1320: Flanders and England, Homages and Marriages
p5Philip V the Tall: Stabilizing the Kingdom After the Crisis (1316–1322) · HIGH MIDDLE AGES
Philip V seeks to escape chronic instability in the north of the kingdom: Flanders has resisted for decades, and England remains a difficult vassal in Gascony. The solution lies in diplomacy, feudal homages, and marriages.
🏰 Flanders: Homage and Dynastic Alliance
Count Robert III of Flanders wants to avoid direct confrontation, while the king must stabilize his border. On May 5, 1320, Robert does homage to Philip at the Palace of the Cité.
The compromise is strengthened by an agreement of June 2, 1320: the future heir of Flanders, Louis of Crécy (Louis of Nevers), must marry Margaret, second daughter of the king. The goal is clear: to durably anchor Flanders to the crown through dynasty and courtly education.
🏇 England: The Homage of Edward II at Amiens
Philip must also deal with Edward II, king of England, obliged to do homage for his continental possessions. After hesitations, he is authorized to do homage by proxy in 1319, then summoned to do so in person.
On June 29, 1320, in the cathedral of Amiens, Edward II does homage for Gascony, Ponthieu, and Montreuil. Philip wants to go further and obtain a personal oath of loyalty; Edward refuses, leaving a latent tension for the future.
🧠 Key Points to Remember
- 1320: the king stabilizes through homages and marriages, not solely through war.
- Feudal logic already nourishes durable Franco-English tensions.