Fitzwalter and King John

Previous page: Matilda the Fair

Another tale from the depths of English folklore tells of Fitzwalter's reconciliation with the King, though there is reason to doubt this from the confusion of dates, not to mention the extreme unlikelihood of any man reconciliating with the murderer of his daughter.

While King John was in France, he agreed to a truce with the French king for five years after the flight of Fitzwalter from England. When the truce was proclaimed, an English knight invited any French knight to cross the stream that divided the two armies, and challenge him to a joust.

A French knight accepted the challenge, plunging his horse into the river and swimming across, and defeated the English knight in so masterly a manner that King John, struck with admiration, is said to have exclaimed, "Happy is the king who has such a knight as this!".

The words were reported to the victor, who was no other than Fitzwalter, who had joined the French army; and he was so flattered with the praise that he came the next day, threw himself at John's feet, and was pardoned for his defection. He then returned to England, rebuilt Castle Baynard, which John had destroyed, and resided in it with great splendour until his death.

As previously mentioned, if King John really had poisoned his daughter, and acted throughout towards her as he is alleged to have done, it would be very unusual for any man to have condescended to be taken into his favour. It is more likely that this tale is a remnant of the then monarchy's propaganda and lies.

Next page: The Fitzwalter Privileges

• Baynard's Castle - Introduction
• 1 - What did Castle Baynard look like?
• 2 - Origins of the name 'Bayswater'
• 3 - Matilda the Fair
• 4 - Fitzwalter and King John
• 5 - The Fitzwalter Privileges
• 6 - Destroyed by Fire and Rebuilt
• 7 - Richard III
• 8 - Notable Visitors of Baynard's Castle