|
Philippe IV, the Fair (French Philippe le
Bel) (1268 - November 29, 1314) was King of
France from 1285 to 1314. A member of the
Capetian Dynasty, he was born at the Royal Palace of Fontainebleau, Seine-et-Marne the son of King Philippe
III and Isabelle d'Aragon. He was called Philippe the Fair because of his handsome appearance. As king, he was
determined to strengthen the monarchy at any cost.
Philippe married Jeanne of Navarre (1271-1305) on August 16,
1284.
King Philippe IV arrested Jews so he could seize their goods to accommodate his
spendthrift lifestyle. When he also levied taxes on the French clergy of one half their
annual income, he caused an uproar within the Roman Catholic
Church and the papacy. Still, Philippe emerged victorious with a French archbishop made Pope Clement V and the official papal palace was built in Avignon in southern France.
He suffered a major embarrassment when a 10,000 knight strong force he sent to suppress an uprising in Flanders was defeated in the Battle of the Golden Spurs near Kortrijk on
11 July 1302.
On October 13, 1307, what may have
been all the Knights Templar in France were simultaneously arrested
by agents of Philippe the Fair, to be later tortured into admitting heresy in the Order. A modern historical view is that
Philippe, who seized the considerable Templar treasury and broke up the Templar monastic banking system, simply sought to control
it for himself.
Philippe IV’s rule signaled the decline of the papacy’s power from its near complete authority. He died in a
hunting accident and is buried in Saint Denis Basilica.
The children of Philippe IV and Jeanne of Navarre were:
- Louis X - (October 4, 1289 - June 5,
1316)
- Isabelle - (1292 -
August 23, 1358)
- Philippe V - (1293 -
January 3, 1322)
- Charles IV - (1294 - February 1, 1328)
All three of his sons would become king of France and his daughter, Queen of England.
He was succeeded by his son, Louis X.
|