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Philip II Augustus of France

Type Figure Region France Time 1165–1223 Also known as Philip Augustus

Philip II (1165–1223), Capetian king of France (r. 1180–1223), known as 'Augustus', greatly expanded royal territory, seizing Normandy, Anjou and Mai…

Timeline

  1. 1180–1195Paris · Île-de-FranceAcceded at fifteen; early on, with his mother and chancellor's support, he consolidated royal power, gradually shook off Angevin-Plantagenet pressure on France's western lands, and reformed royal finances and justice.
  2. 1202–1206Normandy · NormandyExploiting the rift between King John and his vassals, he attacked; after taking Château-Gaillard in 1204, Normandy, Anjou, Maine, Touraine and others passed into the French crown, sharply shrinking Plantagenet power on the continent.
  3. 1201–1208Paris · Île-de-FranceIn the Holy Roman Empire's succession dispute he backed Philip of Swabia against Otto IV of the Welfs; after Philip's assassination in 1208, diplomacy shifted to containing the Otto-John alliance.
  4. 1209–1210Picardy · PicardyFacing the anti-French alliance of King John and Otto IV, Philip II mustered and fortified along the Picardy and Flanders borders, building strength for the 1214 decisive battle at Bouvines while using diplomacy to divide the alliance.

Sources