Philip's effigy on his seal
- King Philip I of France (1060-1108)
- AKA: Philip the Amorous
- AKA: Philip the Fair
Philip I the Amorous Capet of France, King of France, was born 23 May 1052 to Henry I of France (1008-1060) and Anna Yaroslavna of Kiev (c1028-1075) and died 29 July 1108 Melun of unspecified causes.
Biography
King Philip I of France, also known as Philip the Amorous or Philip the Fair, was a monarch who ruled the Kingdom of France from 1060 to 1108 as part of the Capetian dynasty. He was born in 1052 in Champagne, France, as the son of King Henry I of France and his second wife, Anne of Kiev.[1] Unusual for the time in Western Europe, his name was of Greek origin, being bestowed upon him by his mother.
Overall, King Philip I of France had a tumultuous personal life, marked by multiple marriages and affairs. However, his reign was also marked by significant political and cultural developments, including the construction of several important churches and the strengthening of the French monarchy.
Early Life
Although he was crowned king at the age of seven, following the death of his father.[2] Until age fourteen (1066) his mother acted as regent, the first queen of France ever to do so. Baldwin V of Flanders (1012-1067) also acted as co-regent.[3]
Kingship
As a young king, he faced several challenges, including rebellions by his vassals and disputes with the Holy Roman Empire over control of the Italian city of Lucca.
Despite these challenges, Philip I was able to consolidate his power and expand his kingdom during his reign. He made alliances with neighboring kingdoms, including England and the Holy Roman Empire, and launched military campaigns to conquer territories from his rivals. He also worked to strengthen the central government of France by reforming the legal system and creating new institutions, such as the Cour des Comptes, which oversaw the finances of the kingdom.
Final Years
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13th-century effigy of King Philip I
According to Abbot Suger:[4]
King Philip daily grew feebler. For after he had abducted the Countess of Anjou, he could achieve nothing worthy of the royal dignity; consumed by desire for the lady he had seized, he gave himself up entirely to the satisfaction of his passion. So he lost interest in the affairs of state and, relaxing too much, took no care for his body, well-made and handsome though it was. The only thing that maintained the strength of the state was the fear and love felt for his son and successor. When he was almost sixty, he ceased to be king, breathing his last breath at the castle of Melun-sur-Seine, in the presence of the [future king] Louis... They carried the body in a great procession to the noble monastery of St-Benoît-sur-Loire, where King Philip wished to be buried; there are those who say they heard from his own mouth that he deliberately chose not to be buried among his royal ancestors in the church of St. Denis because he had not treated that church as well as they had, and because among those of so many noble kings, his own tomb would not have counted for much.
Philip died in the castle of Melun and was buried per his request at the monastery of Saint-Benoît-sur-Loire[5] – and not in St Denis among his forefathers.
Philip I died on July 29, 1108, at the age of 56, while on a hunting trip. He was succeeded by his son, Louis VI of France (1081-1137), who would continue his father's policies and expand the power of the French monarchy.
Family and Marriages
However, Philip I was also known for his personal life, which was marked by scandal and controversy. He had a reputation as a womanizer, and his affairs with several noblewomen, including Bertrade de Montfort (c1059-1117), caused political and social upheaval. In 1092, he divorced his first wife, Bertha van Holland (c1058-1094), and married Bertrade, despite objections from the Church and many of his subjects.
1st Marriage: Bertha of Holland
Philip first married Bertha van Holland (c1058-1094) in 1072.[6] Although the marriage produced the necessary heir, Philip fell in love with Bertrade de Montfort, the wife of Fulk IV, Count of Anjou.
Philip's children with Bertha were:
- Constance of France, Princess of Antioch, married Hugh I of Champagne before 1097[7] and then, after her divorce, to Bohemund I of Antioch in 1106.[8]
- Louis VI of France (1081-1137), next King of France.[8]
- Henry Capet (1083-?) - died young.
- Charles Capet (1085-?)
- Eudes Capet (1087-1096)
2nd Marriage: Bertrada de Montfort
He repudiated Bertha (claiming she was too fat) and married Bertrade on 15 May 1092.[9] In 1094 following the synod of Autun, he was excommunicated by the papal representative, Hugh of Die, for the first time;[9] after a long silence, Pope Urban II repeated the excommunication at the Council of Clermont in November 1095.[10] Several times the ban was lifted as Philip promised to part with Bertrade, but he always returned to her; in 1104 Philip made a public penance and must have kept his involvement with Bertrade discreet.[11] In France, the king was opposed by Bishop Ivo of Chartres, a famous jurist.[12]
Philip's children with Bertrade were:
- Philip, Count of Mantes (1093 – fl. 1123),[13] married Elizabeth, daughter of Guy III of Montlhéry[14]
- Fleury Capet (1093-1119). Seigneur of Nangis [15]
- Cecile Capet (?-1145), married Tancred, Prince of Galilee[16] and then, after his death, to Pons of Tripoli.[17]
Children
| Name | Birth | Death | Joined with |
| Constance Capet (1078-c1125) | 1078 | 1 January 1125 | Hugh de Champagne (c1074-1125) Bohemond I of Antioch (c1058-1111) |
| Louis VI of France (1081-1137) | 1 December 1081 Paris | 1 August 1137 Béthisy-Saint-Pierre | Lucienne de Rochefort (1088-aft1137) Adèle de Savoie (1092-1154) Marie de Breuillet |
| Henry Capet (1083-?) | |||
| Charles Capet (1085-?) | |||
| Eudes Capet (1087-1096) | |||
| Name | Birth | Death | Joined with |
| Philippe Capet (?-?) | |||
| Fleury Capet (1093-1119) | 1093 | 1119 | Alice de Nangis |
| Cecile Capet (?-1145) | |||
Siblings
| Name | Birth | Death | Joined with |
| Fille de France (c1040-1044) | 1040 | 1044 | |
| Name | Birth | Death | Joined with |
| Philip I of France (1052-1108) | 23 May 1052 | 29 July 1108 Melun | Bertha van Holland (c1058-1094) Bertrade de Montfort (c1059-1117) |
| Hugh de Vermandois (1053-1101) | 1053 Meulan-en-Yvelines, France | 18 October 1101 Tarsus, Mersin, Turkey | Adelaide de Vermandois (1064-1120) |
| Emma Capet (1054-c1109) | 1054 | 1109 | |
| Robert Capet (c1055-c1060) | 1055 | 1060 | |
Ancestry Trees
See Also
- wikipedia:en:Philip I of France
- Philip I, Roi des Francs at thePeerage
- Capetian Kings - Foundation for Medieval Genealogy
- Philip I, king of France - Geni.com
- Philip I of France at Find A Grave
- d'Avray, David, ed (2014). "Philip I of France and Bertrade". Dissolving Royal Marriages: A Documentary History, 860–1600. Cambridge University Press.
- Bradbury, Jim (2007). The Capetians: The History of a Dynasty. Bloomsbury Publishing.
- Brown, Elizabeth A. R. (1990). "Authority, the Family, and the Dead in Late Medieval France". French Historical Studies 16 (4 Autumn): 803–832. DOI:10.2307/286323.
- Gabriele, Matthew (2020). "Not so strange bedfellows: new thoughts on King Philip I of Francia’s marriage to Bertrada of Montfort". Journal of Medieval History 46, Issue 5: 499-512.
- Hallam, Elizabeth (1980). Capetian France: 987–1328. Longman Group Ltd.
- Hodgson, Natasha R. (2007). Women, Crusading and the Holy Land in Historical Narrative. The Boydell Press.
- Huscroft, Richard (2016). Tales from the Long Twelfth Century: The Rise and Fall of the Angevin Empire. Yale University Press.
- McDougall, Sara (2017). Royal Bastards: The Birth of Illegitimacy, 800–1230. Oxford University Press.
- Nicholas, Karen S. (1999). "Countess as Rulers in Flanders". In Evergates, Theodore. Aristocratic Women in Medieval France. University of Pennsylvania Press.
- Paul, Nicholas L. (2012). To Follow in Their Footsteps: The Crusades and Family Memory in the High Middle Ages. Cornell University Press. ISBN 9780801450976. https://archive.org/details/tofollowintheirf00paul.
- Petit-Dutaillis, C. (1936). The Feudal Monarchy in France and England:From the 10th to the 13th Century. Routledge. https://archive.org/details/feudalmonarchyin0000peti.
- Power, Daniel (2004). The Norman Frontier in the Twelfth and Early Thirteenth Centuries. Cambridge University Press.
- Rolker, Christof (2009). Canon Law and the Letters of Ivo of Chartres. Cambridge University Press.
- Shepherd, Jonathan (2003). "The 'muddy-road' of Odo Arpin from Bourges to La Charitie-sur-Loire". The Experience of Crusading. 1. Cambridge University Press.
- Abbot Suger. "XIII: Of the death of King Philip". Life of King Louis the Fat. https://sourcebooks.fordham.edu/basis/suger-louisthefat.asp.
- Somerville, Robert (2011). Pope Urban II's Council of Piacenza. Oxford University Press.
- Strickland, Matthew (2016). Henry the Young King, 1155–1183. Yale University Press.
Contemporary Sources
There are several contemporary resources available on the life of King Philip I of France that provide a detailed account of his reign and personal life, essential reading for anyone interested in medieval European history. Here are some of the best resources:
- "The Annals of Bertrand de Guesclin" - This contemporary chronicle provides a detailed account of the reign of Philip I and the political and military events that took place during his reign. It also covers the period leading up to his reign, including the reigns of his predecessors.
- "The Chronicle of Sigebert of Gembloux" - This contemporary chronicle covers the period from the reign of Charlemagne to the reign of Philip I. It provides valuable information on the political, social, and cultural developments that took place during this time.
- "The Life of Louis VI the Fat" by Suger of Saint-Denis - Suger was a close adviser to Louis VI, the son of Philip I, and his account provides insight into the reign of Philip I from the perspective of one of his successors.
- "The History of the Franks" by Gregory of Tours - Although this work was written in the 6th century, it covers the history of the Frankish kingdoms up to the time of Charlemagne, and provides important context for the reign of Philip I.
- "The Art of Courtly Love" by Andreas Capellanus - This work is not a historical account of Philip I's life, but rather a treatise on the conventions of courtly love that were popular in the medieval period. However, it provides insight into the cultural and social context of Philip I's reign, and the ideals of love and romance that were prevalent at the time.
References
- ^ Bradbury 2007, p. 111.
- ^ Strickland 2016, p. 342.
- ^ Hallam 1980, p. 50-51.
- ^ Abbot Suger.
- ^ Brown 1990, p. 807.
- ^ Bradbury 2007, p. 114.
- ^ Paul 2012, p. 38.
- ^ a b Huscroft 2016, p. xi.
- ^ a b Bradbury 2007, p. 119.
- ^ Somerville 2011, p. 118.
- ^ d'Avray 2014, p. 47.
- ^ Rolker 2009, p. 16.
- ^ Power 2004, p. 85.
- ^ Bradbury 2007, p. 131.
- ^ McDougall 2017, p. 155.
- ^ McDougall 2017, p. 159.
- ^ Hodgson 2007, p. 217.
Philip I of France (1052-1108) Born: 23 May 1052 Died: 29 July 1108
| ||
| Regnal titles | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Henry I |
King of the Franks 4 August 1060 – 29 July 1108 |
Succeeded by Louis VI |