Upon Richard's death, John Lackland became king of England. Philippe II immediately made incursions into Normandy, as if testing John's resolve. He further offended John by declaring that Arthur, John's nephew, as duc de Bretagne and Normandie. Philippe II waited for an opportunity to make a major seizure of 'Norman-Angevin' lands.

John Lackland provided the excuse when, in 1200, he 'abducted' and married (30 August) the fiancé, Isabelle d'Angoulême, of Hugh 'le Brun', son of the comte de la Marche. John I then rejected a summons to appear (as duc d'Aquitaine) before King Philippe II, technically his suzerain. In 1202, John was declared 'a felon' and Philippe II seized Anjou, Brittany, Maine, Normandy, and Touraine. John Lackland struck back with a surprise raid into Poitou where his mother, Eleanor, was being held as a hostage at Mirebeau by Arthur, duc de Bretagne. John was able to capture not only Arthur, but Geoffrey and Hugh de Lusignan. This bold move threw Philippe II's offensive in the north off balance, and he had to temporarily halt his conquest of Normandie. However, Arthur's mysterious death in April 1203 led many Breton lords and others to suspect John Lackland of murdering his nephew. The incident seriously undermined John Lackland ability to enlist support of the French barons, who were essential to his struggle.

In 1203, Philip II resumed a vigorous campaign to secure Normandy and adjoning Angevin lands. He took Conches and Le Vaudreuil, Montfort-sur-Risle, Beaumont-le-Roger, and Radepont. Philipp II's most notable actions were Philippe II's capture of Château-Gaillard and the city of Rouen. Château-Gaillard was the most critical objective, and John Lackland attempted to save it by sending a relief force. It was a two-prong (land and river) expedition, which failed to effect a concentrated assault on the besieging French army. The river part fell behind schedule, and the land force under William Marshal and Lupescar was cut to pieces before the river force arrived. The English also attempted a diversionary invasion into Brittany, sacking Dol. However, Philippe II remained focused on his complete conquest of Les Andelys in Normandie.

John Lackland's departed from northern France in December 1203. In 1206, John I launched a campaign to secure the lands of his mother, Eleanor d'Aquitaine, in southwest France. Eleanor had died in April 1204, and her domaine was now threatened by a casual French offensive. John Lackland landed at La Rochelle (7 June) and led a force that relieved a French siege of Montauban, and he retook Saintonge. Angoulême remained loyal, and most of northern Poitou sided with their Platagenêt duke-king.

Philippe II and John Lackland agreed to a truce on 26 October 1206. The French king held Anjou, Brittany and Maine, as well as Normandie -- essentially the basic 'Angevin' claims of the Platagenêt line, less Aquitaine. Philippe II had all that he could manage in consolidating his conquests in northwest France to be interested in pushing further south. Except for brief periods of English occupation during the later Hundred Years' War, Anjou and Normandie were lost to the the Platagenêt kings of England.

More Battle of Bouvines Part 1: The 'War' of Bouvines (1202-1214)

Preface and Background
Emergence of the Angevin 'Empire'
Preliminaries and Initial Operations
Papal, Empire, and Flemish Factions
John Lackland's Coalition Against Philipp II