The Decisive Clash That Saved England from French Rule
The Battle of Lincoln, fought on May 20, 1217, was a pivotal conflict during the First Barons’ War, where the forces of the young English king, Henry III, led by William Marshal, clashed against the army of Prince Louis of France and his English rebel allies. The battle resulted in a crushing defeat for the French and baronial forces, ultimately leading to the end of the war and ensuring that England remained under the Plantagenet dynasty instead of falling under French control.
The roots of the conflict lay in the disastrous reign of King John of England, whose oppressive rule and refusal to honor the Magna Carta had led to rebellion among the English barons. Seeking outside help, they invited Prince Louis, the son of King Philip II of France, to take the English throne. In 1216, Louis landed in England with a French army, capturing London and much of southern England. However, after King John’s death in October 1216, the war continued under his young son, Henry III, with the regency led by the legendary knight William Marshal.
By early 1217, Louis and his allies controlled large parts of England, but key strongholds remained under royalist control. One of the most crucial was Lincoln Castle, held by the formidable Nicola de la Haye, the elderly but defiant castellan who had withstood multiple sieges. In April 1217, the rebel forces, led by Thomas, Count of Perche, launched a full-scale siege of Lincoln, intending to capture the strategically important city.
Realizing the danger, William Marshal, despite being over 70 years old, led a royalist relief force to break the siege. His army, consisting of knights, infantry, and crossbowmen, advanced toward Lincoln, determined to crush the rebels and expel the French forces from England.
The battle began on May 20, 1217, when Marshal’s forces stormed the city, entering through a side gate left open by the defenders. Inside Lincoln’s streets, brutal house-to-house fighting erupted, with royalist knights cutting through the rebel forces. The turning point came when Marshal’s elite cavalry charged through the streets, smashing into the rebel infantry and routing them. Count Thomas of Perche, the French commander, was surrounded and killed in the fighting, further demoralizing the enemy.
As the French and rebel forces collapsed, they attempted to flee. Many were captured, including dozens of high-ranking nobles, while others were cut down as they tried to escape. The battle was later referred to as "Lincoln Fair" because of the sheer amount of loot taken from the fleeing rebels.
The Battle of Lincoln was a decisive victory for the royalists. With their forces shattered, the remaining rebels were left in disarray. Prince Louis, still in London, desperately sought reinforcements from France, leading to the infamous Battle of Sandwich in August 1217, where his relief fleet was destroyed.
Realizing his cause was lost, Louis agreed to negotiate. On September 11, 1217, he signed the Treaty of Lambeth, renouncing his claim to the English throne and withdrawing from England. This marked the end of the First Barons’ War and secured Henry III’s reign.
The battle had long-lasting consequences for England. It solidified the authority of the English monarchy, prevented France from gaining control of the country, and ensured the continuation of the Plantagenet dynasty. Additionally, the Magna Carta was reissued under William Marshal’s regency, establishing key legal principles that would shape English governance for centuries.
The Battle of Lincoln (1217) remains one of England’s most decisive medieval victories, demonstrating the strategic brilliance of William Marshal and the resilience of the royalist forces. It was not just a battle for control—it was a battle for England’s future.
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