Traveling Through the Middle Ages: I Was King of France

In 1066, the smoke from the Battle of Hastings had not yet cleared. When Philip woke up, he became the king of France at the age of fourteen. The royal domain only consisted of a corner of the Isle of France, surrounded by tigers and wolves. Sitting on the throne of Paris, he found that he ruled only an isolated island-Ile-de-France. Outside of the Isle of France, every prince in Normandy, Flanders, Champagne, Burgundy, and Aquitaine was more powerful than the royal family. Philip worked step by step, developing his territory, innovating the system, and using his power and wisdom to gradually disintegrate the princes. He annexed Picardy, using the excuse of a divorce. He took Flanders and waited until they themselves were both defeated. He regained Normandy and defeated the famous Norman cavalry. He married the duchess of Aquitaine and acquired the richest southern region of France without any effort. Participating in the epic First Crusade, the Turkic cavalry collapsed before him and the walls of Antioch collapsed at his feet. In the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem, the Pope awarded him the title "Sword of Christ". From the Count of Paris to the Crusader King, from the Île-de-France to all of France.