PHILIPPE VI, OF VALOIS, King of France, was, son of Charles of Valois, younger brother of Philippe IV., and succeeded to the regency of France on the death of Charles IV., the proclamation of a king being deferred on account of the pregnancy of Charles IV.'s widow; but on her giving birth to a daughter, Philippe caused himself to be crowned king at Reims, May 29, 1328, and assumed royal authority. His right to the throne was deiiied by Edward Hi. of England, the grandson of Philippe IV., who declared that females, though excluded by the Salic law, could transmit their rights to their children, and therefore insisted upon the superiority of his own claims. Philippe, however, was not only already crowned king, but he had the support of the people. Ilis reign commenced gloriously, for marching Into Flanders to support the count against his rebellious subjects, lie wiped out the disgrace of Courtrai by vanquishing the Flem ings at Cassel, Aug. 23, 132S. lie was obliged to give up Navarre (q.v.), as the Salic law of succession did not apply to it, but he retained Champagne and Brie, paying for them a considerable annual stipend. Philippe seems to have had no settled plan of gov ernment, and no systematic political action; his acts were regulated by the whim of the hour, and were mostly calculated to gratify his own vanity and love of show. From 1330 to 1336 constant encroachments had been made upon the English possessions in France, till tit last Edward M.'s patience was exhausted; and, on Aug. 21, 1337, he formally
declared war, and a commencement of this terrible hundred years' contest was made both in Guienne and Flanders; it was can•ed on languidly for several years, the only prominent incident being the destruction of the French fleet off Sluys, June 24. 1340. In Mar., 1343, Philippe established the "gabelle," or monopoly of salt, a heavy percent age tax on all mercantile transactions. The constant round of fetes and tournaments at court was never interrupted, even when the war had well nigh exhausted the wealth of the country, for the money to carry them on was immediately provided by some new tax or fresh confiscation. In 1346 Edward III. landed in Normandy, ravaged the whole country to the environs of Paris, and totally defeated Philippe at Crecy (q.v.). A truce Was then concluded, but the devoted kingdom had no sooner been released from war, than destruction in another and more terrible form, that of the "black death" (q.v.), threatened it. The wild extravagance of the court was nothing lessened by this visita tion; but the financial embarrassments in which Philippe found himself compelled him to agree to the passing of a law (1338) which gave to the assembly of the states the sole power of imposing taxes. He received Dauphine in gift in 1340, purchased Majorca from its unfortunate king, and died Aug. 22, 1350, neither loved nor respected. Be was a despiser of learning and a bigot.