548 
History. Philip IL. surnamed ‘the Hardy, succeeded to the 
mum rir throne when he was 25 years old. Had it not been for 
® A.D. 1271, theassistance afforded him by his uncle, Charles of Anjou, 
he would have found it impossible to have extricated 
himself and the remains of his army from the Infidels ; 
but he having defeated them, concluded a peace for his 
nephew, on the favourable conditions that the King of 
Tunis should pay him a large sum of money ; Charles 
himself the ancient tribute due to him as King of Sicily; 
that the Christians in Tunis should enjoy the full exer- 
cise of their religion ; and that the prisoners on each side 
should be exchanged. Little of moment occurred after 
Philip's return to France.. In 1274, he declared war 
against Alphonso of Castile; on the subject of the suc- 
cession to that crown ; but the war soon terminated with- 
out producing any event of consequence. Philip's cha- 
racter led him frequently to engage in enterprises with 
great alacrity and zeal ; but he had not sufficient firmness 
to persevere in them. He was much under the influence 
of the Pope; and to him the papal government’ was in- 
debted for the Venaissin, which they retained till the 
Revolution. 
Philip naturally took great interest inthe affairs of his 
Sicilian uncle, Charles Duke of Anjou, King of Sicily. «And this 
Vespers, _ leads us to notice the Sicilian Vespers. The inhabitants 
A. D. 1982, Of Sicily, when Charles governed with more strictness 
than policy, resolved to rid themselves entirely of the 
French. They were farther excited to revolt by Peter 
ILL. King of Arragon, who laid claim to the throne of 
Sicily, and promised the Sicilians his assistance to expel 
the French. On the evening of Easter day, A. D. 1282, 
the massacre began. . Not a Frenchman was spared. » Pe- 
ter arrived ; was crowned at’*Palermo, and Charles was 
compelled to abandon the island. ‘The Pope, however, 
embraced the side of the latter ; excommunicated Peter, 
and gave his kingdom to Charles the second son of Phi-~ 
lip. The King of France immediately prepared toesta~ 
blish his son on his new throne by force of arms ;:but he 
was not successful, and in 1285, as he was returning 
from this expedition, he died at Perpignan. Letters of 
nobility were first used in France during this reign. 
They were granted to Raoul, a goldsmith. This, how- 
ever, was only a restoration of the old custom of the 
Franks, who were all esteemed equally noble. “A dis« 
tinct and privileged nobility first arose at the close of the 
second race of kings. 
Philip 1V. Philip was succeeded by his son Philip IV. surnam 
A. D. 1285, the Fair. The first object of this monarch was to coms 
fer all differences with his neighbours. To this step 
was led by the derangement of his finances. Al- 
though in thus settling his differences, he was much in- 
debted to Edward I. of England, yet he ungratefully, as 
well as are ag soon afterwards engaged in hostili- 
ties with him; he also rashly attempted to gain pos- 
session of Flanders, which had joined England. But in 
this envérprise he was unsuccessful ; though it cost him 
muely blood and treasure. ‘These events, however, were 
of trifling moment, compared to the quarre] between him 
Quarrely and the Pope Boniface VIIL. a man of a turbulent dispo- 
a the sition, arrogant, and overbearing. | He had _ prohibited 
Pope. 
the ‘clergy from granting any aids. But Philip, bei 
equally determined to secon his: own power, a biing 
Moreover very poor, resolved that the clergy in France 
should contribute, equally with his other subjects, to the 
i of the state; and he resolved not only on this, 
but also forbade them to send money abroad without his 
FRANCE. 
permission. ‘This gave rise to the quarrel b 
niface and the king. The former was by no means 
posed to yield; on the contrary, he appointed as his le 
gate to the court of France, Bernard Saissette, who had b 
rebelled against the king, and who on this, as well as on 
account of ‘his disposition, Boniface must have known 
would be particularly obnoxious to him, This legate 
fully acted up to the orders of his master ; he braved 
Philip at his own court, and threatened him with an in- 
terdict. Philip was so much under the influence of su- 
perstition, or so afraid of the impression it might make 
on his subjects, that he did not bring the legate to trial, 
but contented himself with delivering him into the hand “ 
of his metropolitan. On this the Pope, en |, issued 
a bull, declaring “ that the Vicar of Christ is vested with 
full authority over the kings and kingdoms of the earth; 
and at the same time, the French clergy were ordered to 
repair to Rome, Philip commanded the bull to be com- 
mitted to the flames, and the bishops not to leave France ; 
and he seized the possessions of those who did leave it. 
In this state of things, he had recourse toa most politic 
measure. He assembled the states of the kingdom, and 
they disavowed the claim of the Pope, and recognised 
him as an independent sovereign in his own ki . in 
Having proceeded thus far, Philip resolved to wi 
war against Boniface ; but the Pope was not intimidated. 
He displayed great coolness and courage. Having been 
insulted, ae nee in his own territories, by a band of 
desperadoes hired at the instigation of Philip, he was so 7 
imuch uffected that he died in a'féwdays,| Jetediet XT. 
his successor, a mild and good man, took the interdict 
off Philip; but this Pope was too and wise for the 
age in which he lived. He was taken off by poison A. D. 
1305; and his successor Clement V. being a French- 
man, and entirely in the interest of France, fixed his 
Fesidence in that kingdom. Philip being now at peace, 
turned his attention to the internal affairs of his king- 
dom. Supreme tribunals, called Parliaments, were in« 
stituted, and. the commons, or estate, were for- 
mally admitted into the assemblies of the nation. So wis politi- 
far his measures. were wise and) popular; but, in what cal and fi- 
‘the finances, they were of an ©; charac- nancial 
ter. The royal treasury was exhansted ; and, to remedy ™**“"* 
this evil, the nominal value of money was raised. The 
dilapidation of his finances led the king also to adopt 
another measure still more unjust. The Knights Tem- 
plars, ‘a religious and military order, had ea cape 4 
possessions in almost’every part of Europe, but iale 
in France. In consequence of the severity of the taxes Knights — 
which Philip levied, a sedition arose in Paris; the Knights Templars, 
Ter were accused of having fomented it; orders 
were issued that should all be committed to prison 
in one day; absurd ‘and enormous crimes were impu- 
ted to them. They were ‘put to the rack ; confession 
extorted, or forged confessions imputed to such as were 
firm ; and at last Philip succeeded in destroying most of 
them, and in obtaining possession ad their aaa ’ Soon ¢ 
after this disgraceful proceeding, A. D. 1814, Philip again : 
unsuccessfully attempted to ies Flanders to the crown 
of France; and his death is supposed to have been in 
a great measure occasioned by his failure. : 
He was suceeded by his son Louis X., surnamed Louis X. 
Huten, who was scarcely seated on his throne when he A.D. 
ordered his: prime rye 3 Marans. to + oern un- 
der the pretence of his being guilty of magic, but, in 
reality, that he might gain possession of his wealth, 
