Philip II of France

"Philippe Auguste" redirects here. For the Paris Métro station, seePhilippe Auguste (Paris Métro).

Philip II
Seal of Philip II. The legend reads: phillipvs dei gratia francorvm rex ( "Philip, by the grace of God, king of the Franks")
King of the Franks/France
Reign	18 September 1180 – 14 July 1223
Coronation	1 November 1179 (as co-king)
Predecessor	Louis VII
Successor	Louis VIII
Born	21 August 1165 Gonesse,France
Died	14 July 1223(1223-07-14)(aged 57) Mantes-la-Jolie,France
Burial	Basilica of St Denis
Spouses	Isabella of Hainault (m.1180,d.1190) Ingeborg of Denmark (m.1193& 1201) Agnes of Merania (m.1196,an.1201)
Issue more...	Louis VIII Marie, Duchess of Brabant Philip I, Count of Boulogne Pierre Charlot, Bishop of Noyon(ill.)
House	Capet
Father	Louis VII of France
Mother	Adela of Champagne

Philip II(21 August 1165 – 14 July 1223), bynamePhilip Augustus(French:Philippe Auguste), wasKing of Francefrom 1180 to 1223. His predecessors had been known as kings of theFranks(Latin:rex Francorum), but from 1190 onward, Philip became the first French monarch to style himself "King of France" (rex Francie).The son of KingLouis VIIand his third wife,Adela of Champagne,he was originally nicknamedDieudonné(God-given) because he was a first son and born late in his father's life. Philip was given theepithet"Augustus"by the chroniclerRigordfor having extended thecrown lands of Franceso remarkably.

After decades of conflicts with theHouse of Plantagenet,Philip succeeded in putting an end to theAngevin Empireby defeating a coalition of his rivals at theBattle of Bouvinesin 1214. This victory would have a lasting impact on western European politics: the authority of the French king became unchallenged, while the English KingJohnwas forced by his barons to assent toMagna Cartaand deal with a rebellion against him aided by Philip's sonLouis,theFirst Barons' War.The military actions surrounding theAlbigensian Crusadehelped prepare the expansion of France southward. Philip did not participate directly in these actions, but he allowed hisvassalsand knights to help carry them out.

Philip transformed France into the most prosperous and powerful country in Europe.He checked the power of the nobles and helped the towns free themselves from seigneurial authority, granting privileges and liberties to the emergentbourgeoisie.He built a great wall around Paris ( "theWall of Philip II Augustus"), re-organized the French government, and brought financial stability to his country.

Early years

Isabelle, Philip's first wife
(by the"Maître de Rambures",c. 1450–1475)

Philip was born inGonesseon 21 August 1165,the son ofLouis VIIandAdela of Champagne.He was nicknamed "Dieudonné" (God-given) since he was the first born son, arriving late in his father's life.

Louis intended to make Philip co-ruler with him as soon as possible, in accordance with the traditions of theHouse of Capet,but these plans were delayed when Philip became ill after a hunting trip.His father went on pilgrimage to the shrine ofThomas BecketinCanterbury Cathedralto pray for Philip's recovery, and was told that his son had indeed recovered.However, on his way back to Paris, the king suffered a stroke.

In declining health, Louis VII had his 14-year-old son crowned and anointed as king atReimson 1 November 1179 byArchbishopWilliam of the White Hands.He was married on 28 April 1180 toIsabella of Hainault,the daughter of CountBaldwin V of Hainautand CountessMargaret I of Flanders.Isabella brought theCounty of Artoisas her dowry.From the time of his coronation, all real power was transferred to Philip, as his father's health slowly declined.The great nobles were discontented with Philip's advantageous marriage.His mother and four uncles, all of whom exercised enormous influence over Louis, were extremely unhappy with his attainment of the throne since Philip had taken the royal seal from his father.Louis died on 18 September 1180.

Consolidation of the royal demesne

The coronation of Philip II Augustus
(from theGrandes Chroniques de France,c. 1332–1350)

The royaldemesnehad increased underPhilip IandLouis VI,but had slightly diminished under Louis VII. The first major increase to the royal demesne came in 1185, when Philip acquired theCounty of Amiens.He purchased the County of Clermont-en-Beauvaisis in 1218, and following the death ofRobert I, Count of Alençonin 1219, Philip obtained the city andcounty of Alençon.Philip's eldest son,Louis,inherited the County of Artois in 1190 when Queen Isabella died.

Royal army

The main source of funding for Philip's army was the royal demesne. In times of conflict, he could immediately call up 250 knights, 250 horse sergeants, 100 mounted crossbowmen, 133 crossbowmen on foot, 2,000-foot sergeants, and 300 mercenaries.Towards the end of his reign, the king could muster some 3,000 knights, 9,000 sergeants, 6,000 urban militiamen, and thousands of foot sergeants.Using his increased revenues, Philip was the first Capetian king to build a French navy actively. By 1215, his fleet could carry a total of 7,000 men. Within two years, his fleet included 10 large ships and many smaller ones.

Expulsion of Jews

Reversing his father's tolerance and protection of Jews, Philip in 1180 ordered French Jews to be stripped of their valuables, ransomed and converted to Christianity on pain of further taxation.In April 1182, partially to enrich the French crown, he expelled all Jews from the demesne and confiscated their goods. Philip expelled them from the royal demesne in July 1182 and had Jewish houses in Paris demolished to make way for theLes Hallesmarket.The measures were profitable in the short-term, the ransoms alone bringing in 15,000 marks and enriching Christians at the expense of Jews.Ninety-nine Jews were burned alive inBrie-Comte-Robert.In 1198 Philip allowed Jews to return.

Wars with his vassals

Philip II enthroned, portrait byJean du Tillet,1555–1566

In 1181, a conflict arose between Philip and CountPhilip I of Flandersover theVermandois,which King Philip claimed as his wife's dowry. Finally the Count of Flanders invaded France, ravaging the whole district between theSommeand theOisebefore penetrating as far asDammartin.Notified of Philip's approach with 2,000 knights, he headed back to Flanders.Philip chased him, and the two armies confronted each other nearAmiens.By this stage, Philip had managed to counter the ambitions of the count by breaking his alliances with DukeHenry I of Brabantand theArchbishop of Cologne,Philipp von Heinsberg.This, together with an uncertain outcome were he to engage the French in battle, forced the Count to conclude a peace. In July 1185, the Treaty of Boves left the disputed territory partitioned, withAmiénois,Artois, and numerous other places passing to the king, and the remainder, with the county of Vermandois proper, left provisionally to the Count of Flanders.It was during this time that Philip II was nicknamed "Augustus" by the monkRigordfor augmenting French lands.

Meanwhile, in 1184,Stephen I, Count of Sancerreand hisBrabançon mercenariesravaged the Orléanais. Philip defeated him with the aid of theConfrères de la Paix.

War with Henry II

A disagreement arose between Philip and KingHenry II of England,who was alsoCount of AnjouandDuke of NormandyandAquitainein France. The death of Henry's eldest son,Henry the Young King,in June 1183, began a dispute over thedowryof Philip's widowed sisterMargaret.Philip insisted that the dowry should be returned to France as the marriage did not produce any children, per the betrothal agreement. The two kings would hold conferences at the foot of an elm tree nearGisors,which was so positioned that it would overshadow each monarch's territory, but to no avail. Philip pushed the case further when KingBéla III of Hungaryasked for the widow's hand in marriage, and thus her dowry had to be returned, to which Henry finally agreed.

Remains of theWall of Philip II Augustusbuilt around Paris before he went to the Crusades. The segment pictured here is found in the rue des Jardins-Saint-Paul.

The death of Henry's fourth son,Geoffrey II, Duke of Brittany,began a new round of disputes, as Henry insisted that he retain the guardianship of the duchy for his unborn grandsonArthur I, Duke of Brittany.Philip, as Henry's liege lord, objected, stating that he should be the rightful guardian until the birth of the child. Philip then raised the issue of his other sister,Alys, Countess of Vexin,and her delayed betrothal to Henry's sonRichard I of England,nicknamed Richard the Lionheart.

With these grievances, two years of combat followed (1186–1188), but the situation remained unchanged. Philip initially allied with Henry's young sons Richard the Lionheart andJohn,who were in rebellion against their father. Philip II launched an attack onBerryin the summer of 1187, but by June made a truce with Henry, which leftIssoudunin Philip's hands while also granting himFrétevalinVendômois.Though the truce was for two years, Philip found grounds for resuming hostilities in the summer of 1188. He skillfully exploited the estrangement between Henry and Richard, and Richard did homage to him voluntarily atBonsmoulinsin November 1188.

In 1189, as Henry's health was failing, Richard openly joined forces with Philip to drive him into submission. They chased him fromLe ManstoSaumur,losingToursin the process, before forcing him to acknowledge Richard as his heir. Finally, by the Treaty of Azay-le-Rideau (4 July 1189), Henry was forced to renew his own homage, confirm the cession of Issoudun to Philip (along withGraçay), and renounce his claim to suzerainty overAuvergne.Henry died two days later. His death and the news of thefall of JerusalemtoSaladin,diverted attention from the Franco-English war.

TheAngevin kings of England(the line of rulers to which Henry II belonged), were Philip's most powerful and dangerous vassals as Dukes of Normandy and Aquitaine and Counts of Anjou. Philip made it his life's work to destroy Angevin's power in France.One of his most effective tools was to befriend all of Henry's sons and use them to foment rebellion against their father. He maintained friendships with Henry the Young King and Geoffrey, Duke of Brittany until their deaths. Indeed, at Geoffrey's funeral, he was so overcome with grief that he had to be forcibly restrained from casting himself into the grave. He broke off his friendships with Henry's other sons Richard and John as each ascended to the English throne.

Third Crusade

Philip (centre) and King Richard I of England accepting the keys toAcre
(illumination on parchment, c. 1375–1380, from theGrandes Chroniques de Francein theBibliothèque nationale de France)

Philip travelled to the Holy Land to participate in theThird Crusadeof 1189–1192 with King Richard I of England and Holy Roman EmperorFrederick I Barbarossa,leavingVézelaywith his army on 4 July 1190.At first, the French and English crusaders travelled together, but the armies split atLyonafter Richard decided to go by sea fromMarseille,whereas Philip took the overland route through theAlpstoGenoa.The French and English armies were reunited inMessina,where they wintered together.On 30 March 1191, the French set sail for the Holy Land and on 20 April Philip arrived atAcre,which was alreadyunder siegeby a lesser contingent of crusaders, and he started to construct siege equipment before Richard arrived on 8 June.By the time Acre surrendered on 12 July, Philip was severely ill withdysentery,which reduced his zeal.Ties with Richard were further strained after the latter acted in a haughty manner after Acre fell to the crusaders.

More importantly, the siege of Acre resulted in the death of Philip, Count of Flanders, who held the county of Vermandois proper.His death threatened to derail the Treaty of Gisors that Philip had orchestrated to isolate the powerful Blois-Champagne faction. Philip decided to return to France to settle the issue of succession in Flanders, a decision that displeased Richard, who said, "It is a shame and a disgrace on my lord if he goes away without having finished the business that brought him hither. But still, if he finds himself in bad health, or is afraid lest he should die here, his will be done."On 31 July 1191, the French army of 10,000 men (along with 5,000 silver marks to pay the soldiers) remained inOutremerunder the command of DukeHugh III of Burgundy.Philip and his cousinPeter of Courtenay,Count of Nevers,made their way to Rome, where Philip protested toPope Celestine III(to no avail) of Richard's abusive manner, and from there returned to France.The decision to return was also fuelled by the realization that with Richard campaigning in the Holy Land, English possessions in northern France would be open to attack. After Richard's delayed return home, the war between England and France would ensue over the possession of English-controlled territories.

Conflict with England, Flanders and the Holy Roman Empire

Conflict with Richard the Lionheart, 1191–1199

The immediate cause of Philip's conflict withRichard the Lionheartstemmed from Richard's decision to break his betrothal with Philip's sisterAlysatMessinain 1191.Some of Alys's dowry that had been given over to Richard during their engagement was part of the territory ofVexin.This should have reverted to Philip upon the end of the betrothal, but Philip, to prevent the collapse of the Crusade, agreed that this territory was to remain in Richard's hands and would be inherited by his male descendants. Should Richard die without an heir, the territory would return to Philip, and if Philip died without an heir, those lands would be considered a part of Normandy.

Returning to France in late 1191, Philip began plotting to find a way to have those territories restored to him. He was in a difficult situation, as he had taken an oath not to attack Richard's lands while he was away on a crusade. The Third Crusade ordained territory under the protection of the Church in any event. Philip was unsuccessful in requesting a release from his oath fromPope Celestine III,so he was forced to build his owncasus belli.

On 20 January 1192, Philip met withWilliam FitzRalph,Richard'sseneschalfor Normandy. Presenting some documents purporting to be from Richard, Philip claimed that the English king had agreed at Messina to hand disputed lands over to France. Not having heard anything directly from their sovereign, FitzRalph and the Norman barons rejected Philip's claim to Vexin.Philip at this time also began spreading rumors about Richard's action in the east to discredit the English king in the eyes of his subjects. Among the stories Philip invented included Richard being involved in treacherous communication withSaladin,alleging he had conspired to cause the fall ofGaza,Jaffa,andAscalon,and that he had participated in the murder ofConrad of Montferrat.Finally, Philip made contact with John, Richard's brother, whom he convinced to join the conspiracy to overthrow the legitimate king of England.

At the start of 1193, John visited Philip in Paris, where he paid homage for Richard's continental lands. When word reached Philip that Richard had finished crusading and had been captured on his way back from the Holy Land, he promptly invaded Vexin. His first target was the fortress of Gisors, commanded byGilbert de Vascoeuil,which surrendered without putting up a struggle.Philip then penetrated deep into Normandy, reaching as far asDieppe.To keep the duplicitous John on his side, Philip entrusted him with the defence of the town ofÉvreux.Meanwhile, Philip was joined by CountBaldwin IX of Flanders,and together they laid siege toRouen,the ducal capital of Normandy. Here, Philip's advance was halted by a defense led by theEarl of Leicester.Unable to penetrate this defense, Philip moved on.

AtManteson 9 July 1193, Philip came to terms with Richard's ministers, who agreed that Philip could keep his gains and would be given some extra territories if he ceased all further aggressive actions in Normandy, along with the condition that Philip would hand back the captured territory if Richard would pay homage.To prevent Richard from spoiling their plans, Philip and John attempted to bribe Holy Roman EmperorHenry VIin order to keep the English king captive for a little while longer. Henry refused, and Richard was released from captivity on 4 February 1194. By 13 March Richard had returned to England, and by 12 May he had set sail for Normandy with some 300 ships, eager to engage Philip in war.

Philip had spent this time consolidating his territorial gains and by now controlled much of Normandy east of theSeine,while remaining within striking distance of Rouen. His next objective was the castle ofVerneuil,which had withstood an earlier siege. Once Richard arrived atBarfleur,he soon marched towards Verneuil. As his forces neared the castle, Philip, who had been unable to break through, decided to strike camp. Leaving a large force behind to prosecute the siege, he moved off towards Évreux, which John had handed over to his brother to prove his loyalty.Philip retook the town and sacked it, but during this time, his forces at Verneuil abandoned the siege, and Richard entered the castle unopposed on 30 May. Throughout June, while Philip's campaign ground to a halt in the north, Richard was taking a number of important fortresses to the south. Philip, eager to relieve the pressure off his allies in the south, marched to confront Richard's forces atVendôme.Refusing to risk everything in a major battle, Philip retreated, only to have his rear guard caught atFrétevalon 3 July. ThisBattle of Frétevalturned into a general encounter in which Philip barely managed to avoid capture as his army was put to flight.Fleeing back to Normandy, Philip avenged himself on the English by attacking the forces of John and theEarl of Arundel,seizing their baggage train.By now both sides were tiring, and they agreed to the temporary Truce of Tillières.

The war resumed in 1195 when Philip once again besieged Verneuil. He continued the siege in secret as Richard arrived to negotiate in person; when Richard found out, he swore revenge and left.Philip now pressed his advantage in northeastern Normandy, where he conducted a raid atDieppe,burning the English ships in the harbor while repulsing an attack by Richard at the same time. Philip now marched southward into the Berry region. His primary objective was the fortress ofIssoudun,which had just been captured by Richard's mercenary commander,Mercadier.The French king took the town and was besieging the castle when Richard stormed through French lines and made his way in to reinforce the garrison, while at the same time, another army was approaching Philip's supply lines. Philip called off his attack, and another truce was agreed; theTreaty of Louviers.

The war slowly turned against Philip over the course of the next three years. Political and military conditions seemed promising at the start of 1196 when Richard's nephewArthur I, Duke of Brittanyended up in Philip's hands, and he won the Siege ofAumale,but Philip's good fortune did not last. Richard won over a key ally,Baldwin of Flanders,in 1197.The same year, the Holy Roman Emperor Henry VI diedand was succeeded byOtto IV,Richard's nephew, who put additional pressure on Philip.Finally, many Norman lords were switching sides and returning to Richard's camp. This was the state of affairs when Philip launched his campaign of 1198 with an attack on Vexin that was pushed back and then compounded by the Flemish invasion ofArtois.

On 27 September, Richard entered Vexin, takingCourcelles-sur-SeineandBoury-en-Vexinbefore returning toDangu.Philip, believing that Courcelles was still holding out, went to its relief. Discovering what was happening, Richard decided to attack the French king's forces, catching Philip by surprise.Philip's forces withdrew and attempted to reach the fortress of Gisors. Bunched together, the French knights with king Philip attempted to cross theEpteRiver on a bridge that promptly collapsed under their weight, almost drowning Philip in the process. He was dragged out of the river and shut himself up in Gisors, having successfully evaded Richard and reinforced the fortress.

Philip soon planned a new offensive, launching destructive raids into Normandy and again targeting Évreux. Richard countered Philip's thrust with a counterattack in Vexin, while Mercadier led a raid onAbbeville.By autumn 1198, Richard had regained almost all that had been lost in 1193.With the warring sides in a deadlock, Philip offered a truce so that discussions could begin towards a more permanent peace, with the offer that he would return all of the territories except for Gisors.

In mid-January 1199, the two kings met for a final meeting, Richard standing on the deck of a boat, and Philip standing on the banks of the Seine River.Shouting terms at each other, they could not reach an agreement on the terms of a permanent truce, but they did agree to further mediation, which resulted in a five-year truce that held. Later in 1199, Richard was killed during a siege involving one of his vassals.

Conflict with John of England, 1200–1206

Main articles:Normandy campaigns of 1200–1204andAnglo-French War (1202–1214)

In May 1200, Philip signed theTreaty of Le Gouletwith Richard's successorJohn.The treaty was meant to bring peace to Normandy by settling the issue of its much-reduced boundaries. The terms of John's vassalage were not only for Normandy, but also forAnjou,Maine, andTouraine.John agreed to heavy terms, including the abandonment of all the English possessions in Berry and 20,000 marks of silver, while Philip in turn recognized John as king of England, formally abandoning Arthur of Brittany's candidacy, whom he had hitherto supported, recognizing instead John's suzerainty over theDuchy of Brittany.To seal the treaty, a marriage betweenBlanche of Castile,John's niece, andLouis the Lion,Philip's son, was contracted.

Territorial conquests of Philip II

This agreement did not bring warfare to an end in France, however, since John's mismanagement of Aquitaine led the province to rebel later in 1200, a disturbance that Philip secretly encouraged. To disguise his ambitions, Philip invited John to a conference atAndelyand then entertained him at Paris, and both times he committed to complying with the treaty. In 1202, disaffected patrons petitioned the French king to summon John to answer their charges in his capacity as John's feudal lord in France. John refused to appear, so Philip again took up Arthur of Brittany's claims to the English throne as well as betrothing him to his six-year-old daughterMarie.In retaliation, John crossed over into Normandy and his forces soon captured Arthur, presumably as well as Arthur's sister Eleanor. In 1203, Arthur disappeared, with most people believing that John had had him murdered. The outcry over Arthur's fate saw an increase in local opposition to John, which Philip used to his advantage. He took to the offensive and, apart from a five-month siege of Andely, swept all before him. After Andely surrendered, John fled to England. By the end of 1204, most of Normandy and the Angevin lands, including much ofAquitaine,had fallen into Philip's hands. Philip requested John release Eleanor of Brittany, claiming that she was to be his daughter-in-law, but to no avail.

What Philip had gained through victory in war, he sought to confirm by legal means. Philip, again acting as John's liege lord over his French lands, summoned him to appear before the Court of the Twelve Peers of France to answer for Arthur's murder. John requested safe conduct, but Philip only agreed to allow him to come in peace, while providing for his return only if it were allowed after the judgment of his peers. Not willing to risk his life on such a guarantee, John refused to appear, so Philip summarily dispossessed the English of all lands. Pushed by his barons, John eventually launched an invasion of northern France in 1206, disembarking with his army atLa Rochelleduring one of Philip's absences, but the campaign ended up a disaster. After backing out of a conference that he himself had demanded, John eventually bargained atThouarsfor a two-year truce, the price of which was his agreement to the chief provisions of the judgment of the Court of Peers, including a loss of his patrimony.

Alliances against Philip, 1208–1213

Denier tournoiscoin of Philip II

In 1208,Philip of Swabia,the successful candidate to becomeHoly Roman Emperor,was assassinated. As a result, the imperial crown was given to his rival Otto IV, the nephew of King John. Otto, prior to his accession, had promised to help John recover his lost possessions in France, but circumstances prevented him from making good on his promise. By 1212, both John and Otto were engaged in power struggles againstPope Innocent III:John over his refusal to accept the papal nomination for thearchbishop of Canterbury,and Otto over his attempt to strip KingFrederick II of Germanyof the Kingdom of Sicily. Philip decided to take advantage of this situation, first in Germany, where he aided the German noble rebellion in support of the young Frederick. John immediately threw England's weight behind Otto, and Philip now saw his chance to launch a successful invasion of England.

In order to secure the cooperation of all his vassals in his plans for the invasion, Philip denounced John as an enemy of the Church, thereby justifying his attack as motivated solely by religious scruples. He summoned an assembly of French barons atSoissons,which was well attended. The only exception was CountFerdinand of Flanders,who refused out of anger over the loss of the towns ofAireandSaint-Omerthat had been captured by Philip's son Louis the Lion. He would not participate in any campaign until he was restored to his ancient lands.

Philip was eager to prove his loyalty to Rome and thus secure papal support for his planned invasion, announced at Soissons a reconciliation with his estranged wifeIngeborg of Denmark,which the popes had been promoting. The barons fully supported his plan, and they all gathered their forces and prepared to join with Philip at the agreed rendezvous. Through all of this, Philip remained in constant communication withPandulf Verraccio,thepapal legate,who was encouraging Philip to pursue his objective. Verraccio however was also holding secret discussions with King John. Advising the English king of his precarious predicament, he persuaded John to abandon his opposition topapal investitureand agreed to accept the papal legate's decision in any ecclesiastical disputes as final. In return, the pope agreed to accept theKingdom of Englandand theLordship of Irelandas papal fiefs, which John would rule as the pope's vassal, and for which John would do homage to the pope.

No sooner had the treaty between John and the pope been ratified in May 1213 than Verraccio announced to Philip that he would have to abandon his expedition against John, since to attack a faithful vassal of theHoly Seewould be amortal sin.Philip argued in vain that his plans had been drawn up with the consent of Rome, that his expedition was in support of papal authority that he only undertook on the understanding that he would gain aplenary indulgence;he had spent a fortune preparing for the expedition. The papal legate remained unmoved, but Verraccio did suggest an alternative. The Count of Flanders had denied Philip's right to declare war on England while King John was stillexcommunicated,and that his disobedience needed to be punished. Philip eagerly accepted the advice, and quickly marched at the head of his troops into the territory of Flanders.

Battle of Bouvines, 1214

Philip II unhorsed at theBattle of Bouvinesin 1214 (from theChronica Majora,c. 1250 byMatthew Paris)

The French fleet proceeded first toGravelinesand then to the port of Damme. Meanwhile, the army marched byCassel,Ypres,andBrugesbefore laying siege toGhent.Hardly had the siege begun when Philip learned that the English fleet had captured a number of his ships at Damme and that the rest were so closely blockaded in its harbor that it was impossible for them to escape. He ordered the fleet to be burned to prevent it from falling into enemy hands.

The destruction of the French fleet had once again raised John's hopes, so he began preparing for an invasion of France and a reconquest of his lost provinces. The English barons were initially unenthusiastic about the expedition, which delayed his departure, so it was not until February 1214 that he disembarked at La Rochelle. John was to advance from theLoire,while his ally Otto IV made a simultaneous attack from Flanders, together with the Count of Flanders. The three armies did not coordinate their efforts effectively. It was not until John had been disappointed in his hope for an easy victory after being driven fromRoche-au-Moineand had retreated to his transports that the Imperial Army, with Otto at its head, assembled in theLow Countries.

Philip II's victory at Bouvines
(from theGrandes Chroniques de France,c. 1350–1375)

On 27 July 1214, the opposing armies suddenly discovered that they were in close proximity to one another, on the banks of a little tributary of theRiver Lys,near the bridge atBouvines.It being a Sunday, Philip did not expect the allied army to attack, as it was considered unholy to fight on the Sabbath.Philip's army numbered some 7,000, while the allied forces possessed around 9,000 troops.The armies clashed at what became known as theBattle of Bouvines.Philip was unhorsed by the Flemish pikemen in the heat of battle, and were it not for his mail armor he would have probably been killed.When Otto was carried off the field by his wounded and terrified horse, and the Count of Flanders was severely wounded and taken prisoner, the Flemish and Imperial troops saw that the battle was lost, turned, and fled the field.The French did not pursue.

Philip returned to Paris triumphant, marching his captive prisoners behind him in a long procession, as his grateful subjects came out to greet the victorious king. In the aftermath of the battle, Otto retreated to his castle ofHarzburgand was soon overthrown asHoly Roman Emperor,to be replaced byFrederick II.Count Ferdinand remained imprisoned following his defeat, while King John's attempt to rebuild the Angevin Empire ended in complete failure.

Philip's decisive victory was crucial in shaping Western European politics in both England and France.In England, the defeated John was so weakened that he was soon required to submit to the demands of his barons and sign Magna Carta, which limited the power of the crown and established the basis for common law. The Battle of Bouvines marked the end of the Angevin Empire.

Marital problems

After the early death of Isabella of Hainault in childbirth in 1190, Philip decided to marry again. He decided onIngeborg,daughter of KingValdemar I of Denmark,who received 10,000 marks of silver as adowry.Philip met her at Amiens on 14 August 1193 and they were married that same day.At the feast of the Assumption of the Virgin, Archbishop Guillaume of Reims crowned both Philip and Ingeborg.During the ceremony, Philip was pale, nervous, and could not wait for the ceremony to end.Following the ceremony, he had Ingeborg sent to the convent of Saint-Maur-des-Fossesand askedPope Celestine IIIfor an annulment on the grounds of non-consummation. Philip had not reckoned with Ingeborg, however; she insisted that the marriage had been consummated, and that she was his wife and the rightful queen of France. The Franco-Danish churchmanWilliam of Æbelholtintervened on Ingeborg's side, drawing up agenealogyof the Danish kings to disprove the alleged impediment ofconsanguinity.

In the meantime, Philip had sought a new bride. Initial agreement had been reached for him to marryMargaret,daughter of CountWilliam I of Geneva,but the young bride's journey to Paris was interrupted byThomas, Count of Savoy,who kidnapped Philip's intended new wife and married her instead,claiming that Philip was already bound in marriage. Philip finally achieved a third marriage in June 1196, when he was married toAgnes of Meraniafrom Dalmatia.Their children wereMarieandPhilip,Count of Clermont.

Pope Innocent III declared Philip Augustus' marriage to Agnes of Merania null and void, as he was still married to Ingeborg.He ordered the king to part from Agnes, and when he did not, the pope placed France under an interdict in 1199. This continued until 7 September 1200.Due to pressure from the pope, Ingeborg's brother KingValdemar II of Denmarkand ultimately Agnes' death in 1201,Philip finally took Ingeborg back as his wife, but it would not be until 1213 that she would be recognized at court as queen.

Appearance and personality

The only known description of Philip describes him as "a handsome, strapping fellow, with a cheerful face of ruddy complexion, and a temperament much inclined towards good-living, wine, and women. He was generous to his friends, stingy towards those who displeased him, well-versed in the art of stratagem, orthodox in belief, prudent and stubborn in his resolves. He made judgements with great speed and exactitude. Fortune's favorite, fearful for his life, easily excited and easily placated, he was very tough with powerful men who resisted him, and took pleasure in provoking discord among them. Never, however, did he cause an adversary to die in prison. He liked to employ humble men, to be the subduer of the proud, the defender of the Church, and feeder of the poor".

Issue

• ByIsabella of Hainault:
  • Louis VIII(5 September 1187 – 8 November 1226),King of France(1223–1226); marriedBlanche of Castileand had issue.
  • Robert (twin) (born and died 14 March 1190)
  • Philip (twin) (14 March 1190 – 17 March 1190)
• ByAgnes of Merania:
  • Marie(1198 – 15 August 1238); married firstlyPhilip I of Namur.Married secondlyHenry I, Duke of Brabant,had issue.
  • Philip(July 1200 – 14/18 January 1234),Count of Boulogneby marriage; marriedMatilda II, Countess of Boulogneand had issue.

• By a woman in Arras:
  • Pierre Charlot,bishop of Noyon.

Later years

Will of Philip II, September 1222

When Pope Innocent III called for a crusade against the "Albigensians", orCathars,inLanguedocin 1208, Philip did nothing to support it, though he did not stop his nobles from joining in.Thewar against the Catharsdid not end until 1244, when their last strongholds were finally captured. The fruits of the victory, the submission of thesouth of Franceto the crown, were to be reaped by Philip's son Louis VIII and grandsonLouis IX.From 1216 to 1222, Philip also arbitrated in theWar of the Succession of Champagneand finally helped the military efforts of DukeOdo III of Burgundyand Holy Roman Emperor Frederick II to bring it to an end.

Philip II Augustus played a significant role in one of the greatest centuries of innovation in construction and education in France. With Paris as his capital, he had the main thoroughfares paved,built a central market,Les Halles,continued the construction begun in 1163 ofNotre-Dame de Paris,constructed the first incarnation of theLouvreas a fortress, and gave a charter to theUniversity of Parisin 1200.Under his guidance, Paris became the first city of teachers the medieval world knew. In 1224, the French poetHenry d'Andeliwrote of the great wine tasting competition that Philip II Augustus commissioned, theBattle of the Wines.

Philip II fell ill in September 1222 and had a will made, but carried on with his itinerary. Traveling in hot weather the next summer resulted in a fever. The king recovered and felt well enough to resume his restless activity of touring his kingdom. The partial return of his health prompted him to travel to Paris on 13 July 1223, against the advice of his physician. The journey proved too much for him and he died en route the next day, inMantes-la-Jolie,at the age of 57. His body was carried to Paris on abier.He was interred in theBasilica of St Denisin the presence of his son and successor, Louis VIII, as well as his illegitimate sonPhilip I, Count of BoulogneandJohn of Brienne,the King of Jerusalem.

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External links

• "Philip II. of France".Encyclopædia Britannica.Vol. XVIII (9th ed.). 1885. p. 743.
• Chisholm, Hugh,ed. (1911)."Philip II., king of France".Encyclopædia Britannica.Vol. 21 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pp. 378–381.
• Goyau, G.(1911)."Philip II (Augustus)".InHerbermann, Charles(ed.).Catholic Encyclopedia.Vol. 12. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
• Pacaut, M.[in French](20 July 1998)."Philip II, king of France".Encyclopædia Britannica.
• "The 'War' of Bouvines (1202–1214)".Archived fromthe originalon 11 July 2017.Retrieved29 September2008.