King of France for only three years from 1223 to 1226. Before his succession, he assisted his father, King Philip II, in several campaigns to win control of French territories belonging to John, the Angevin, or Plantagenet, king of England. In 1215, Louis was offered the crown of England by a group of barons in rebellion against King John; Louis led an expedition to England but was unsuccessful in claiming the throne; John died in the midst of the struggle and was succeeded by his son Henry III. The French invaders were excommunicated by the papal legate in England and were defeated in battle at Lincoln. Louis returned to France in 1217 and there took part in crusades against a dissident religious sect called the Albigenses, or Cathars. After succeeding his father as king, Louis continued Philip's policy of destroying the power basef of the Plantagenets in France and bringing under royal authority the provinces held by the Albigenses in the south of France.
King of France for only three years from 1223 to 1226. Before his succession, he assisted his father, King Philip II, in several campaigns to win control of French territories belonging to John, the Angevin, or Plantagenet, king of England. In 1215, Louis was offered the crown of England by a group of barons in rebellion against King John; Louis led an expedition to England but was unsuccessful in claiming the throne; John died in the midst of the struggle and was succeeded by his son Henry III. The French invaders were excommunicated by the papal legate in England and were defeated in battle at Lincoln. Louis returned to France in 1217 and there took part in crusades against a dissident religious sect called the Albigenses, or Cathars. After succeeding his father as king, Louis continued Philip's policy of destroying the power basef of the Plantagenets in France and bringing under royal authority the provinces held by the Albigenses in the south of France.
King of Castile (1158-1214). He succeeded to the throne on the death of his father Sancho III. Troubled by interference from Navarre in his youth, he later allied Castile with Aragon, forming a connection that was eventually to become the basis for the unification of Spain. He also established Castilian dominance over Leon. In 1170, he married Eleanor, daughter of King Henry II of England. From the 1170s, he resisted encrochment by the Almohads, Muslim invaders from northern Africa. Defeated by the Muslim caliph Yakub al-Mansur at Alarcos in 1195, Alfonso and and allies won a major victory over the Muslin commander at al-Navas de Tolosa in 1212.
King of France Phillip II Augustus
King of France (1180-1223), one of the most powerful monarchs of the Middle Ages. Became co-regent with his father in 1179. From 1181 to 1186, Philip combatted a coalition of barons in Flanders, Burgundy, and Champagne and at their expense increased the royal domain. Philip allied himself with Richard, duke of Aquitane, who in 1189 became Richard I of England, and in ll90 the two kings embarked on the Third Crusade. The kings quarreled, however, and Philip returned to France in ll91. Allied with Holy Roman Emperor Henry VI and Richard's brother, John, later king of England, Philip attacked Richard's territories in France. Richard returned in 1194 and went to war against Philip. By the time of Richard's death in 1199, Philip had been forced to surrender most of the territory he had annexed. Philip subsequently warred against John, who became king of England in ll99; between 1202 and 1205, Philip more than doubled his territory by annexing Normandy, Maine, Brittany, Anjou, Touraine, and Poitou.
A Coalition of European powers, including England, challenged the growing power of France in 1214. Philip's forces, however, decisevely defeated the coalition at the Battle of Bouvines, establishing France as a leading country in Europe.
Philip increased the royal power not only by extending the royal domain, but also by reducing the power of the feudal lords. He replaced the noble officers at court with an advisory council appointed from the middle class and supported the communes against the nobles. France prospered from his judicial, financial and administrative reorganization of the government: serfdom declined, towns grew, and commerce flourished. Philip established Paris as the fixed capital of France, paved the streets, and had many new buildings constructed in the city.King of France (1180-1223), one of the most powerful monarchs of the Middle Ages. Became co-regent with his father in 1179. From 1181 to 1186, Philip combatted a coalition of barons in Flanders, Burgundy, and Champagne and at their expense increased the royal domain. Philip allied himself with Richard, duke of Aquitane, who in 1189 became Richard I of England, and in ll90 the two kings embarked on the Third Crusade. The kings quarreled, however, and Philip returned to France in ll91. Allied with Holy Roman Emperor Henry VI and Richard's brother, John, later king of England, Philip attacked Richard's territories in France. Richard returned in 1194 and went to war against Philip. By the time of Richard's death in 1199, Philip had been forced to surrender most of the territory he had annexed. Philip subsequently warred against John, who became king of England in ll99; between 1202 and 1205, Philip more than doubled his territory by annexing Normandy, Maine, Brittany, Anjou, Touraine, and Poitou.
A Coalition of European powers, including England, challenged the growing power of France in 1214. Philip's forces, however, decisevely defeated the coalition at the Battle of Bouvines, establishing France as a leading country in Europe.
Philip increased the royal power not only by extending the royal domain, but also by reducing the power of the feudal lords. He replaced the noble officers at court with an advisory council appointed from the middle class and supported the communes against the nobles. France prospered from his judicial, financial and administrative reorganization of the government: serfdom declined, towns grew, and commerce flourished. Philip established Paris as the fixed capital of France, paved the streets, and had many new buildings constructed in the city.
Called "The Young," King of France (1137-1180). In the first year of his reign he married Eleanor of Aquitane, daughtr of William X, duke of Aquitane. Louis soon aroused the opposition of Pope Innocent II because of his support of a rival to the papal candidate for the archbishopric of Bourges, and his lands were placed under papal interdict. Louis next fought a 2-year war and conquered Champagne in 1144. In 1147 he joined the unsuccesful Second Crusade as one of its two chief military leaders (the other was Conrad III of Germany). Louis returned to France two years later, and in 1152 his marriage to Eleanor was annulled; in the same year she married Henry of Anjou, later Henry II, king of England. Louis warred with Henry for the possession of Aquitane but renounced all rights to the duchy in ll54, the year Henry became king of England. Between 1157 and 1180 Louis continued sporadic warfare against Henry, who held many French provinces.