Henry II and Louis VII: The War of 1167 and the Struggle for Dominance in France

By the mid-1160s, tensions between Henry II of England and Louis VII of France had reached a breaking point. Henry’s territorial ambitions and growing influence in southern France deeply angered the French king, while Louis’s attempts to counter Henry’s expansion through alliances and military action only escalated their rivalry. These tensions culminated in open war in 1167, triggered by a seemingly minor dispute over the collection of funds for the Crusader states in the Levant.

Henry’s Expansionist Policies and the Road to War

1. Henry’s Attempt to Seize the Auvergne

   • Henry sought to expand his control in central France, attempting to seize the Auvergne, a move that infuriated Louis VII.
   • The region was strategically important, serving as a buffer zone between Henry’s territories in Aquitaine and the Capetian royal domain.

2. Pressuring Raymond V of Toulouse (1161–1165)

   • Henry had long sought to extend his authority over the County of Toulouse, a region traditionally under Capetian influence.
   • His efforts included:
     • Personally campaigning in Toulouse in 1161.
     • Sending the Archbishop of Bordeaux against Raymond in 1164.
     • Encouraging Alfonso II of Aragon to attack Toulouse from the south, using pressure from multiple fronts.
   • In 1165, Raymond divorced Louis VII’s sister, severing his ties with the Capetian dynasty, and attempted to align himself with Henry instead.

3. Tensions Escalate into Open War (1167)

   • The final spark was a trivial disagreement over how funds for the Crusader states should be collected, leading to outright conflict.
   • Louis VII formed an anti-Henry coalition, allying with:
     • The Welsh and Scots, encouraging uprisings in Britain.
     • The Bretons, who remained resentful of Henry’s seizure of their duchy.
   • Louis launched an attack on Normandy, attempting to strike at the heart of Henry’s continental possessions.

Henry’s Response: The Burning of Chaumont-sur-Epte and the Collapse of Louis’s Alliance

• In retaliation, Henry struck at Chaumont-sur-Epte, where Louis VII kept his primary military arsenal.
• He burned the town to the ground, dealing a major blow to Louis’s war effort.
• With his military resources severely weakened, Louis was forced to abandon his allies and agree to a private truce with Henry.

Henry’s Next Move: Suppressing Rebellion in Brittany

• With Louis effectively neutralized, Henry turned his attention back to Brittany, where local barons still resisted his rule.
• His forced seizure of the duchy and arranged betrothal of Geoffrey to Constance of Brittany had sparked resentment among the Breton nobility.
• Now free from conflict with France, Henry prepared to crush the remaining opposition and fully consolidate his control over Brittany.

Conclusion: The Balance of Power in 1167

• Henry’s decisive military response left Louis politically weakened, unable to effectively challenge Angevin power.
• However, Henry’s aggressive expansionism continued to fuel Capetian resistance, ensuring that Anglo-French tensions remained high.
• The conflict of 1167 was yet another chapter in the long struggle between the Angevins and Capetians, setting the stage for further wars and territorial disputes in the years to come.

The Treaty of Paris (1259): A Fragile Peace Between France and England

In 1259, King Louis IX of France sought to permanently establish peaceful relations with England by signing the Treaty of Paris with King Henry III. The agreement aimed to settle territorial disputes that had persisted since the early 13th century, particularly after the losses suffered by King John of England in the Anglo-French War (1202–1214).

Key Terms of the Treaty

• Henry III officially renounced his claims to several French territories that had once been part of the Angevin Empire, including:
  • Normandy (except for the Channel Islands)
  • Maine
  • Anjou
  • Poitou
• In return, Louis IX formally recognized Henry III as his vassal for the territories that England still controlled in France, particularly:
  • Gascony
  • Guienne (Aquitaine)

This arrangement confirmed English rule in southwestern France but placed Henry III in a feudal relationship with the French king, acknowledging his vassalage to the Capetian monarchy.

Strategic Benefits for Both Monarchs

• For Louis IX, the treaty was an effective tool of Capetian expansion through feudal vassalage rather than direct conquest. By forcing the English king into a subordinate position, Louis consolidated his dynasty’s control over former Angevin lands while ensuring a period of stability in France.
• For Henry III, the treaty was a pragmatic concession. His father, King John, had lost Normandy and other French possessions in the early 1200s, and England lacked the military strength to recover them. By securing French recognition of English rule in Gascony and Guienne, Henry ensured that England retained a continental foothold, even if under vassalage.
• Additionally, Louis IX agreed to withdraw his support for rebellious English barons, who had previously sought French assistance during the First Barons' War (1215–1217) and continued to challenge royal authority.

A Precursor to the Hundred Years' War

While the treaty secured a temporary peace, it failed to resolve the fundamental issue of English sovereignty over territories in France. The institutional inequality created by the feudal relationship between the English and French kings would not be sustainable.

• For the Capetians, this arrangement worked well, as it extended their influence over England’s remaining continental lands without open warfare.
• For the Valois dynasty, however, the feudal subordination of the English king to the French Crown became an explosive issue.
• In 1337, when Philip VI of France (the first Valois king) attempted to confiscate Gascony, King Edward III of England rejected his vassalage and instead claimed the French throne, launching the Hundred Years' War (1337–1453).

Long-Term Impact

The Treaty of Paris (1259) established a temporary balance between France and England, but it planted the seeds of future conflict. The English monarchs, though vassals in name, still ruled substantial lands in France, ensuring that Anglo-French tensions would eventually reignite in the form of one of the longest and most transformative wars in European history.