King Philip V of France
Also known as Philip the Tall (in French, Philippe le Long), Philip V succeeded his brother, Louis X, and made great strides in bringing the power of French royalty back to what it had been under his father (Philip IV). In addition to being king of France, Philip was also king of Navarre.
As second son of King Philip IV, Philip was made count of Poitiers. His elder brother Louis died in 1316 and was survived by a baby daughter, Joan, whose mother was Louis' adulterous first wife; and by his second wife, who was pregnant. Neither of these were particularly good candidates for monarch of France. Philip acted quickly, getting recognized as regent for the unborn child (John) and then, when it died only five days after birth, declaring himself king.
In January of 1317, in the tradition of French kings, Philip IV was anointed at Reims. In February an assembly of nobles, borgeois and doctors of the University of Paris recognized him as king and, in so doing, set forth the principle that Louis' daughter Joan could not succeed to the throne of France because she was a female. They attributed this to "Salic Law," although the original laws governed inheritance and not titles; but, regardless, a precedent was set.
As king, Philip wanted to maintain the peace in order to enable prosperity. He increased government efficiency, stopped the abuses of local officials, and set up a system of local militias led by officers responsible only to the king. His reign was all too brief, however; he died in his late 20s after only five years as king, and was succeeded by his brother, Charles IV.
Important Dates
Recognized as king by assembly: Feb. 2, 1317
Died: Jan. 3, 1322
Related Resources
Medieval France
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