Philip II (1165-1223) of France was one of the most important kings of the Capetian dynasty, which ruled France from 987 to 1328. He succeeded his father, Louis VII, in 1180. A clever statesman, Philip not only expanded the kingdom of France but also made the monarchy powerful. He is also known as Philip Augustus.
Philip’s first triumph was adding the regions now known as Artois and Picardy to his kingdom. He obtained Artois as part of his wife’s dowry and Picardy as a result of a dispute with his wife’s uncle, the Count of Flanders. A dowry is a wedding gift from the bride’s family to the groom. Philip then decided to gain the English possessions in what is now France for himself. In 1189, Philip and the English king Richard the Lion-Hearted went together on the Third Crusade. But Philip quarreled with Richard and returned home. He took advantage of Richard’s absence to gain control of some of the English territory in France.
In 1194, Richard returned from the crusade and began a war against Philip in which Richard regained control of most of the English lands in France. Richard was killed in battle in 1199. His brother, King John, went to war against Philip in 1202. Philip took advantage of John’s mistakes and conquered most of the English holdings in France. Philip’s victory against John’s Flemish and German allies at the Battle of Bouvines in 1214 established his hold on the conquered regions.
Philip then held greater powers than any of his strongest barons, and he carried out a series of governmental reforms to strengthen his authority. These reforms laid the basis for the later rule of the French kings. Philip was born on Aug. 21, 1165, in Paris. He died on July 14, 1223.
