English invasion of France (1230)

The English invasion of France of 1230 was a military campaign undertaken by Henry III of England in an attempt to reclaim his family rights and inheritance to the territories of France, held prior to 1224. The English army did not seek battle with the French, did not invade the Duchy of Normandy and marched south to the County of Poitou. By autumn, Henry was ill and running out of money. He retreated to Brittany and sailed back to England, leaving behind a token force. The only lasting gain of the invasion was the island of Oléron, which had been lost in 1224. The failure of the campaign led to the dismissal of Hubert de Burgh, 1st Earl of Kent as Justiciar. According to one historian, "The campaign, arguably the last opportunity to recover Normandy, was a costly fiasco."