Page "Battle of Bouvines" Paragraph 7

On July 23, after having summoned his all vassals, Philip had an army consisting of 4, 000 cavalry and 11, 000 piétons ( foot soldiers ).

The emperor finally succeeded in concentrating his forces at Valenciennes, although John was out of the picture, and in the interval Philip Augustus had counter marched northward and regrouped.

Philip now took the offensive himself, and in maneuvoering to get a good cavalry ground upon which to fight he offered battle ( 27 July ), on the plain east of Bouvines and the river Marque.

Otto was surprised by the speed of his enemy and was thought to have been caught unprepared by the King of France ( which has probably attracted the emperor in this piège ).

Although he was under a Church interdict, Otto, already an excommunicate, decided to launch an attack rather than negotiate with the French.