The Process of Agen

Abstract

AT the accession of Philip of Valois to the throne of France and of Edward III to the throne of England, diplomatic relations between the two countries hinged on two questions: homage and the restitution of lands in Gascony. Neither question was new, and each was bound up with the other. The treaty of Paris of 1259, which was calculated to settle once and for all the conflicting rights and claims of the king of France and his English vassal, had stipulated that English kings should perform liege homage for their French holdings at the accession of each new king of France. But the treaty was scarcely eleven years old when Henry III, using illness as an excuse, neglected to swear fealty to the successor of Louis ix. Again, in 1272, although Edward I did liege homage to Philip iI for the duchy of Guyenne, he made reservations in respect to the lands of Agenais and Saintonge. The procrastination of Edward II in the matter of homage was one of the principal reasons for his difficulties with Philip iv and Charles iv. When Philip of Valois ascended the throne he summoned Edward III to render homage at Amiens.1 But the ambassadors whom he sent to England were never allowed to approach the young king, and they returned to report that Queen Isabella had told them at length, 'en maniere de femme ... que son fils qui estoit ne de roy ne feroit pas hommage a fils de conte.'2 The ceremony finally took place on 6 June, 1329, however, but the terms in which homage should be done were for a long time debated. Philip demanded liege homage, while Edward wished to do only simple homage, homagium per paragium. The distinction was important to both parties: the former bound a vassal personally to his lord and implied military service, while the latter merely showed recognition of a holding. The homage of 1329 was neither liege nor unconditional. Charles iv had seized Agenais and certain other lands in Guyenne, and these had not been restored as the treaty of Paris of 1327 had provided. Accordingly, reservations were made concerning those land.s. Now the whole matter of homage struck more deeply and touched more fundamental issues than mere bickering over terms might suggest. Ever since the days of Philip Augustus, the French monarchy had been pursuing an expansionist policy, seeking to bring about in France what William of Normandy had achieved in England almost at a single blow. Two weapons the French used to further such a policy: actual military aggression and jurisdictional disputes. How the former could influence the attitude of English kings towards homage is obvious. Edward I, for example, as liegeman of Philip the Fair, was bound to furnish him military aid should he attempt the conquest of Castile and Aragon. In other words, Edward had perforce to become a party to that very expansion which it was to his interest to prevent; and this fact goes far to explain English mediatorial efforts