It might at first sight seem odd that the French provinces with the strongest links to the Regno should be Artois and Flanders, since they were physically the most distant from Italy. But the rulers of these provinces were personal friends of Charles of Anjou and involved in his exploits over a very long period. Both the counts of Artois and the counts of Flanders had reason to feel gratitude to Charles. As to their subjects, Flanders and Artois were famous for providing soldiers for any campaign, or indeed colonists for any newly conquered lands. There were in each county enough inhabitants who were freed from agricultural labour and involved either in trade or industry or in searching for steady, lucrative military employment to be enterprising about leaving home. Crusading had always had a strong appeal in this northern soil; in 1263–64 preaching the liberation of the Regno from Hohenstaufen rule fell on willing ears here.

Robert II, count of Artois, was the posthumous son of Robert I, the brother of Louis IX who died in the course of a charge (commonly judged to have been foolhardy) at the battle of Mansourah in Egypt in 1250. The young count was brought up by his mother, Mahaud de Brabant and his step-father, Gui de Châtillon, count of St Pol. In 1267 Robert was knighted by his uncle, King Louis, and he slowly took over the reins of government in his apanage of Artois.