Phillip II of France

Phillip II of France

Isabella of Hainaut

(His death)

Robert II, Count of Flanders

Isabella, Queen of Naples

Alphonse II, Count of Alençon

Saint Isabelle

Peter V, Count of Maurianne

Marie, Duchess of Burgundy

**Phillip II of France** (March 2, 1164 - September 3, 1223) was the eldest son of Charles VII of France and his second wife Joanna of Boulogne, born in Flanders, he was always from birth meant to be King of France, he was raised by his parent's in Paris, when he was 21 his father became King of France after the death of his grand-father Louis VIII of France, he married his long time pen-pal and love Blanche of Castile in 1187 with his father's permission, Phillip was madly in-love with Blanche and showered her with gifts, they had the first child in 1188, the child was Louis of France, but when Phillip's mother died in 1197, his father remarried Margaret of Burgundy whom Phillip despised. Margaret did not respect Phillip nor Blanche of Castile, Phillip was pleased when Margaret was imprisoned, when Charles died in 1201, Phillip became King of France and poisoned Margaret of Burgundy, Phillip and Blanche wen't on to have 7 other children, Phillip participated in crusades and never took a mistress in his whole life, when Blanche of Castile died, Phillip was devastated, he remarried Isabella of Hainaut in a second attempt to add Hainaut blood in a royal crown, the attempt worked and Isabella gave birth to Marie of France, but Phillip died a year later in 1223, his son Louis succeeding him.

## Early Life

### Childhood

Phillip of France was born in Arenberg Castle on March 2, 1164 to Charles VII of France and his second wife Joanna of Boulogne, Phillip was there eldest son and indeed there smartest, Phillip was regarded as Handsome and manly, even more handsomer then his father who was known to be a ladies-man. Phillip was followed by a younger sister Joan, and another younger sister Isabella, when Phillip was born, his father was not King yet, Phillip was actually born during the reign of his grand-father Louis VIII of France, Phillip was raised by his paternal grand-mother Joan I of Navarre and his mother Joanna.

### Education

Phillip's mother and Grand-Mother often fought with each other on who could raise Phillip, one of the matters was education. Phillip's abusive grand-father told both woman that Phillip was a stupid child because his grand-father hated Phillip's father who was his own son. But Phillip was well educated his grand-mother and mother thought him Latin, Navarrese, Greek, Catalan, Flemish and English. Phillip moved to Orléans with his uncle to study more.

### Feud with Grand-Father

Louis VIII made it clear Phillip was a mistake along with his siblings, when Phillip was 15, he wanted money to gamble, he did not wan't to use his own money so he asked his grand-father for money. Louis refused, and Phillip threatened Phillip he would steal the money, if it was not given to him, Louis still ignored him and refused him entery to the French Palace, Phillip complained to his father Charles, Charles took sides with Phillip and complained to his father that Phillip should get the money, Louis said "I already have a Foolish gambler in the family (Refering to the Duke of Orléans who was Phillip's uncle) Why add another when he shall actually work like I did." Phillip still angry at his father moved to Castile where he met his long time love Blanche of Castile the youngest and fairest of Alfonso VIII of Castile's children, when Louis sent men to drag Phillip back to France, Phillip told Blanche to write to him. Louis did not trust his grand-son anymore, and cut off his allowance and kicked him out of the main French court, Phillip retreated to Austria and became a close friend and guest to the Duke of Austria. Louis did not know Phillip was in Austria until 3 months later when he discovered that his grand-son was missing, but did not know where he was, Phillip later came back to France to calm down his family who thought he was missing. Louis allowed Phillip to come back to court only if he stayed in France.

### Heir to the throne

When Phillip was 21, he and his father thought of poisoning there strict grand-father, but luckily for them, there was no need for that as Louis became fairly ill with an unknown fever, Phillip was in Orléans when he heard about the king's illness and refused to visit his death-bed, he instead threw a party at his Castle in Orléans. His grand-father died in late 1185 and Phillip's Step-Grand-mother took Phillip's uncle the Prince of Antioch to safety. Phillip and his younger siblings and parents celebrated the death and rushed to Paris to be crowned, Phillip was present at his parent's coronation, as heir to the French throne, he was expected to get married something he did not have to do as Grand-heir. Phillip knew exactly who he wanted to marry, he visited Blanche of Castile, but her sister Berengaria thought Blanche was not suited to be a Queen of France, and tried to offer Phillip there sister Eleanor of Castile but Phillip did not find Eleanor as pretty as Blanche. And proposed to her in Toledo, after the quick betrothal Phillip brought Blanche to Paris with his father's permission and Blanche's sister's permission, and they were married in the Parisian Castle, Blanche and Phillip moved to Brabant where they had there first child named "Louis Auguste" Phillip did not name his son after his cruel grand-father but after Louis the Pious the first official King of the Franks.

### Co-King of France

When Phillip was 23, his father crowned his son Co-King of France and Blanche Co-Queen so they would not have to wait so long to know what being King and Queen is like, but Charles did not make the mistake his half-ancestor's the Plantagenet's made by not giving to Co-King any real power, Phillip's father allowed Phillip power to tax the people, request laws, and any other power a King could have, and Blanche of Castile was treated like a Queen and a household fit for a Queen was set up. Phillip's wife gave birth a second time to another son named John of France. Blanche and Phillip then for a period of 6 years to Castile in Toledo with there 2 son's. Phillip's father feared that he would turn France into another version of Castile, and quickly called the couple back to France.

### Mother's Death

In 1197 after Phillip's 33rd birthday, his mother Joanna of Boulogne fell seriously ill with Hay Fever after an allergic reaction, Phillip visited his mother's death-bed with Blanche with tears in his eyes, Phillip attended the funeral, his father remarried Margaret of Burgundy who was about 16 years old when she became Phillip's step-mother, but Phillip was 33, 17 year's older then Margaret. The 2 did not get along and Phillip moved back to his birth place in Flanders with his Queen and children. Phillip knew Margaret of Burgundy before she became his step-mother, Margaret used to be a maid-of-honor to his mother, and a lady-of-the robes to him, Phillip did not really notice Margaret that much until his father declared he was marrying her. But thing's changed after the birth of Phillip's 4th child Isabella of France, Margaret of Burgundy was charged with adultery and imprisoned in Gillard. Phillip was going to stay in Flanders as he liked the place even after Margaret was imprisoned, but Queen Blanche wanted to go back to the French court, and Phillip finally agreed, and Phillip along with his Queen, children, and court moved back to the French court.

## King of France

A few years after Phillip returned to court, his father suffered from sweating sickness, Phillip's Joan notified him and Blanche and there children rushed to meet Charles whom the doctors said was on his death-bed, Charles famously told Phillip, "Don't try to be loved like your grand-father, be feared!" Charles's last word's were "Bring me some-" before he passed away, Phillip was coronaited the next day with Blanche of Castile, there children where 16, 15, 14, 12, 11 and 9. Phillip's daughter's were named "Princesses of France" and Phillip inherited most of his father's land's, except for a few duchies that wen't to his younger brother's his first act was the poison his step-mother, whom he may have actually ordered stabbed, Queen Blanche gave birth to her last child Peter that year.

### Crusades

Phillip now King of France was the head of the army, he also had important crusade duties, sense he was 12 he attended all the Crusades, but he had more of a job now King. The Crusades no longer had numbers, and the last Crusade with a number was the 16th Crusade that ended in Christian defeat and Ottoman victory, Phillip wanted the christian kingdoms to win as he was apart of it, and was furious when the Ottoman's won. Crusade's now were named after people dieties, saints, and kings. The current Crusade going on was the King Henry's Crusade led by the Holy Roman Empire, the Holy Roman Emperor invited Phillip to join and agreed, he left his wife regent of France as he made his way to Jerusalem, Phillip attended with his 15 year old son Louis Auguste. While on Crusade he kicked the Ottoman's out of the Holy city of Acre, and sense there was no Count of Acre, the King of Jerusalem as an award gave it to him for free, this started the 100 year lasting Jerusalemite-French alliance, and Phillip as a gift, presented the King of Jerusalem with the County of Rançon. When Phillip returned home with his son, Blanche famously said after letting them in to the royal court "Now, no more war for you two!" Phillip now had 4 ally's Austria, Castile, Germany, and Jerusalem, but he still had a threat, the King of England who was not really actually a threat.

### Henry III of England

The King of England at the time was Henry III of England who was a weak man, he appointed his wife Eleanor of Provence regent, Phillip did still fear Henry, so in 1216 when Henry's enemy Simon de Montfort asked Phillip for help ceasing the English throne, Phillip agreed. The plan worked and Simon captured Henry, his wife and children. Phillip now free of a threat, he continued his duties. He was knighted by Simon as knight of the Garter for his work.

### Blanche's death

In 1219 Blanche died of unknown causes in her bed. Phillip was shocked and devastated and demanded answer's to her death. Blanche most likely died of malaria while a bug bit her in her sleep. Phillip was devastated and buried her in St. Denis Basilica, a massive funeral was held in her honor, it was a famous custom for King's of France to remarry, his grand-father married 2 times, his father remarried 3 times, and Phillip was expected to remarry as his predecessor's. But Phillip was stubborn and did not wan't his children to be raised hating him because he remarried. But many advisor's suggested he marry his daughter Isabella of France to to King of Naples and give his son's land in other places in France, and he would not be bothered by his children, Phillip agreed to give his young son John the County of Flanders and marry his daughter to the King of Naples. But this did not work out as John rebelled against his father for Antwerp which was the richest town in the Flemish zone, Phillip deposed his son as Count of Flanders, imprisoned him, and later poisoned him, and gave Flanders to his other son Robert who was loyal at first, of course until greed catched up to him and attempted to invade Antwerp, Phillip was a bit nicer on his other son and only removed the title as Count of Flanders and imprisoned him without poisoning him.

### Second Marriage

At the end of the year in 1219, he remarried Isabella of Hainaut after she was suggested by the Hainautian ambassador to France, Phillip invited some of his children to meet there new step-mom, most of them disliked her, but one son loved her a little bit to much, it was the king's eldest son and heir, Louis of France, Isabella and Louis secretly were attracted to each-other, Isabella first hated the idea of living in France, but she quickly loved it because her new lover lived there, Louis was actually betrothed to Brunhilda of Denmark, but Phillip had plan's to break the betrothal once he was King. Isabella of Hainaut gave birth to a daughter named Marie in 1222, and the first person she told she was pregnant was of course Louis.

## Death

Phillip fell ill with fever after the birth of his last child, he briefly got better before he almost collapsed on a set of stairs, the doctor's finally explained why they could not help him, Phillip died the next morning and his son Louis was declared King of France, his son annulled his betrothal to the Danish Princess, and Louis with the pope's permisson proposed to the widowed Queen, Isabella agreed happily and they were married, Louis adopted Phillip's 1 year old daughter as his own, Phillip's body was buried 1 year after his death as Louis had other thing's to do at the time.