Robert Latouche

“ On the death of Richard at Chalus in 1199 the position of Philip Augustus was critical. This situation was modified under the reign of John Lackland, Richard's brother, who had himself crowned duke of Normandy at Rouen (April 25, 1199) . Philip Augustus set up in opposition to him, Arthur of Brittany, son of Geoffrey and grandson of Henry II., and the first phase of the struggle between the kings of France and England continued until the treaty of Goulet (1200) . But in 1202 Philip made a fresh attempt to seize the continental possessions of the kings of England. ”

“ After the death of Henry I. in 1135, a struggle arose between Matilda, who claimed the kingdom of England and the duchy of Normandy in the name of her son Henry Plantagenet, and Theobald, count of Champagne, grandson of William the Conqueror on the side of his mother Adela, the candidate of the Normans of Normandy, while the Norman party in England supported Stephen, brother of Theobald. In 1144 Theobald, whose position had been much weakened since the taking of the castle of Rouen, gave up his rights in Normandy to Matilda's husband Geoffrey, count of Anjou, in favour of Henry Plantagenet. ”

“ During the minority of his successor, Duke Richard, King Louis IV., who was making an expedition into Normandy, was captured by the inhabitants of Rouen and handed over to Hugh the Great. From this time onwards the dukes of Normandy began to enter into relations with the dukes of France; and in 958 Duke Richard married Hugh the Great’s daughter. He died in 996. At the beginning of the reign of his son, Richard II. (996–1026) , there was a rising of the peasants, who formed assemblies with a view to establishing fresh laws for the management of the forests. ”