The Battle of Bouvines, 1216 AD, French Victory, English Magna Carta, Germanic Political Splintering for Six Centuries

History's Greatest Battles

Philip’s triumph at Bouvines laid the cornerstone of the French nation, transforming a patchwork of feudal territories into a unified kingdom under a powerful monarchy. In stark contrast, Otto’s crushing defeat shattered the Holy Roman Empire’s cohesion, plunging Germany into a quagmire of discord and internal strife that would fester for centuries. Meanwhile, King John of England, unable to rally support for his continental ambitions, found himself cornered and weakened at home, ultimately forced to accede to the Magna Carta—a momentous concession that curtailed his power and paved the way for constitutional governance.
Bouvines, Flanders. 26th of July, 1214.
French Forces: 7,000 Knights and 15,000 Infantry.
Germanic Forces: 6,000 Cavalry and 18,000 Infantry.
Additional Reading and Research:

• Durant, Will. The Age of Faith.
• Perrett, Bryan. The Battle Book.
• Baldwin, John. The Government of Philip Augustus.
• Masson, Gustave. Medieval France.

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