Battle of Bouvines - Aftermath

Aftermath

According to Jean Favier, Bouvines is "one of the decisive battles of history and symbolic of France". For Philippe Contamine, "the battle of Bouvines was both important and high profile consequences".

Philip returned to Paris triumphant, marching his captive prisoners behind him in a long procession, as his grateful subjects came out to greet the victorious king. In the aftermath of the battle, Otto retreated to his castle of Harzburg and was soon overthrown as Holy Roman Emperor, and replaced by Frederick II. Count Ferdinand remained imprisoned following his defeat, while King John obtained a five year truce, on very lenient terms given the circumstances.

Philip's decisive victory was crucial in ordering politics in both England and France. In the former, so weakened was the defeated King John of England that he soon needed to submit to his barons demands and sign the Magna Carta, limiting the power of the crown and establishing the basis for common law. In the latter, the battle was instrumental in forming the strong central monarchy that would characterize France until the first French Revolution. It was also the first battle in the Middle Ages in which the full value of infantry was realized.

Philip conquered most Plantagenet's continental possessions, namely Anjou, Brittany, Maine, Normandy, and the Touraine, leading to the effective end of the Angevin Empire.

In the aftermath of this battle, Philip Augustus founded between Senlis and the Bishop Mount, Abbey of Victoire - which will be integrated into the domain of the Bishop of Senlis in 1486.