The death of the boy's mother in
September, 1201, left him more than ever exposed to Philip's
influence; and it was no doubt as a measure of precaution, in view of
the approaching strife between the kings, that John on March 27, 1202,
summoned his "beloved nephew Arthur" to come and "do right" to him at
Argentan at the octave of Easter. The summons probably met with no
more obedience than did Philip's summons to John; and before the end
of April Philip had bound Arthur securely to his side by promising him
the hand of his infant daughter Mary. This promise was ratified by a
formal betrothal at Gournay, after the capture of that place by the
French; at the same time Philip made Arthur a knight, and gave him the
investiture of all the Angevin dominions except Normandy.
Toward the end of July Philip despatched Arthur, with a force of two
hundred French knights, to join the Lusignans in an attack on Poitou.
The barons of Brittany and of Berry had been summoned to meet him at
Tours, but the only allies who did meet him there were three of the
Lusignans and Savaric de Mauleon, with some three hundred knights.
Overruling the caution of the boy-duke, who wished to wait for
reinforcements from his own duchy, the impetuous southerners urged an
immediate attack upon Mirebeau, their object being to capture Queen
Eleanor,[33] who was known to be there, and whom they rightly regarded
as the mainstay of John's power in Aquitaine.
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