ABSTRACT
RarelyhadamonarchinheritedthecrownofEnglandinlesspropitiOus circumstances.WhenKingJohndiedinOctober1216,Henry,hisnine-year-old sonandheir,facedanenemythatoccupiedtherichestone-thirdofhisrealm,an areathatencompassedLondon,WinchesterandmostofEastAnglia.Despitethis ominousstart,HenrywentontoattainhismajorityandruleEnglandforoverhalfa century.Aswithallmedievalkings,muchofhisreignwasabsorbedbywar; conflictnearlydeniedhimhiscrownin1216-1217andagainin1264-1265.This studyconcernsitselfwiththenatureofthewarsfoughtbyHenry'sarmiesinthe earlypartofhisreign,asdescribedbyRogerofWendover,whochronicledthe years1216-1234.Itspurposeisthreefold.First,torescueWendover'sreputation fromhisdetractors,manyofwhomproceedcautiouslyasthroughaminefieldwhen theyarecompelledtoconsultthismostimportantofsourcesuntilMatthewParis beginshiscolourfuldominationofthirteenthcenturyhistoriography.Second,to promoteWendoverasamajorreservoirofmilitaryknowledgeinBritainand FranceforthefirsttwodecadesofHenry'sreign.Third,toshowthenatureof Henry'swarsandhowtheywereexecutedinBritainandFrance.Thisentails identifyingthemainoperationsofwarfare-undertheconvenientdivisionsof combats,campaigning,siegesandravaging-andexaminingwhatWendoversays abouttheminhisFloresHistoriarum,withemphasisbeingplacedonhismore interestingandappositeobservations.OfallthecontactsHenryandhissubjects hadwiththeirimmediateneighbours-political,diplomatic,economicandpersonal -itisarguablethatnoneaffectedsomanyasbroadlyandasprofoundlyaswarfare.
RogerofWendover
