Philip IV of France
Philip IV (1268 – 1314), also known as Philip the Fair (French: Philippe le Bel[1]), was King of France from the Capetian dynasty that reigned from 1285 until his death in 1314. He was the husband of Joan I of Navarre, and King of Navarre and Count of Champagne from 1284 to 1305 by virtue of marriage. He is notable for exterminating the public Templar Order.
Biography
Early life
Philip, born in 1268 to the future Philip III of France, and Isabella of Aragon, was part of the House of Capet. In 1270, at two years old, his grandfather's death led to his father becoming king and elder brother Louis as heir. Tragedy struck in January 1271 with the death of Philip's mother, followed by the demise of his younger brother Robert. His father remarried in August 1271, marrying Marie, the daughter of the Duke of Brabant.[2]
By May 1276, Philip's elder brother Louis passed away, making eight-year-old Philip the heir apparent. Rumors circulated about Louis's poisoning, possibly instigated by his stepmother, Marie of Brabant. Despite suspicions, both Philip and his surviving brother Charles lived into adulthood. Philip's education included scholastic training under Guillaume d'Ercuis, his father's almoner. After the Aragonese Crusade's unsuccessful conclusion in 1285, Philip may have negotiated an agreement with Peter III of Aragon for the safe withdrawal of the Crusader army. The motives behind such a deal were questioned, considering Peter had little to gain from provoking a battle or upsetting the young Philip, who had friendly relations with Aragon through his mother.[2]
Persecution of the Templars
Philip rose to the French throne on 5 October 1285, determined to restructure the kingdom's economy. The French crown had become indebted to the Templar Order, which had grown rich through banking.[3] Despite his financial worries, Philip had the Palais de Justice constructed in 1296. There, he secured the dispensation of justice, although the judges soon became known for their corruption.[4]
In order to carry out the reform of the kingdom, Philip hired civil servants such as Guillaume de Nogaret. However, Nogaret was secretly the Mentor of the French Brotherhood of Assassins, and used his influence to manipulate Philip into disbanding the Templar Order. With the poisoning of Pope Benedict XI, the French-aligned Clement V succeeded him.[5] Supported by the Papacy, Philip dissolved the Order to seize its fortunes and crush the political influence it held, urging other European monarchs to do the same.[6]
Condemning the Templars as enemies of the Church,[1] Philip ordered the arrest of all Templars in France, and several raids were performed on 13 October 1307. One these took place at the Temple in Paris, the Order's headquarters. Led by Esquieu de Floyrac and the Master Assassin Thomas de Carneillon, Assassins disguised as Flemish mercenaries arrested Jacques de Molay, the Grand Master of the Templar Order.[7]
As the Grand Master and his fellow Templars were imprisoned, they were charged with heresy and worship of the idol Baphomet. Under torture by Nogaret, Philippe de Marigny and William of Paris, several of them admitted to these charges. On 18 March 1314, de Molay and Geoffroi de Charney were burned at the stake. As Philip and Clement watched, the Grand Master cursed them, cursing Philip to the thirteenth generation of his bloodline, and claiming that they would be punished by God for their actions against the Templars by the end of the year 1314. Ironically later that year, Philip died of a stroke.[7]
Death
Philip experienced a cerebral stroke while hunting at Pont-Sainte-Maxence and passed away a few weeks later on 29 November 1314, in Fontainebleau. He was laid to rest at the Basilica of Saint-Denis on 3 December. His son Louis X succeeded him.[2]
Legacy
In 1550, the French archivist and historian Jean du Tillet would illustrate a painting of Philippe le Bel for the manuscript of French kings; Recueil des rois de France.[2][8]
In October 2012, du Tillet's painting of Philip and details pertaining to his involvement in the Templars downfall were made available to recruits of the second stage of the Animi Training Program. Kept in a dossier of Abstergo Files, the one pertaining to the French king was entitled "File.0.06\Hst_VoxInExcelso".[1]
Gallery
-
Philippe le Bel by Jean du Tillet, 1550
Appearances
- Assassin's Creed: Initiates (first mentioned)
- Assassin's Creed: Revelations (painting only)
- Assassin's Creed: Unity (first appearance)
- Echoes of History (mentioned only)
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Assassin's Creed: Revelations – Abstergo Files: "File.0.06\Hst_VoxInExcelso"
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3
Philip IV of France on Wikipedia
- ↑ Assassin's Creed: Unity – Database: Persecution of the Templars under Philip the Fair
- ↑ Assassin's Creed: Unity – Database: Palais de Justice
- ↑ Assassin's Creed: Unity – Database: Journal of Thomas de Carneillon, October 12, 1307
- ↑ Assassin's Creed: Unity
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 Assassin's Creed: Unity – The Tragedy of Jacques de Molay
- ↑ Recueil des rois de France on Wikipedia
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