HIST 204 Lecture Outline (Spring 2024 – Week 9)

Week 9

CAPETIAN FRANCE, THE LOW COUNTRIES, IBERIA, 987-1314

Tuesday:

Music:

Colin Muset(?), “Renverdie” (13th cent.; 4:49 min.):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0YOMtZOFlHo

Adam de la Halle (born c. 1230 in Arras; active at the Angevin court of Naples beg. 1282; died c. 1288):
Excerpts from “Le Jeu de Robin et Marion” (4:17 min.):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UCIx07t14jw&feature=relate

Main goals of Capetian kings of France (click here for maps of France in 1154 and in the 14th century):

to consolidate their control over their home territory, the Ile-de-France (the region around Paris)
to bring additional territories under their control
to consolidate their sovereignty over the great feudal principalities of France

Royal strategies for achieving these goals included:

1137-1180 Louis VII

married Eleanor, duchess of Aquitaine (marriage dissolved 1152; Eleanor then married Henry Plantagenet, count of Anjou, who in 1154 became King Henry II of England)
went on 2nd Crusade (with Eleanor)
tried to break up Henry II’s Angevin “empire” by instigating rebellion by Henry’s sons
expanded royal justice in France

1180-1223 Philip II “Augustus”

main goals: break-up of Angevin “empire” and extension of French royal power
instigated rebellions by Henry II’s sons against their father
abandoned 3rd Crusade to attack Richard I (“the Lionheart”)’s French possessions
took Normandy and Anjou from John (1203-4)
successful at Bouvines against John’s allies, Germany and Flanders (1214), making French monarchy the strongest in Europe
employed salaried administrators (baillis) rather than local nobles for local governance
enhanced Paris with walls, paving, and great fortress (the Louvre)

1226-1270 Louis IX (canonized as St. Louis in 1297)

main goal: patronage of Church, Christianity, and Crusades
exemplary private life: pious (his hair shirt and shirt survive), peaceable, modest, loved and publicly honored his mother, Blanche of Castile [1188-1252], and wife, Marguerite of Provence
patron of the University of Paris and of the Franciscans and Dominicans
builder of the Sainte-Chapelle (click here for views of the exterior, upper chapel, and lower chapel), to house a relic of the Crown of Thorns (shown here held by Louis, in a window at Tours Cathedral)
personally led two Crusades (both expensive failures; captured in first and died in second)
renowned as dispenser of justice
very anti-Jewish; tried to have Jewish children converted to Christianity
like Henry III of England (and the pope today), on Maundy Thursday publicly washed the feet of poor men (in imitation of Jesus washing the feet of his disciples at the Last Supper)

1285-1314 Philip IV “the Fair” (“le Bel”)

main goals: expulsion of Edward I of England from Gascony; control of French church and papacy (vs. Pope Boniface VIII)
achieved canonization of his grandfather, Louis IX (1297)
taxed French clergy to pay for war with England
attempted to gain control of Flanders, but failed at Courtrai (1302)
called first French representative assembly, Estates-General (1302)
accused Pope Boniface VIII of scandalous crimes and had him seized; arranged for election of French-friendly successor (Clement V), who moved seat of papacy from Rome to Avignon
accused Knights Templars (wealthy military order) of scandalous crimes, had them arrested, convicted, and executed, and seized their French assets
arrested the Jews of France, confiscated their possesions, and expelled them from France

Primary sources:

Thursday:

Philip IV of France vs. Pope Boniface VIII:

1294-1303	Pope Boniface VIII, a canon lawyer, challenges Philip IV “the Fair” of France and Edward I “Longshanks” of England over clerical taxation and papal supremacy:
1296	Papal bull Clericis laicos forbids kings to tax clergy
1300	Boniface declares a Jubilee Year in Rome (he wore this English-embroidered cope at the opening of the Jubilee)
1302	Papal bull Unam sanctam claims that papal supremacy is necessary for every human’s salvation
1303	Philip IV’s Estates-General convicts Boniface VIII of numerous crimes, and a French force briefly captures the pope at Anagni; he is rescued but dies soon after
1305	French-affiliate pope elected, and papacy moves headquarters from Rome to Avignon

Online readings:

King Philip IV (“the Fair”) of France vs. Pope Boniface VIII:

Philip rejects papal authority (1297)
Boniface threatens to depose Philip (1302)
accusation by Philip’s lawyer against Boniface (1303)
https://sites.uwm.edu/carlin/philip-iv/