Treaty of Le Goulet facts for kids

The Treaty of Le Goulet was an important agreement signed in May 1200. It was made between two powerful kings: John of England and Philip II of France. This treaty aimed to stop a war they were fighting over a region called the Duchy of Normandy. It also set new borders for the land that remained of the duchy. For King Philip, the treaty was a big win. It showed that he was the main ruler, or "overlord," of King John's lands in France. One lasting effect of the treaty was that the Channel Islands became separate from Normandy.

What Was the Treaty of Le Goulet?

The treaty was signed on an island called Le Goulet. This island is in the middle of the Seine river, near a town called Vernon in Normandy. The agreement made clear the feudal relationships between the two kings. In a feudal system, kings and lords had duties to each other.

Key Agreements for Philip

King Philip officially accepted John as the true King of England. This meant Philip stopped supporting Arthur I, Duke of Brittany. Arthur was John's nephew and had also claimed the throne. Philip had supported Arthur before, but the treaty changed that.

Key Agreements for John

King John, in turn, accepted that some lands in Normandy were now under French control. He agreed that the rulers of Boulogne and Flanders were now loyal to the King of France, not England. John also agreed that Philip was the main ruler, or suzerain, of the French lands that belonged to John's family, the Angevin Empire. John promised not to help any rebellions by the counts of Boulogne and Flanders.

Money and Land Changes

Philip had already said that John was the main ruler of Anjou and the Duchy of Brittany. But with this treaty, Philip made John pay a large sum of money. John paid 20,000 marks sterling to Philip. This payment was called "relief" and was for Philip to officially recognize John's rule over Brittany.

The treaty also meant John had to give up some land to Philip. Areas like the Vexin and the Évrécin in Normandy were given to France. John kept Les Andelys in the Vexin because it had Château Gaillard. This castle was very important for defending the region. Other lands in Berry, like Issoudun and Graçay, also went directly to France.

Aquitaine and a Royal Marriage

The Duchy of Aquitaine was not part of this treaty. King John still held Aquitaine because he inherited it from his mother, Eleanor.

To make the treaty stronger, the two royal families agreed to a marriage. John's niece, Blanche, married Philip's oldest son, Louis VIII of France. Louis later became known as Louis the Lion. This marriage was meant to create a lasting peace between the English and French royal families.

Why the Peace Didn't Last

However, the peace did not last long. In 1202, King Philip said that John had failed to follow a summons. This meant John had not come when Philip called him to court. Because of this, Philip declared that John had lost his French lands. War started again very quickly. Philip moved fast to take over John's lands in Normandy. This greatly strengthened the French throne and its power.