Louis (later VIII) invades England

Historical Context Note

Litencyc Editors (Independent Scholar - Europe)

The Literary Encyclopedia. Volume 1.2.1.02: English Writing and Culture: High and Late Medieval, 1066-1485.
Vol. editors: Kate Ash-Irisarri (University of Edinburgh), Rory Critten (Université de Lausanne), David Fuller (University of Durham), Natalie Hanna (University of Liverpool), Hugh Magennis (Queen's University Belfast), Jamie McKinstry (University of Durham), Sarah Peverley (University of Liverpool), Sebastian Sobecki (Rijksuniversiteit Groningen)

Domains

Invasion, conquest and annexation

Dates

Date of occurrence 1215-1217

Places

United Kingdom (Location)
France (Involved)

Resources

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King John of England was very unpopular with his subjects, especially for having taxed them heavily to fund his defence of the Angevin Empire. When he returned to England after the end of the French war in 1214, he faced a rebellion by the barons. This led to the signing of the Magna Carta, by which the barons attempted to limit monarchical power and protect their privileges. However, this agreement failed, leading to the outbreak of the First Barons' War in 1215. The rebel barons, led by Robert Fitzwalter, formed an alliance with the future Louis VIII of France. They invited Louis to take the English throne, an offer he eagerly accepted. He landed on the Isle of Thanet, in Kent, on 21 May 1216, and, having entered London unopposed, he was proclaimed King at...

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219 words

Citation: Editors, Litencyc. "Louis (later VIII) invades England". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 31 July 2012 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/stopics.php?rec=true&UID=1967, accessed 09 June 2026.]

Louis (later VIII) invades England

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