Both Philippe II Auguste of France and John I ('Lackland') of England had to contend with serious side distractions in their war. Though separate from the basic issues underlying the war -- dispute over the 'Angevin Empire', or merely 'Platagenêt' lands -- these issues sometimes influenced the conduct of operations. These influencing issues are briefly summarized as follows:

Papal disputes with the kings of France and England

Philippe II rejected his second wife, Ingeborg of Denmark, as soon as they were married in 1193. The pope's 1194 denial of an annulment was ignored by Philippe II when the French king took a third wife, Agnès de Méran. In January 1200, pope Innocent III put the interdict on the kingdom of France. Philippe II submitted to the pope in September 1200 and acknowledged Ingeborg as his 'spouse'. However, it was not until 1213 (after Agnès de Méran's death) that Philippe II openly acknowledged Ingeborg as 'queen'.

John I Lackland entered into a serious breech with pope Innocent III in rejecting the latter's choice of bishop Langton as archbishop of Canterbury in 1205. John wanted the right to select the archbishop and asserted his kingly authority in taking church taxes. This led to the pope placing an interdict on the kingdom of England in March 1208, and to John Lackland being excommunicated in 1209. After resolving his own difficulties with the pope, Philippe II of France was prepared to invade England In early 1213 under the pope's sanction. Faced with eminent invasion, John Lackland submitted to the pope in May 1213. The pope immediately withdrew his support of the French invasion, and Philippe II was forced to comply. In frustration, Philippe II used his readied military force to raid Flanders by land and sea. [Further developments in this operation are covered under the discussion of Flanders, below.]

Disputed claims to the German Imperial Crown

Between 1197 and 1208 Otto IV of the Brunswick House (Welf party) and Philip II of Swabia (Waiblinger party) fought for control of the German empire. Philip of Swabia was assassinated in 1208. Then Frederick II, the great Hohenstaufen (Stupor Mundi) became Otto's rival. Frederick allied himself with king Philippe II of France. Otto's ally was king John Lackland of England. Pope Innocent III at first supported Otto, who was crowned in 1209. Soon after, the pope and the emperor had a falling out, and Otto was excommunicated and 'deposed' in 1210. In 1211, Frederick II was elected 'king of Germany' and on his way to being made 'emperor' with the open support of both the pope and the French king, Philippe II.

Albigensian Crusades

The Albigensian Crusade began in 1209, and lasted to 1255. The pope continuously sought a more active participation by the French king in crushing the Cathars in southern France. However, Philippe II gave only token support to the crusade, as the French Capetian claims to southern French provinces was very week. Initially, Philippe II had fairly good relations with the comte de Toulouse, who became the initial target of the crusaders. The crusaders were led by French knights, whom Philippe II had to allow to go south. However, Philippe II was more focused on developments in northern France.

Flanders

Philippe II made peace with Baudouin [Baldwin] IX, comte de Flandre, at the Treaty of Péronne in January 1200. Baudouin had to abandon his alliance with John I of England, and Philippe II gave him St-Omer and Aire. Baudouin departed on the Fourth Crusade in 1202, leaving as regent his brother, Philippe de Namur. Baudouin died during the crusade, and Philippe II was able to exert considerable influence over the county. Philippe II sponsored the 1211 marriage of Ferrand, son of the king of Portugal, to Joan, Baudouin's eldest daughter and heiress. In 1212, Ferrand, now the new count, paid homage to Philippe II for Flanders. However, Philippe II's son, prince Louis, seized St-Omer and Aire, claiming them as his mother's dowry. When Philippe II did not intervene, Ferrand took offense and drifted toward the French king's enemies -- John Lackland and emperor Otto. Ferrand refused to participate in Philippe II planned invasion of England in 1213. Philippe II saw this as treason in his vassal.

The French king, Philippe II's vindictive raid into Flanders caused the comte de Flanders, Ferrand, to request help from the English king. John Lackland immediately sent a ready fleet [now free of protecting England as the French invasion had been canceled] from Portsmouth. About 500 English ships, under the command of the earl of Salisbury, caught the French fleet by surprise off Damme (Damme was a small port village in the Zwyn estuary that connected the town of Bruges to the North Sea) in late March 1213. Virtually all the French ships were destroyed, Philippe II had to burn the rest and to withdraw the French forces. Ferrand, comte de Flandre, paid hommage to John I Lackland in May 1213. Ferrand even went further and agreed not to enter into any peace or truce with the king of France.

Renaud de Dammartin, comte de Boulonge, had made a similar agreement when he paid hommage to the English king in 1212. Though Renaud de Dammartin had been close to Philippe II, the comte had a bitter quarrel with Philippe II's cousin, Phillipe de Dreux, bishop of Beauvais. Philippe II was forced to seize Renaud's castle at Mortain. Whereupon, Renaud went to England in 1212 and paid homage to John I Lackland. Renaud was a key player in establishing John Lackland's contacts with both the comte de Flandre and the German emperor, Otto IV.

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