Treaty of Paris (1259)
Encyclopedia
The Treaty of Paris was a treaty
between Louis IX of France
and Henry III of England
, agreed to on December 4, 1259.
In 1204, Philip II of France
had forced King John
out of continental Normandy enforcing his 1202 claim that the lands were forfeit. Despite the 1217 Treaty of Lambeth, hostilities continued between the successive Kings of France and England until 1259.
Under the Treaty, Henry acknowledged loss of the Dukedom of Normandy. However Philip had failed in his attempts to occupy the Normandy islands in the Channel and the treaty held that "islands (if any)
which the King of England should hold", he would retain "as peer of France and Duke of Aquitaine" .
Henry agreed to renounce control of Maine, Anjou
and Poitou
, which had been lost under the reign of King John
but remained Duke of Aquitaine
and was able to keep the lands of Gascony
and parts of Aquitaine
but only as a vassal
to Louis.
In exchange, Louis withdrew his support for English rebels. He also ceded to Henry the bishoprics and cities of Limoges
, Cahors
and Périgueux
and was to pay an annual rent for possession of Agenais
.
Treaty
A treaty is an express agreement under international law entered into by actors in international law, namely sovereign states and international organizations. A treaty may also be known as an agreement, protocol, covenant, convention or exchange of letters, among other terms...
between Louis IX of France
Louis IX of France
Louis IX , commonly Saint Louis, was King of France from 1226 until his death. He was also styled Louis II, Count of Artois from 1226 to 1237. Born at Poissy, near Paris, he was an eighth-generation descendant of Hugh Capet, and thus a member of the House of Capet, and the son of Louis VIII and...
and Henry III of England
Henry III of England
Henry III was the son and successor of John as King of England, reigning for 56 years from 1216 until his death. His contemporaries knew him as Henry of Winchester. He was the first child king in England since the reign of Æthelred the Unready...
, agreed to on December 4, 1259.
In 1204, Philip II of France
Philip II of France
Philip II Augustus was the King of France from 1180 until his death. A member of the House of Capet, Philip Augustus was born at Gonesse in the Val-d'Oise, the son of Louis VII and his third wife, Adela of Champagne...
had forced King John
John of England
John , also known as John Lackland , was King of England from 6 April 1199 until his death...
out of continental Normandy enforcing his 1202 claim that the lands were forfeit. Despite the 1217 Treaty of Lambeth, hostilities continued between the successive Kings of France and England until 1259.
Under the Treaty, Henry acknowledged loss of the Dukedom of Normandy. However Philip had failed in his attempts to occupy the Normandy islands in the Channel and the treaty held that "islands (if any)
Channel Islands
The Channel Islands are an archipelago of British Crown Dependencies in the English Channel, off the French coast of Normandy. They include two separate bailiwicks: the Bailiwick of Guernsey and the Bailiwick of Jersey...
which the King of England should hold", he would retain "as peer of France and Duke of Aquitaine" .
Henry agreed to renounce control of Maine, Anjou
Anjou
Anjou is a former county , duchy and province centred on the city of Angers in the lower Loire Valley of western France. It corresponds largely to the present-day département of Maine-et-Loire...
and Poitou
Poitou
Poitou was a province of west-central France whose capital city was Poitiers.The region of Poitou was called Thifalia in the sixth century....
, which had been lost under the reign of King John
John of England
John , also known as John Lackland , was King of England from 6 April 1199 until his death...
but remained Duke of Aquitaine
Duke of Aquitaine
The Duke of Aquitaine ruled the historical region of Aquitaine under the supremacy of Frankish, English and later French kings....
and was able to keep the lands of Gascony
Gascony
Gascony is an area of southwest France that was part of the "Province of Guyenne and Gascony" prior to the French Revolution. The region is vaguely defined and the distinction between Guyenne and Gascony is unclear; sometimes they are considered to overlap, and sometimes Gascony is considered a...
and parts of Aquitaine
Aquitaine
Aquitaine , archaic Guyenne/Guienne , is one of the 27 regions of France, in the south-western part of metropolitan France, along the Atlantic Ocean and the Pyrenees mountain range on the border with Spain. It comprises the 5 departments of Dordogne, :Lot et Garonne, :Pyrénées-Atlantiques, Landes...
but only as a vassal
Vassal
A vassal or feudatory is a person who has entered into a mutual obligation to a lord or monarch in the context of the feudal system in medieval Europe. The obligations often included military support and mutual protection, in exchange for certain privileges, usually including the grant of land held...
to Louis.
In exchange, Louis withdrew his support for English rebels. He also ceded to Henry the bishoprics and cities of Limoges
Limoges
Limoges |Limousin]] dialect of Occitan) is a city and commune, the capital of the Haute-Vienne department and the administrative capital of the Limousin région in west-central France....
, Cahors
Cahors
Cahors is the capital of the Lot department in south-western France.Its site is dramatic being contained on three sides within an udder shaped twist in the river Lot known as a 'presqu'île' or peninsula...
and Périgueux
Périgueux
Périgueux is a commune in the Dordogne department in Aquitaine in southwestern France.Périgueux is the prefecture of the department and the capital of the region...
and was to pay an annual rent for possession of Agenais
Agenais
Agenais, or Agenois, was a province of France located in southwest France south of Périgord.In ancient Gaul the region was the country of the Nitiobroges with Aginnum for their capital, which in the fourth century was the Civitas Agennensium, which was a part of Aquitania Secunda and which formed...
.