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How did treaties expand Philip IV of France’s authority in church-controlled territories?

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King Philip IV — Philip IV Philip IV, detail of the statue from his tomb, 14th century; in the abbey church at Saint-Denis, France.

Through the use of treaties, Philip IV of France (Philip the Fair) successfully extended his royal jurisdiction into several ecclesiastical principalities, specifically those of Viviers, Cahors, Mende, and Le Puy.12

These territorial acquisitions were part of a broader strategy of consolidation that allowed the king to assert unprecedented authority throughout his realm. While Philip IV is well known for his intense conflicts with the papacy—most notably his struggle with Pope Boniface VIII over the taxation of the clergy and his subsequent influence over the Avignon papacy—these specific treaties provided a legal and formal mechanism to bring church-controlled territories under the direct administrative reach of the French crown.123

By expanding his domain in this manner, Philip IV strengthened the monarchy's coordinated power, enabling him to govern these lands alongside the rest of his kingdom, even as he continued to navigate complex relationships with other independent lordships and the church hierarchy.12