Meanwhile Louis IX. marshalled a vast host at Chinon, which from April to July overran the patrimony of the house of Lusignan, and forced many of the confederate barons to submit.  Peter of Savoy and John Mansel, Henry’s favourite clerk, then made seneschal of Gascony, assembled the Aquitanian levies, while Peter of Aigueblanche, the Savoyard Bishop of Hereford, went to Provence to negotiate the union between Earl Richard and Sanchia, and, if possible, to add Raymond Berengar to the coalition against the husband of his eldest daughter.  Henry hoped to win tactical advantages by provoking Louis to break the truce, and mendaciously protested his surprise at being forced into an unexpected conflict with his brother-in-law.  Towards the end of July, Louis, who had conquered all Poitou, advanced to the Charente, and occupied Taillebourg.  If the Charente were once crossed, Saintonge would assuredly follow the destinies of Poitou; and the Anglo-Gascon army advanced from Saintes to dispute the passage of the river.  On July 21 the two armies were in presence of each other, separated only by the Charente.  Besides the stone bridge at Taillebourg, the French had erected a temporary wooden structure higher up the stream, and had collected a large number of boats to facilitate their passage.  Seeing with dismay the oriflamme waving over the sea of tents which, “like a great and populous city,” covered the right bank, the soldiers of Henry retreated precipitately to Saintes.  There was imminent danger of their retreat being cut off, but Richard of Cornwall went to the French camp, and obtained an armistice of a few hours, which gave his brother time to reach the town.

Next day Louis advanced at his ease to the capital of Saintonge.  The Anglo-Gascons went out to meet him, and, despite their inferior numbers, fought bravely amidst the vineyards and hollow lanes to the west of the city.  But the English king was the first to flee, and victory soon attended the arms of the French.  Immediately after the battle, the lords of Poitou abandoned Richard for Alfonse.  Henry fled from Saintes to Pons, from Pons to Barbezieux, and thence sought a more secure refuge at Blaye, leaving his tent, the ornaments of his chapel, and the beer provided for his English soldiers as booty for the enemy.  The outbreak of an epidemic in the French army alone prevented a siege of Bordeaux, by necessitating the return of St. Louis to the healthier north.  Henry lingered at Bordeaux until September, when he returned to England.[1] Meanwhile the French dictated peace to the remaining allies of Henry.  On the death of Raymond of Toulouse, in 1249, Alfonse quietly succeeded to his dominions.  The next twenty years saw the gradual extension of the French administrative system to Poitou, Auvergne, and the Toulousain.  English Gascony was reduced to little more than the districts round Bordeaux and Bayonne.  Even a show of hostility was no longer useful, and on April 7, 1243, a five years’ truce between Henry and