The Plantagenet Prelude

She did not realise that she could scarcely do this while Louis was beset by conflict on all sides. In the first place his brother Robert, a very ambitious young man who had never stopped railing against fate for bringing him into the world after his brother Louis when he would have made a much more suitable king, was roaming the country calling people to his ba

Louis was deeply distressed. Not another war, he prayed. And brother fighting against brother was distressing. He wanted no more Vitrys.

That matter was quickly settled by the people of France. They did not want ambitious Robert; they preferred Louis. Louis was a good man. Hadn’t he just returned from the Holy Land? God would surely be on his side, and to wage war on him would be tantamount to waging war against God.

They would remain loyal to Louis; they would pray that he would give them a male heir soon, and then they would be sure that they were doing God’s will. So while Louis was engaged in this conflict it was not possible to talk to him of a divorce. But she was determined to.

Then there was another conflict. Normandy had always been a source of anxiety to the Crown of France. The Dukes were too powerful, mainly because since William the Conqueror had become the King of England, while remaining Duke of Normandy, there was the might of England to contend with. Now Geoffrey Plantagenet laid claim to the dukedom.

Geoffrey at a very early age had been married to Matilda, the daughter of King Henry I of England. The marriage had been a disaster, for husband and wife had had no regard for each other from the begi

The eldest of these was a youth – christened Henry – who was already making a name for himself as a soldier and one with the necessary qualities to rule. Matilda, who would never have any regard for her husband, doted on this son and had made up her mind that he would one day become King of England. This was her only consolation.

She had failed to wrest the crown from Stephen but her son should inherit what was his by right.

Louis, as King of France, was outside the quarrel between Matilda and Stephen, but ever since the burning of the church at Vitry, Louis had shown great friendship for Theobald of Champagne and his family. Theobald’s son, Henry, had joined the crusade and during that adventurous period Louis had kept the young man at his side.

Theobald was the elder brother of Stephen, King of England, and Stephen had a son Eustace. Knowing of the terrible remorse Louis had suffered through the burning of Vitry, Stephen thought it a good idea to get his brother Theobald and his nephew Henry to persuade Louis to help him secure Normandy for his son Eustace.

Thus it was that Henry of Champagne gradually began to persuade the King of France that he should favour the cause of Eustace against that of Geoffrey of Anjou and his wife Matilda.

Louis was perturbed. ‘I would not wish to see a war between France and Normandy,’ he said.

Theobald, who had come to court to add his persuasion to his son’s, began to enumerate the points against Geoffrey of Anjou and his wife.

Matilda was an arrogant woman. She had a way of antagonising everyone who came near her. If the King of France showed the people that he was against her and her husband they would stand behind Louis and King Stephen to a man.

‘There must be some who would be faithful to Henry of Anjou,’ said the King. ‘I can see conflict. I don’t want it. I want peace.’

At the same time Louis believed that if he joined forces, with Stephen he would be doing a service to Stephen’s family and Stephen’s brother was Theobald to whom the town of Vitry had belonged.

He must expiate his sin, for the cries of people being burned to death by his soldiers still rang in his ears.

Finally Louis decided that because of Vitry he would join forces with Stephen’s brother and try to wrest Normandy from Matilda and her husband.

The Abbé Suger arrived in Paris. He wished to see the King on urgent business.

When they were alone together he asked Louis if he realised that by going into battle against Geoffrey and Matilda he was fighting the King of England’s battle.

‘Nay,’ said Louis. ‘I do this for Theobald of Champagne. I wronged him. By this I will right that wrong.’

‘My lord,’ said Suger, ‘you are deluded by Vitry. This town was sacked by your soldiers, but it was not on your orders. You have helped wage war on the infidel. You have expiated any sin you may have incurred on that score. You owe nothing to the Count of Champagne. But you do owe something to your subjects. You should consider well before you plunge them into a war which will only be to the advantage of the King of England.’

Louis wavered and Suger went on: ‘Yes, you will be helping King Stephen. And I ask you to consider: Is he the true heir to his throne? You know he is the nephew of the late King Henry. Matilda is his daughter. She would be Queen of England if her nature had not been so overbearing that the people repudiated her. Stephen rules not by right but because he is the lesser of two evils. The crown of England by right belongs to Matilda and her son is the true heir to the throne as he is to Normandy. You should consider this well before you side with a usurper.’

Louis was thoughtful. It was true he did not wish to go to war and he knew very well that that was what it would mean.

Yet on the other hand he wished very much to please Theobald.

‘It is too late to hold back,’ said Louis.

‘Too late! Why should it be? I doubt Geoffrey Plantagenet wants this war. All you have to do is to withdraw your support from Prince Eustace and the matter will be settled.’

‘So Normandy will remain in the hands of Matilda and her husband.’

‘Who have more right to it than Theobald’s brother Stephen. There will be a bloody war in England when Stephen dies if he does not recognise Henry Plantagenet as his heir.’

‘Then what can I do?’ asked Louis.

‘You can invite Geoffrey Plantagenet to court. You can discuss the matter with him.’

‘You think he will come?’

‘There is no doubt that he will. He did not take up arms against you in support of Robert. That is something to remember.’

‘Then I will send for him,’ said Louis, relieved in his heart that war might be avoided.

So Geoffrey Plantagenet came to the court of France.

Geoffrey was at this time in his late thirties. He was noted for his handsome looks and his habit of wearing a sprig in his hat of the planta genista which had earned for him the name of Plantagenet.

He was pleased to be invited to court. He could only believe that Louis had no heart for the fight. Geoffrey was determined to hold on to Normandy for the sake of his son Henry, who was now about seventeen.

There was one thing about which Geoffrey and his virago of a wife agreed and that was that their son Henry was not only going to keep his hold on Normandy but was going to take the crown of England on the death of Stephen.