We look a little further and find the lines which bind our trouveres or their families to King
Philip Augustus become closer.
This danger was instrumental in throwing Richard into the arms of
Philip Augustus, who three years earlier had acceded to the throne of France.
Worst of all, Richard fatally undermined England's fiscal base, namely revenue from royal demesne lands, at a time when Philip Augustus was vastly expanding the French royal demesne.
The ensuing squabble quickly turned to full-scale revolt, and as supreme overlord of both John and Hugh, Philip Augustus was provided with an easy opportunity to intervene directly in Angevin affairs.
After a lengthy siege during which local residents were condemned to a horrific existence of depravation and starvation, trapped between the castle walls and the besieging army, Philip Augustus stormed the fortress on March 6th, 1204.
This outstanding accomplishment was facilitated by Philip's able handling and transformation of royal finances (comprehensively analyzed in John Baldwin's masterful study from 1986, The Government of
Philip Augustus, which Bradbury has, in effect, complemented with a political narrative).
But even Duby looks over his shoulder to wonder what would have become of the kingdom of France if the second son of
Philip Augustus, Philip Hurepel, had had a less ambiguous status compared to that of Louis VIII.