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Page 419
to his operations, John turned his attention again toward Angers. The citizens and garrison of that city had seen enough. They opened the gates and welcomed the king into the principal seat of his father's holdings, long lost to him. However, a few miles outside of Angers stood the fortress of Roche-au-Maine, and there Philip's seneschal held firm. In the middle of June, John settled his forces around this stronghold intending to reduce it and remove the most important focus of resistance to his power in Anjou.
Philip's son Louis, however, also believed that Roche- au-Maine was essential. Gathering his forces, the French prince began to move upon the king. During the last week in June, John's spies reported this and the king wrote to Salisbury, Ferrand of Flanders, and the Emperor Otto. He urged them to attack Philip, who was on the Flemish border, as soon and as strongly as possible. It was, John said, the best opportunity they would have as his forces were far stronger than Louis's, yet Louis would not dare leave Roche-au-Maine to be taken. If Philip could not come to help Louis, John expected to beat the prince easily and the whole south of France would be open to him. Moreover, Louis would be unable to come to his father's support; therefore, the task of the allies in Flanders would also be much easier.
Unfortunately, when John's letters arrived, his allies were not ready to do his bidding. It was through no fault of their own. Ferrand was under arms and, of course, Salisbury had been in Flanders for some weeks, cleaning out small detachments of French and French sympathizers in a keep here and there. Otto, however, was having trouble gathering his Rhineland princes and dukes. Although all were willing to fight Philip, they were so busy bickering among themselves that it was difficult to drag them away from their private feuds. At last they mustered and began to march northwest.
Before Otto had reached the border, John's fortunes had taken a drastic and desperate turn for the worse. Hurried messengers carried the news that the newly cowed nobles of Poitou had played the king false. When he summoned a

 
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