Gascon War

The Gascon War was the beginning of but part of a wider conflict that included the First War of Scottish Independence and the Franco-Flemish War as Philip IV of France and Edward I of England sought allies in Scotland and Flanders respectively, thus triggering these related conflicts.

It began with personal clashes between sailors in the English Channel in the early 1290s but became a widespread conflict over control of Edward I's continental holdings after he refused a summons from Philip IV and renounced his state of vassalage. The first phase of the war lasted from 1294 to 1298, by which time Flanders had risen in revolt against France and Scotland against England. Hostilities concluded for a time under papal mediation, with the terms of the 1299 Treaty of Montreuil providing for the betrothal of Edward's son Prince Edward and Philip's daughter Isabella. The same year, Edward I also married Philip IV's sister Margaret. The second phase ran from 1300–03, until it was concluded by the 20 May 1303 Treaty of Paris, which reaffirmed the prince and princess's engagement. They were married in 1308.

Background

At some point during Lent (20 February –3 April) in 1292, Norman and Bayonnais sailors quarreled over who would first draw water from a cistern on the Breton island of Quémènès. The dispute ended in murder, the Bayonnais in later Anglo-Gascon complaints but more likely the Norman, as related by Walter of Guisborough. Other Norman and French sailors then began to massacre and sink Aquitainian & English vessels, including pilgrim passengers, while both Edward and Philip and their officials gave numerous unheeded commands to keep the peace. Ships began to sail with only half their usual cargo to keep them more manoeuvrable in combat. Early the next year, an English convoy was ambushed off Brittany returning from Bordeaux and 70 ships were massacred and plundered at once; 2 other ships captured at St Malo and their crew flayed, some hanged in their skins alongside dogs. A still larger convoy left Portsmouth for Gascony on 24 April 1293 and—either due to contrary winds in their own account or prepared ambush in Heebøll-Holm's estimation—intercepted a Norman fleet in the 15 May 1293 Battle of Point St Mathieu, supposedly destroying 200 Norman ships. (The contemporary Chronicle of Bury St Edmunds notes a second victory over Normans, Germans, Flemings, and Lombards at St Mathieu on May 26th.) A force from Bayonne then raided La Rochelle. On 29 May 1293, Edward I wrote to his chief ports, again prohibiting attacks on the French and banning men of the Cinque Ports from even engaging in peaceful trade for their failure to obey his previous commands; this embargo was to continue until a settlement could be reached with Philip.

These clashes caused Philip IV of France to formally complain in the autumn of 1293 that Edward I, king of England and duke of Aquitaine, had not ended the continued violence nor made restitution to its victims. The attack on La Rochelle was the primary complaint since it had formed part of the French royal demesne since 1271 and was thus a direct assault on Philip's property, but initial attempts of royal agents to extradite the known raiders were rebuffed and additional assaults and murders of Normans and French customs agents occurred in Aquitaine. Edward was formally indicted by the Parlement of Paris in January 1294. His brother Edmund was sent to Paris to negotiate: In secret and verbally, he agreed to provide Gascon hostages and allow a French occupation of Aquitaine's main strongholds for 40 days as a show of good faith; in exchange, Philip was to either remove Edward's personal indictment or provide for his safe conduct to the Parlement. France then occupied Aquitaine but maintained the citation without allowing for safe conduct or delay; the Parlement then declared Edward's fief in Aquitaine forfeit to the Crown on 19 May 1294. Edward then renounced his vassalage to Philip on 24 June 1294, leaving England and France at war. The accounts of the war in the Flores Historiarum and the Chronicle of Walter of Guisborough blamed the French volte-face on Philip's brother Charles of Valois; Peter Langtoft's and Robert Mannyng's blamed Philip, Charles, and Robert II, count of Artois, acting together.