First Barons War, (1215-1217)
A civil war caused by the failure of King John to honour the terms of the Magna Carta. The Barons offered the throne to Louis, son of Philip II Augustus of France. King John campaigned successfully in the Midlands and the North, but when Louis landed in Kent in May 1216 John lost control of the south east. King John died in October 1216, and with his death the rebels lost much of their support, as the supporters of the nine year old Henry III gained ground. The barons were defeated at Lincoln, and the French supply ships captured, forcing Louis to accept the treaty of Kingston-upon-Thames (12 September 1217), in which the rebels were granted an amnesty, and Louis agreed not to support any future rebellion. The moderate nature of the treaty helped place Henry III's reign on a firmer footing.
How to cite this article: Rickard, J. (25 August 2000), First Barons War, (1215-1217), http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/wars_firstbarons.html