The King Who Foiled the Plantagenets

Philip II Augustus, crowned King of France in 1179 and who reigned until 1223, was the traditional villain in any English account of the Plantagenet family. He battled three Plantagenet kings — Henry II, Richard I, and John — stripping them of most of their power and many of their lands in France. His son, Louis (who succeeded Philip as Louis VIII), was invited by dissident English barons to take the crown of England.

Nemesis: Medieval England's Greatest Enemy, by Catherine Hanley, presents a different view of Philip. It lifts the stereotypical view of Philip as a villain to present him as a man acting in the interests of France.

That Philip emerges as far different than the cartoonish scoundrel of the English histories. He is revealed as a shrewd, intelligent leader, assuming the throne in his mid-teens and steering France through challenges while besting many enemies. Failure would have led to France’s disintegration. Instead, as his reign ended, France was the most powerful state in Europe.

Hanley divides the book into four parts, one for each English king during Philip’s reign: Henry II, Richard I, John, and Henry III. Each part focuses on Philip’s treatment of that king.

The first shows how Philip plays Henry II’s sons against their father and each other. Simultaneously, Philip dealt with rival factions within France. He directly controlled only a small part of France then: the Ile de France around Paris. He held his own against Henry II, while taming his many and powerful internal foes.

The second shows his maneuvers against Richard the Lionhearted. This includes their participation in the Third Crusade and Philip’s attempts to bring Richard, a vassal, to heel. Philip failed in that, but consolidated his position.

The third, covering John’s reign, shows Philip at his zenith. By its end, Philip had defanged the Plantagenet threat in France. His eldest son, Louis, was making a bid for the English crown.

With Henry III, Philip made peace, bringing Louis home. Philip shrewdly realized fighting a boy-king legitimately holding a throne would only diminish Philip’s reputation, undermining his plans for France after his passing. Philip closed his reign as a benevolent sovereign.

Nemesis is a remarkable book, well-researched, well-written, revealing Philip Augustus in a new, positive light. Hanley acknowledges Philip’s faults. He was an imperfect man. She also shows his virtues and how his strengths transformed France into a major power.

“Nemesis: Medieval England’s Greatest Enemy,” by Catherine Hanley, Osprey Publishing, September 2025, 304 pages, $33.98 (Hardcover), $24.50 (E-book), $15.26 (Audiobook)

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This review was written by Mark Lardas, who writes at Ricochet as Seawriter. Mark Lardas, an engineer, freelance writer, historian, and model-maker, lives in League City, TX. His website is marklardas.com.