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French Campaign of 1202 and the Battle of Mirebeau

At the Battle of Mirebeau, John dealt a decisive defeat to Arthur, bagging the young duke and his Poitevin allies as they were attempting to bag Arthur's grandmother, Eleanor. (This was the southern strategy of Philip Augustus' campaign to wrest Normandy from John and it derailed his northern push against Arques.) John then took the occasion of the victory to offend his own allies, particularly the seneschal of Anjou, William de Roches, who went over to the French king. "In his moment of triumph, John forgot to be magnanimous to exactly the men on whom his control of Anjou and Poitou rested." Church, p. 108. "[T]he king [John] squandered this crucial opportunity, and a dreadful corner was turned in his career, from which there would be no return. * * * The king's merciless behavior caused serious scandal. * * * William des Roches was so disgusted by John's behavior that he abandoned him - transferring is allegiance to Philip of France- and the leading nobles in the Angevin heartlands soon followed suit." Asbridge, p. 275

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