It was of the utmost moment to John, who had no solid title, to conciliate the favor of all the world.  Yet one of his first steps, whilst his power still remained dubious and unsettled, was, on pretence of consanguinity, to divorce his wife Avisa, with whom he had lived many years, and to marry Isabella of Angouleme, a woman of extraordinary beauty, but who had been betrothed to Hugh, Count of Marche:  thus disgusting at once the powerful friends of his divorced wife, and those of the Earl of Marche, whom he had so sensibly wronged.

[Sidenote:  A.D. 1200.]

The King of France, Philip Augustus, saw with pleasure these proceedings of John, as he had before rejoiced at the dispute about the succession.  He had been always employed, and sometimes with success, to reduce the English power through the reigns of one very able and one very warlike prince.  He had greater advantages in this conjuncture, and a prince of quite another character now to contend with.  He was therefore not long without choosing his part; and whilst he secretly encouraged the Count of Marche, already stimulated by his private wrongs, he openly supported the claim of Arthur to the Duchies of Anjou and Touraine.  It was the character of this prince readily to lay aside and as readily to reassume his enterprises, as his affairs demanded.  He saw that he had declared himself too rashly, and that he was in danger of being assaulted upon every side.  He saw it was necessary to break an alliance, which the nice circumstances and timid character of John would enable him to do.  In fact, John was at this time united in a close alliance with the Emperor and the Earl of Flanders; and these princes were engaged in a war with France.  He had then a most favorable opportunity to establish all his claims, and at the same time to put the King of France out of a condition to question them ever after.  But he suffered himself to be overreached by the artifices of Philip:  he consented to a treaty of peace, by which he received an empty acknowledgment of his right to the disputed territories, and in return for which acknowledgment he renounced his alliance with the Emperor.  By this act he at once strengthened his enemy, gave up his ally, and lowered his character with his subjects and with all the world.

[Sidenote:  A.D. 1201.]

[Sidenote:  A.D. 1202.]

This treaty was hardly signed, when the ill consequences of his conduct became evident.  The Earl of Marche and Arthur immediately renewed their claims and hostilities under the protection of the King of France, who made a strong diversion by invading Normandy.  At the commencement of these motions, John, by virtue of a prerogative hitherto undisputed, summoned his English barons to attend him into France; but instead of a compliance with his orders, he was surprised with a solemn demand of their ancient liberties.  It is astonishing that the barons should at that time have ventured on a resolution of such dangerous importance,