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Published March 2025. The Deeds of King Henry V, or in Latin Henrici Quinti, Angliæ Regis, Gesta, is a first-hand account of the Agincourt Campaign, and subsequent events to his death in 1422. The author of the first part was a Chaplain in King Henry's retinue who was present from King Henry's departure at Southampton in 1415, at the siege of Harfleur, the battle of Agincourt, and the celebrations on King Henry's return to London. The second part, by another writer, relates the events that took place including the negotiations at Troye, Henry's marriage and his death in 1422.
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1200-1216 Magna Carta is in 13th Century Events.
Battle of Mirebeau
On 01 Aug 1202 Arthur Plantagenet 3rd Duke Brittany (age 15) was imprisoned by William de Braose 4th Baron Bramber (age 58) at Falaise Castle, Falaise, Calvados, Basse Normandie.
On 01 Aug 1202 King John of England (age 35) defeated the army of his nephew Arthur Plantagenet 3rd Duke Brittany (age 15) and Hugh Lusignan X Count Lusignan V Count La Marche (age 19) which was besieging John's mother Eleanor of Aquitaine Queen Consort Franks and England (age 80) at Mirebeau Castle. King John of England took Arthur Plantagenet 3rd Duke Brittany 1187-1203's army by surprise capturing most. Arthur Plantagenet 3rd Duke Brittany and, probably, his sister Eleanor "Fair Maid of Britanny" 4th Countess of Richmond (age 18), both of whom arguably had better claims to the throne than King John of England were captured.
Annals of Margam. 01 Aug 1202. King John (age 35) took his nephew Arthur (age 15) in chains at the castle of Mirabel on the feast of Saint Peter, and with Geoffrey de Lusignan1, Hugo the Brown2 and Andream de Chavenny, and Hugh III, viscount of Chastelleraud3, and Reymundnm de Troarde, and Savaricum de Maulyon, and Hugonem de Banchai, and all his other enemies of Poitou, who were around 200 soldiers and more. Of which 22 he killed the noblest and bravest men in arms by starvation in the castle of Corfe [Map]; so that not one of them escaped.
Rex Johannes apud castrum Mirabel cepit Arthurum nepotem suum in festum Sancti Petri ad vincula, et cum eo Galfridum de Lizanan1 et Hugonem de Brun2, et Andream de Chavenny, et vice-comitem de castro Haraldi3, et Reymundnm de Troarde, et Savaricum de Maulyon, et Hugonem de Banchai, et omnes alios inimicos suos Pictaviæ, qui ibi erant circiter cc. milites et plures. Ex quibus xxii. nobilissimos et strenuissimos in armis fame interfecit in castello de Corf [Map]; ita quod nec unus ex illis evasit.
Note 1. Geoffrey de Lusignan (age 52).
Note 2. Hugh de Lusignan (age 19), surnamed le Brun, count de la Marche.
Note 3. Hugh III, viscount of Chastelleraud.
Death of Eleanor of Aquitaine
On 01 Apr 1204 Eleanor of Aquitaine Queen Consort Franks and England (age 82) died at Fontevraud Abbey [Map] where she was buried. Her remains were destroyed during the French Revolution. Her effigy found by Charles Stothard as described in the Introduction to his work Monumental Effigies of Great Britain.
Effigy of Eleanor of Aquitaine. Eleanor of Aquitaine (deceased), or Guienne, was the eldest daughter and heiress of William V. Duke of Aquitaine, by Eleanor of Chastelleraut, his wife. She was first married to Louis VII. of France, but, owing to some dissension which arose between them, Louis applied to the papal see for a divorce: and it appearing that there was consanguinity between the parties, they were separated by authority of the Church in Easter 1151. Henry the Second, then Duke of Normandy, thought that a marriage with the Countess of Poitou and Aquitaine offered too large an accession of dominion and political power to his crown to be neglected, and so promptly took his measures that he espoused her the following Whitsuntide. She bore King Henry six sons and three daughters. Their eldest daughter Matilda married Henry the Lion, Duke of Saxony; among the issue of which marriage was Otho the Fourth, Emperor of Germany (age 29), and William (age 19), progenitor of the Dukes of Brunswick, who assumed as his arms the two lions which his grandfather Henry bore, and which seem to have been the ensign of the early English Kings of the Norman race as Dukes of Normandy. Eleanor thwarting the amours of her husband, and taking part against him with their elder son Prince Henry (who had received the titular and aspired to the actual honours of King during his father's lifetime), incurred his deep displeasure, and, according to Matthew Paris, banished from his bed, passed sixteen years of her life in close confinement. On the death of Henry in 1189, and the accession of her third son Richard to the Crown, he invested her with sovereign authority during his absence in Normandy; and her first act was a very general release of malefactors from confinement. She accompanied Richard to the Holy Land, died in 1204, the sixth year of the reign of her son John (age 37), and was buried at Fontevraud [Map]. She lies, like the other effigies at that place, upon a bier, attired in her royal vestments, with a crown upon her head.
Battle of Damme
On 30 May 1213 William "Longsword" Longespee Earl Salisbury (age 37) accidentally encountered a large French fleet. The French crews were mostly ashore. The English captured around 300 ships at anchor, burning a further 100 ships. The battle resulted in a period of peace in England with France being unable to invade, as well as generating significant wealth for England.
Battle of Muret
The Battle of Muret, the last major battle of the Albigensian Crusade, was fought on 12 Sep 1213 between the armies of Peter II King Aragon (age 35) and Simon "Elder" Montfort 5th Earl of Leicester (age 38). The Argonese forces were heavily defeated.
Les Grandes Chroniques de France Volume 7 Chapter 8. [12 Sep 1213]. After the barons and prelates had returned to France, the King of Aragon (age 35), the Count of Saint-Gilles (age 56), the Count of Foix, and many other barons of the land laid siege to the count in the castle of Muriaus. They had gathered a great host and inflicted wrongs, as they were of the country, and the count had only sixty knights, mounted sergeants, and pilgrims on foot, all unarmed, around him. After the count [Simon "Elder" Montfort 5th Earl of Leicester (age 38)] and his people had devoutly heard mass, confessed their sins, and invoked the grace of the Holy Spirit, they came out of the castle, bold as lions, as those armed with faith and belief, and valiantly fought against their enemies. They killed the King of Aragon and about 18,000 of his people. After they had won the battle and their enemies were all killed or driven away, they found that they had only lost eight pilgrims from all their company. Never had such a victory been heard of in this world, nor such a marvelous battle where so great a miracle should be noted. This Count Simon was called in the land the 'strong count,' for his marvelous strength. For, although he was very noble in arms, he was so devout that he heard mass and his canonical hours every day; always armed, always in danger. He had entirely left and renounced his country, in service to Our Lord, on this pilgrimage, to earn God's love and the joy of Paradise.
Après ce que li baron et li prelat s'en furent retorné en France, li rois d'Arragon, li cuens de Saint Gyle, li cuens de Fois, et maint autre baron du païs assistrent le conte ou chastel de Muriaus. Grant ost et tort avoient assemblé, come cil qui du pais estoient, et li cuens n'avoit que ce et lx chevaliers, d serjanz à cheval, et pèlerins à piè, toz desarmez, entor vif. Après ce que li cuens et sa gent orent la messe oie par L;rant dévotion, et il orent leur péchiez confessez et apelée la grâce du Saint Esperit, il issirent du chastel hardi comme lyon, come cil qui estoient armé de foi et de créance, et se combatirent à leur anemis vertueusement. Le roi d'Arragon occistrent et bien xviii de sa gent. Après ce que il orent la bataille vaincue et toz leur anemis occis et chaciez, il troverent que il n'orent perdu de tote leur gent que viii pèlerins tant seulement. Si ne fu ainques oie tel victoire en cest siècle ne si merveilleuse, ne bataille où l'on deust noter si grant miracle. Icil cuens Symons estoit apelez ou pais cuens forz, pour sa mervelleuse force. Car com il fust très nobles en armes, il estoit si preuzdons que il ooit chascun jor sa messe et ses houres kanoniaus; toz jors armez, toz jors en péril. Si avoit du tôt guerpi et adossé son pais, pour le servise Nostre Seigneur, en ceste voie de pérégrination, pour deservir l'amor de Dieu et la joie de Paradis.
On 12 Sep 1213 Peter II King Aragon (age 35) was killed at the Battle of Muret. The Aragonese forces broke in panic when their king was slain and Montfort's crusaders won a crushing victory. His son James (age 5) succeeded I King Aragon.
Battle of Bouvines
On 27 Jul 1214 the last battle of the Anglo-French War of 1213-1214. Philip Augustus II King France 1165-1223's army defeated the combined forces of England, Flanders and the Holy Roman Empire. Thomas St Valery (age 59) fought at Bouvines during the Battle of Bouvines.
Magna Carta
On 15 Jun 1215 King John of England (age 48) met with his Baron's at Runnymede [Map] where he agreed to the terms of the Magna Carta which attempted to reduce the King's authority through political reform. Those who signed as surety included:
Roger Bigod 2nd Earl Norfolk (age 71)
his son Hugh Bigod 3rd Earl Norfolk (age 33)
Henry Bohun 1st Earl Hereford (age 39)
Richard Clare 3rd Earl Hertford (age 62)
his son Gilbert Clare 5th Earl Gloucester 4th Earl Hertford (age 35)
William "The Younger" Marshal 2nd Earl Pembroke (age 25)
William Mowbray 6th Baron Thirsk (age 42)
Saer Quincy 1st Earl Winchester (age 45)
Robert Ros (age 43), Richard Percy 5th Baron Percy Topcliffe (age 45)
Robert de Vere 3rd Earl of Oxford (age 50)
Eustace Vesci (age 46)
John Fitzrobert 3rd Baron Warkworth (age 25)
John Lacy Earl Lincoln (age 23).
William D'Aubigny (age 64), Geoffrey Mandeville 2nd Earl Essex (age 24)
William Forz 3rd Earl Albemarle
William Hardell
William Huntingfield
William Llanvallei
William Malet 1st Baron Curry Mallet
Roger Montbegon, Richard Montfichet
Geoffrey Saye (age 60) signed as surety the Magna Carta.
Ranulf de Blondeville Gernon 6th Earl Chester 1st Earl Lincoln (age 45) witnessed.
Death of King John
On 19 Oct 1216 King John of England (age 49) died at Newark Castle, Nottinghamshire [Map]. His son Henry (age 9) succeeded III King of England.
John Monmouth (age 34) was present.
On his deathbed, John appointed a council of thirteen executors to help Henry reclaim the kingdom and requested that his son be placed into the guardianship of William Marshal 1st Earl Pembroke (age 70).
King John's will is the earliest English royal will to survive in its original form. The document is quite small, roughly the size of a postcard and the seals of those who were present at the time would have been attached to it. Translation of the will taken from an article by Professor S.D. Church in the English Historical Review, June 2010:
I, John, by the grace of God king of England, lord of Ireland, duke of Normandy and Aquitaine, count of Anjou, hindered by grave infirmity and not being able at this time of my infirmity to itemize all my things so that I may make a testament, commit the arbitration and administration of my testament to the trust and to the legitimate administration of my faithful men whose names are written below, without whose counsel, even in good health, I would have by no means arranged my testament in their presence, so that what they will faithfully arrange and determine concerning my things as much as in making satisfaction to God and to holy Church for damages and injuries done to them as in sending succour to the land of Jerusalem and in providing support to my sons towards obtaining and defending their inheritance and in making reward to those who have served us faithfully and in making distribution to the poor and to religious houses for the salvation of my soul, be right and sure. I ask, furthermore, that whoever shall give them counsel and assistance in the arranging of my testament shall receive the grace and favour of God. Whoever shall infringe their arrangement and disposition, may he incur the curse and indignation of almighty God and the blessed Mary and all the saints.
In the first place, therefore, I desire that my body be buried in the church of St Mary and St Wulfstan at Worcester. I appoint, moreover, the following arbiters and administrators: the lord Guala, by the grace of God, cardinal-priest of the title of St Martin and legate of the apostolic see; the lord Peter bishop of Winchester; the lord Richard bishop of Chichester; the lord Silvester bishop of Worcester; Brother Aimery de St-Maur; William Marshal earl of Pembroke; Ranulf earl of Chester; William earl Ferrers; William Brewer; Walter de Lacy and John of Monmouth; Savaric de Mauléon; Falkes de Bréauté.
The signatories were:
Guala Bicchieri (ca 1150 - 1227) Papal Legate.
Bishop Peter de Roches, Bishop of Winchester.
Richard le Poer (? - 1237), Bishop of Chichester.
Sylvester of Worcester, Bishop of Worcester.
Aimery de St-Maur (? -?1219), Master of the English Templars.
William Marshal 1st Earl Pembroke.
Ranulf de Blondeville Gernon 6th Earl Chester 1st Earl Lincoln (age 46).
William Ferrers 4th Earl of Derby (age 48).
William Brewer (? - 1226), 1st Baron Brewer.
Walter de Lacy (ca 1172-1241) Lord of Meath.
John: (1182 - 1248) Lord of Monmouth.
Savaric de Mauléon (? - 1236) Seneschal of Poitou from 1205.
Falkes de Bréauté (? - 1226) Seneschal of Cardiff Castle.
Annals of Tewkesbury. [19 Oct 1216] King John of England dies at Newark on the day after the feast of St. Lucy the Virgin1. Peter of Worcester is made abbot of Tewkesbury on the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Guala, the legate of the lord Pope, arrives in England and excommunicates Louis and all his accomplices. Pope Innocent dies, and Honorius succeeds him. All the barons of King John, except the Earl of Chester and a few barons of the Marches, turn away from him and submit to Louis. The city of Worcester, having used bad counsel, submits to Louis and receives in his name William Marshal the Younger. However, on the day of St. Kenelm, the Earl of Chester, Falkes, and other faithful followers of the king, arriving, burst into the city not faithfully guarded through the castle, captured it, seized the cathedral church, and took Hugh Poitou there, demanding also three hundred marks from the monks.
Johannes rex Angliæ obiit apud Newerk, in crastino Sanctæ Luciæ virginis. Petrus de Wigornia factus est abbas Theokesberiæ ad Nativitatem beatæ Mariæ. Gwala legatus domini Papæ applicuit in Angliam, et excommunicavit Ludovicum et omnes complices suos. Innocentius Papa obiit. Honorius successit. Omnes barones Johannis regis, excepto comite Cestriæ et paucis baronibus Marchiæ, diverterunt ab eo, subdiderunt se Ludovico. Civitas Wigorniæ malo usa consilio, subdidit se Ludovico, et recepit nomine ejus Willelmum Marescallum juniorem; sed die Sancti Kinelmi supervenientibus comite Cestriæ, Falchisio, et aliis fidelibus regis, ipsam per castrum non usquequaquam fideliter observatum irruperunt, et urbem ceperunt, et ecclesiam cathedralem deprendaverunt, et Hugonem Pontium ibidem ceperunt, sed et ccc. marcas a monachis exegerunt.
Note 1. Feast of St. Lucy the Virgin. 16th of September. Other sources describe King John dying on the 19th of October.
