Philip IV of France

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Philip IV the Fair (French language: Philippe IV le Bel) (1268 - November 29, 1314) was list of French monarchs from 1285 to 1314. A member of the Capetian, he was born at the Royal Chateau Fontainebleau, Seine-et-Marne the son of King Philip III of France and Isabella of 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 IVs rule signaled the decline of the papacys power from its near complete authority. He died in a hunting accident and is buried in Saint Denis Basilica.

Children

The children of Philippe IV and Jeanne of Navarre were: Marguerite (1288-1300) Louis X of France - (October 4, 1289 - June 5, 1316) Isabella of France - (1292 - August 23, 1358) Philip V of France - (1293 - January 3, 1322) Charles IV of France - (1294 - February 1, 1328) Robert (1297-1308) All three of his sons reaching adulthood would become king of France and his daughter, Queen of England. He was succeeded by his son, Louis X of France.