670 FRA 
rable croifade, having been already amply detailed under 
the head Egypt, we refer the reader for thofe interefling 
events, to yol. vi. p. 322-325. 
Philip, having been the firft to return to Europe, and 
hearing of the commotions in England occafioned by the 
attempts of John to dethrone his brother, took the ad¬ 
vantage of king Richard’s abfence, who had not yet re¬ 
turned from the croifade; and not only fupported John 
in his rebellion, but declared war againd Richard ; and, 
in order to take every advantage of his adverfary, he en¬ 
tered Normandy witlt a powerful army, and inverted Ver- 
neuil; but hearing that John had reconciled himfelf to 
his brother, and taken and martacred the French garrifon 
in Evreux ; and that Richard himfelf, with a formidable 
force, had juft landed at Barfleur; the king of France, by 
a forced march, furprifed and retook the city of Evreux, 
and the lives of the Englith garrifon were in their turn 
iacrirtced, to expiate the perfidy of John. But this ad¬ 
vantage afforded Philip only a vain and tranfient triumph ; 
the main body of his army, which (till remained before 
Verneuil, dilpirited by the abfence of their king, and dif- 
mayed at the approach of Richard, ditbanded in confu- 
fion; and Philip himfelf on his return, narrowly efcaped 
the purfuit of his adverfary. The hoftile monarchs, in 
1194, approached each other near Fretteval, between 
Chataudun and Vendome. Philip was defirous of avoid¬ 
ing a decifive battle, and concealed his intentions of re¬ 
treat by a defiance to the king of England, “ That the 
next morning he might expert his attack.” But Richard 
penetrated into the artifice of his rival; his anfwer was 
firm, and his meafures prompt; and the king of France 
had fcarcely welcomed the return of his meflenger, be¬ 
fore he beheld the forces of the Englifli at bis heels. 
The French were broken by the hidden and impetuous 
charge, and Philip fled before the fword of the lion- 
hearted Richard. His baggage, bis military chert, with 
the mod important papers of the ftate, became the prey 
of the vidlor. 
Richard, in 1195, entered Guienne with his vidlorious 
army, and reduced the caftles which had revolted. In 
the mean time Dieppe was furprifed and pillaged by 
Philip ; and Iflbudun was alfaulted and captured by 
Richard ; fo that the fubjefts of each bad reafon to de¬ 
plore the unabated rage which burned in the bofoms of 
their indignant fovereigns, and delivered France and Nor¬ 
mandy to the miferies of war. In the courfe of this con- 
teft, the Englifn monarch difplayed a degree of policy 
unexpected in his character. He attached the count of 
Touloufe to his party, by giving him in marriage his fifter 
Jane, widow of William king of Sicily ; lie fecured Bald¬ 
win count of Flanders by the hopes of recovering the 
county of Artois; and he infinuated to the minifters of 
Arthur, fon of his brother Geoffrey, who inherited the 
county of Brittany, the probability of hisbeing appointed 
his fucceflbr in the throne of England: while Philip, on 
the other hand, aCfed with the inconliderate levity of an 
inexperienced youth. 
Arras was befieged by the count of Flanders ; and the 
French king, with a numerous army, advanced to its re¬ 
lief. Baldwin, incapable of oppofing, with any probabi¬ 
lity of fuccefs, the fuperior forces of France, retreated 
before them; and Philip purfued him with improvident 
ardour through a country interfered with ravines and 
inclofures. His numbers alfo ferved to augment his con- 
fulion and diftrefs; unable either to advance or retire, he 
was aifailed by the fatal attacks of famine ; and was folely 
extricated by the moderation of the count, wrought upon 
by his own fpecious promifes. The death of Richard, 
in 1193, relieved king Philip from a formidable compe¬ 
titor; but bis ambition allowed him not to enjoy any 
refpite from foreign commotion. Juhn, on the death of 
Richard, afcended the vacant throne of his brother; bat 
the crown of England was claimed by Arthur duke of 
Brittany, the grandfon of Henry II. From motives of 
policy and ambition, the king of France was determined 
N C E. 
to fupport the interefts of Arthur. He therefore loft ns 
time in eredting his ftandard in Normandy ; and the gates 
ot Alenjon, Conches, Andeli, and Vaudreuil, were opened 
at his approach ; the forts along the banks of the Loire 
alfo difplayed the colours of Philip; and Chateau Gail- 
lard, a caftle erected by Richard on the banks of the 
Seine, and fuppofed to be impregnable, after a fiege of 
fix months was taken by the king of France. The inacti¬ 
vity of the king of England aftonilhed his enemies and 
extinguifhed the hopes of his friends. He had indeed 
aflembled a powerful armament for the relief of Chateau 
Gaillard ; but his fleet was delayed by adverfe winds, 
and his foldiers became a prey to their own rapacity-. Sa¬ 
tisfied with this effort, he relapfed into bis former indif¬ 
ference ; while Philip, in 1204, invefted Rouen, which 
capitulated ; re-united Normandy to the' kingdom of 
France ; and with the exception of Chinon, which held 
out till the enfuing fummer, completed the conqueft of 
Anjou, Maine, and Touraine. 
After the arms of France had been thus feduloufly en¬ 
gaged in extending the dominions and augmenting the 
authority of her fovereign, king John, awakened from 
the trance of indolence by his immediate danger, covered 
the fea with his fleets, and filled every friendly court 
with negociations hoftile to France. The counts of Flan¬ 
ders, Bologne, and Touloufe, confederated with Otho 
emperor of Germany; and confident of fuccefs, already 
divided in imagination the dominions of Philip. That 
monarch firft turned his arms againft the count of Flan¬ 
ders, invefted Ghent, and blocked up, with his naval 
forces, the port of Dantzic; but he was foon compelled 
to raife the fiege with lofs; three hundred of his (hips 
were deftroyed by the fleets of John; and the king of 
England having extended his devaftations as far as the 
frontiers of Brittany, retired to Parthenais, in Poitou, to 
wait the operation of his allies in Flanders. 
Philip, fenfible that it was more honourable, and not 
more dangerous, boldly to encounter his enemies in the 
field than tamely to expedt their attack, haftened to meet 
the army of the confederates. Under the ftandard of 
Philip marched fifty thoufand men, led by the duke of 
Burgundy, the counts of Dreux, Nevers, Sancerre, Pon- 
thieu, and St. Paul. The various holl: which followed 
Otho was fvvelled to a larger amount, and was animated 
by the prefence of the dukes of Limburg, Brabant, and 
Lorrain; the counts of Namur, Flanders, and Bologne; 
with the earl of Salilbury. Philip’s valour was particu¬ 
larly confpicuous at the battle of Bouvines, which was 
fought on the 27th of July, 12x4, and lafted from noon 
till night. Before the engagement, he knew well that 
fome of his nobles followed him with reluftance. He 
aflembled them together; and, placing himfelf in the 
midft of them, he took a large golden cup, .which he filled 
witli wine, and into which he put feveral dices of bread. 
He ate one of them himfelf, and, offering the cup to the 
reft, he faid, “ My companions, let thofe who would live 
and die with me, follow my example.” The cup was 
emptied in a moment, and thofe who were the leaf! at¬ 
tached to him fought with all the bravery that could be 
expected from his warmed friends. It is alio reported, 
that, after (hewing the army the crown that was worn by 
fovereigns upon thefe occafions, he faid, “ If any one 
thought himfelf more worthy than he was to wear it, he 
had only to explain himfelf; that he fliould be content it 
were the prize of that man who fhould difplay the greateft 
valour in battle.” The conflict was fierce, bloody, and 
fora long time doubtful; the fortune of France and Ger¬ 
many alternately prevailed ; Philip himfelf, wounded and 
dragged from his horfe, was in danger of being trampled 
to death; Otho w'as furrounded and captured by his ene¬ 
mies, and refcued with difficulty. But the valour of the 
French eventually triumphed over every obftacle; the 
fun which (hone on their backs, dazzled the eyes of their 
adverfaries; prefled on all fides, the confederates endea¬ 
voured in vain to retire ; a gradual retreat was foon con¬ 
verted 
