Introduction to Philip
Philip, the name of six kings of France and five kings of Spain.
France
The French spelling is Philippe. The first five kings of this name were of the House of Capet; the sixth was the first monarch of the House of Valois.
Most important were:
Philip II (1165–1223), known as Philip Augustus, reigned 1180–1223. He succeeded his father, Louis VII, at a time when much of France was held by England through royal inheritance. Philip spent his lifetime gaining control of French territory. He accompanied Richard I of England on the Third Crusade, then made war against Richard (1194–99), against John of England (1202–04), and against an alliance headed by the Count of Flanders (1213–14). Victory at Bouvines in 1214 made Philip master of most of France. Philip was succeeded by his son Louis VIII.
Philip IV (1268–1314), called the Fair, reigned 1285–1314, succeeding his father, Philip III. He was called "The Fair" because of his handsome face and light hair. By marrying the heiress to Navarre, Philip IV added that kingdom to his own. During his reign, France gained territory by war with England (1294–98) and Flanders (1297–1305) and by annexation of lands of the German Empire bordering France.
Philip increased the power of the monarchy. He expelled the Jews and the Lombard money-lenders twice and suppressed the Knights Templar, in order to seize the properties of the three groups. After long controversy with Pope Boniface VIII, Philip succeeded in having a French pope, Clement V, elected in 1305, and in having the seat of the papacy moved to Avignon, France, in 1309. Three of Philip's sons---Louis X, Philip V, and Charles IV---followed him in turn on the throne.
Philip VI (1293–1350) reigned 1328–50. Cousin to Charles IV, Philip became regent when Charles died before the expected birth of a royal heir. The baby was a girl, and Philip therefore succeeded to the throne. Edward III of England, whose maternal grandfather was Philip IV of France, also claimed the French throne.
In 1328 Philip invaded Flanders and occupied that part of it ceded by previous treaty to France. This disrupted English trade with Flanders, and Edward renewed his claim to the French throne. Hostilities in 1337 marked the beginning of the Hundred Years' War. The French suffered defeat at Crécy (1346) and lost Calais (1347) under Philip. He was succeeded on the throne by his son John II.
Spain
The Spanish spelling is Felipe. The first four kings of this name were of the House of Hapsburg; the fifth was the first Spanish monarch of the House of Bourbon. Most important were:
Philip II (1527–1598) reigned 1556–98. He was the son of Holy Roman Emperor Charles V (Charles I of Spain), who trained Philip to rule by letting him govern some of the Hapsburg domains. Philip's first wife having died, he was married in 1554 to Queen Mary of England. In 1556, Charles abdicated in favor of his brother, Ferdinand, and Philip. Ferdinand became ruler of the Hapsburg Austrian realm and Holy Roman Emperor. Philip became king of Spain and ruler also of the Netherlands, the county of Burgundy, Hapsburg holdings in Italy and Africa, and the Spanish colonial empire in America.
War with France, which had been going on intermittently for more than 50 years, broke out again at once. Although Philip lost the support of England at Mary's death in 1558, he forced France to accept the peace terms of Cateau-Cambrésis in 1559. Queen Elizabeth of England refused his offer of marriage, and a French princess became his third wife.
Philip, a devout Catholic, encouraged the Inquisition as a means of stamping out Protestant heresy in his lands. In 1566 revolts broke out among the Protestants in the Netherlands. The Duke of Alva was sent to quell the uprisings, and his harsh measures quickly brought the seven northern provinces to united rebellion. In 1581 they declared their independence of Spain.
In the meantime Philip's eldest son, Don Carlos, plotted against his father's life and died a prisoner in 1568. A year later the Moriscos, Spanish Moors who had been forcibly Christianized, revolted. They were subdued by Don John of Austria, Philip's illegitimate half brother. In 1570 the Turks occupied Cyprus. Don John led the forces that sailed against them and won a great sea victory at Lepanto. In 1580–81 Philip invaded Portugal, claiming the throne through his mother, and annexed the country and its colonies in America and India.
During this period the English were trading illegally with South America, and their buccaneers were raiding the Spanish Main, in Central America. Philip decided to invade England, and prepared a great fleet, which he called the Invincible Armada. Hostilities started when Sir Francis Drake raided the Spanish fleet at Cadiz in 1587. The next year the Armada met defeat in the English Channel.
In the last year of his life Philip signed the treaty of Vervins with Henry IV of France; each country relinquished all territory taken from the other. Philip was succeeded by Philip III, a son born of his fourth marriage.
Philip V (1683–1746) reigned 1700–24 and 1724–46. He was the Duke of Anjou, second son of Louis of France (known as le Grand Dauphin), son and heir of Louis XIV of France.
The childless Charles II of Spain named Philip as his successor. However, the Austrian House of Hapsburg also had a claim to the Spanish throne, and Philip's accession, threatening to upset the balance of power, caused the War of the Spanish Succession, (1701–14). A year after Philip was acknowledged the rightful king of Spain, his nephew became Louis XV of France. Philip engaged in many intrigues to make himself his nephew's heir. In this pursuit, in 1724 he abdicated in favor of his son Louis. When young Louis died a few months later, Philip returned to the throne. He was succeeded by his son Ferdinand VI.