Philip IV of France

"King Philip, no punishment is too heinous for the great evil you have inflicted upon the Temple. I curse you! Curse you to the thirteenth generation of your blood! You shall be cursed!"

―Jacques de Molay to Philip IV of France at the former's execution, 1314.

Philip IV (1268 – 1314), also known as Philip the Fair (French: Philip le Bel), was King of France from 1285 until his death. Hailing from the Capetian dynasty, he was the husband of Joan I of Navarre, and ruled as King of Navarre and Count of Champagne from 1284 to 1305 by virtue of marriage. He is notable for exterminating the public Knights Templar.

Biography

Early reign

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 Templars, who had grown rich through banking. 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.

Persecution of the Templars

In order to carry out the reform of the kingdom, Philip hired civil servants such as Guillaume de Nogaret. However, Nogaret was secretly the French Assassins' Mentor and used his influence to manipulate Philip into disbanding the Knights Templar. With Nogaret having fatally poisoned Pope Benedict XI, the French-aligned Clement V succeeded him. Supported by the Papacy, Philip dissolved the Knights Templar to seize its fortunes and crush the political influence it held, urging other European monarchs to do the same.

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 Templars' headquarters. Led by Esquieu de Floyrac and the Master Assassin Thomas de Carneillon, Assassins disguised as Flemish mercenaries arrested the Templars' Grand Master Jacques de Molay.

Clement and Philip at de Molay's execution

After 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, claiming that they would be punished by God for their actions against the Templars by the end of the year. Ironically later that year, Philip died of a stroke.

Legacy

As a result of Philip's actions, the Templars could no longer operate publicly. They were forced to go underground, rebuilding themselves as a clandestine organization to influence history and ensure their survival.

In 2012, a 16th-century painting of Philip was included in a series of files documented by the Abstergo Industries.

Gallery

• 
  A 16th century illustration of Philip

Appearances

• Assassin's Creed: Renaissance (first mentioned)
• Assassin's Creed: Initiates (mentioned only)
• Assassin's Creed: Revelations (painting only)
• Assassin's Creed: Unity (first appearance)
• Echoes of History (mentioned only)
• Assassin's Creed Roleplaying Game (mentioned only)