ABSTRACT
Philip Augustus confirmed the reputation which he had earned in Normandy of Philip the Conqueror, by an even more dramatic victory against a combination of his enemies in the battle of Bouvines in 1214. By the early years of the thirteenth century Philip already had considerable military success to his name and a long experience of warfare. Like all forces of the period, his army relied on a variety of resources: feudal, hired, and negotiated. At the heart of his force were the troops culled from the royal demesne, who owed a particular allegiance to him. J. F. Verbruggen makes a sound point to argue that Philip may have had the smaller army, since he had to risk a single line in order to extend his front and prevent outflanking. Philip’s mind was undoubtedly more exercised over the control of Flanders than over winning southern France.
