry II’s rule.

Though Henry II would eventually suppress the revolt, it exposed the fragility of his empire and foreshadowed further conflicts among his sons, culminating in decades of internal Plantagenet strife.

The Coordinated Invasion of Henry II’s Lands (April 1173)

1. Eastern Front: The Counts of Flanders and Boulogne Attack Normandy

   • The Count of Flanders and Matthew, Count of Boulogne, launched an invasion from the east, attempting to seize Normandy’s borders.
   • Failure: The attack was repelled, and Count Matthew of Boulogne was killed in battle, weakening the rebel coalition.

2. Southern Front: Louis VII and Henry the Young King Invade Normandy

   • Louis VII and the Young King attacked from the south, hoping to drive Henry II out of Normandy.
   • Failure: Henry II’s forces defeated the French army, forcing Louis VII to retreat and abandon the campaign.

3. Western Front: Breton Rebellion

   • The Bretons, already resentful of Henry II’s seizure of their duchy, launched an attack from the west.
   • Failure: Henry II’s forces routed the Bretons with heavy casualties, crushing their rebellion in Brittany.

4. Northern Front: William the Lion Invades England

   • William the Lion, King of Scotland, launched raids into northern England, attempting to capitalize on the Anglo-Norman civil war.
   • Failure: His attacks failed to gain significant ground, and his forces suffered setbacks against English defenses.

Failed Negotiations Between Henry II and His Rebel Son

• After the rebel coalition suffered defeats, Henry II attempted to negotiate with his son, Henry the Young King, in Normandy.
• However, the talks broke down, as Henry the Young King and his allies were not ready to abandon the revolt.
• Instead of surrendering, the rebels sought alternative strategies, preparing for a renewed campaign against Henry II.

Impact of the Early Battles

• Henry II’s military success kept his empire intact, forcing the rebels to regroup and seek new opportunities.
• The death of Count Matthew of Boulogne weakened the rebel alliance, depriving them of key leadership.
• Despite these setbacks, the rebellion was far from over, as Henry the Young King and his allies continued plotting their next move.

While the initial phase of the war ended in Henry II’s favor, the rebels were still determined to fight, ensuring that the conflict would continue into 1174.

Eleanor of Aquitaine’s Arrest and Disappearance (1173 CE)

In 1173, amid the rebellion of Henry the Young King and his brothers Richard and Geoffrey, Eleanor of Aquitaine attempted to join her sons in their fight against Henry II. However, between late March and early May, she was intercepted and arrested, likely while traveling from Poitiers. She was then taken to Henry II at Rouen, marking the beginning of her long imprisonment.

The Secrecy Surrounding Eleanor’s Arrest

• Henry II did not publicly announce the arrest, keeping her whereabouts hidden.
• For the next year (1173–1174), Eleanor’s location remained unknown, likely to prevent further unrest in Aquitaine and undermine the legitimacy of the rebellion.
• Contemporary sources suggest she was held in confinement under close watch, but exactly where she was imprisoned during this time remains uncertain.

Why Was Eleanor Arrested?

• Eleanor had supported her sons’ rebellion, seeing Henry II’s refusal to grant them power as a direct threat to her family’s control over Aquitaine.
• Henry II likely saw her as the instigator of the revolt, fearing her political influence and ability to rally opposition.
• By removing Eleanor from the political landscape, Henry crippled the rebellion’s legitimacy, particularly in Aquitaine, where her authority was strongest.

The Beginning of Eleanor’s Long Captivity

• Eleanor’s imprisonment lasted for the next 15 years, as Henry II kept her under strict control to prevent further plots.
• Over time, she would be moved between different castles in England, re-emerging into public life only after Henry’s death in 1189, when her son Richard the Lionheart freed her.

Her arrest and disappearance in 1173 marked the turning point in the revolt, depriving the rebels of one of their most formidable allies and ensuring that Henry II remained dominant over the Angevin Empire.

Robert de Beaumont, the Earl of Leicester, a supporter of young Henry who had been in Normandy and chief of the aristocratic rebels, takes up the charge next.

He raises an army of Flemish mercenaries and crosses from Normandy back to England to join the other rebel barons there, principally Hugh Bigod, Earl of Norfolk, who is based at the castle of Framlingham.

He lands at Walton in Suffolk in late September or early October.

After some inconclusive fighting, Leicester decides to lead his men to his own base of Leicester, but royalist forces prevent this.

The earl's base there had recently come under attack by royal forces and thus needs reinforcement, but another reason for the movement may have been friction between de Beaumont and Bigod and Bigod's wife, Gundreda.

The Battle of Fornham is fought on October 17, 1173 between rebel forces under the command of Leicester and royal forces under the command of Richard de Lucy, the Chief Justiciar as well as Humphrey de Bohun Lord High Constable, Reginald de Dunstanville, the Earl of Cornwall, William of Gloucester, the Earl of Gloucester, and William d'Aubigny, the Earl of Arundel.

The rebel forces are numbered at three thousand mercenaries, and the royal forces include at least three hundred knights as well as the Earl of Norfolk's son, Roger Bigod, who has remained loyal to the king.

Along with these knights, the royal forces also have the local levies and the military followings of three earls of Gloucester, Arundel, and Cornwall.

The rebels are caught fording the River Lark near the present towns of Fornham St Genevieve, Fornham All Saints, and Fornham St Martin in Suffolk at a location about four miles (6.4 kilometers) north of Bury St Edmunds.

With his forces split, Leicester's cavalry is captured and his mercenaries are driven into nearby swamps where the local peasants kill most of them.

Leicester is captured, as is his wife, Petronilla de Grandmesnil, who had put on armor herself.

Leicester will remain in captivity until January 1177 when some of his lands will be returned to him.

The rebellion is not over, and in the spring of 1174 fighting continues.

David, Earl of Huntingdon, brother of William the Lion, moves back south to attempt the conquest of northern England and takes up the leadership of the rebel barons.

William de Ferrers, Earl of Derby and one of the rebels, burns the royal burgh of Nottingham while …

…Hugh Bigod likewise torches Norwich.

Henry, with England under his control, returns to Normandy and sets about a settlement with his enemies.

On September 30, "King Henry, the king's son, and his brothers, returned to their father and to his service, as their lord".

Richard I’s War Against Philip II and His Victories in France (1194–1198 CE)

Determined to defend Angevin territories from Philip II’s encroachment, particularly in the Vexin and Berry, Richard I of England devoted his military expertise and vast resources to waging war against the French king. Through a combination of strategic alliances and military victories, Richard turned the tide against Philip, severely weakening the Capetian position in northern France.

Richard’s Anti-Capetian Alliance

To counter Philip’s ambitions, Richard forged a broad coalition of allies:

1. Baldwin IX, Count of Flanders – Strengthened Angevin influence in the north.
2. Renaud, Count of Boulogne – Provided additional support against Philip’s forces.
3. Sancho VI of Navarre (his father-in-law) – Launched raids into southern France, distracting Philip.
4. Otto IV of Germany (his nephew) – Richard secured the Welf inheritance in Saxony, ensuring Otto was elected Holy Roman Emperor in 1198, creating an additional threat to Philip’s eastern flank.

By strengthening the Welf faction in the Holy Roman Empire, Richard weakened Philip’s diplomatic influence in Europe, making it harder for him to focus on the Angevin war.

Richard’s Military Victories Over Philip

1. Battle of Fréteval (1194)

   • Shortly after Richard’s return from captivity, he rallied forces in Normandy and ambushed Philip at Fréteval.
   • Philip fled the battlefield, leaving behind his entire archive of financial audits and documents, a devastating logistical loss.

2. Battle of Gisors / Courcelles (1198)

   • Richard won a decisive victory against Philip’s forces.
   • It was during this battle that Richard is said to have adopted the motto "Dieu et mon Droit" ("God and my Right"), symbolizing his belief that he owed allegiance only to God, not to Philip or the Emperor.
   • This phrase remains the motto of the British monarchy to this day.

Impact of Richard’s Campaigns

• Richard successfully reversed Philip’s early territorial gains, reclaiming much of Normandy and the Vexin.
• His military success left Philip militarily and politically vulnerable, unable to expand as he had hoped.
• By securing Otto IV’s election, Richard turned the Holy Roman Empire into an Angevin ally, further isolating Philip in Europe.

Despite Philip’s earlier advances, by 1198, Richard had gained the upper hand, and the war was tilting in favor of the Angevins. However, his unexpected death in 1199 would dramatically alter the balance of power in the Capetian-Plantagenet struggle.