1322: Death of Philip V and Succession of Charles IV
p5Philip V the Tall: Stabilizing the Kingdom After the Crisis (1316–1322) · HIGH MIDDLE AGES
Afflicted with illness since 1321, Philip V dies in the night of January 2 to 3, 1322 at the abbey of Longchamp, near Paris. His disappearance tests once again the solidity of Capetian continuity: after Louis X, then Philip V, power passes to the last brother, Charles of La Marche, who becomes Charles IV.
👑 A Quick Transition
The monarchy seeks to avoid a new vacancy: transmission must remain clear and immediate. The continuity of the dynasty is a condition of political order.
⚰️ Burial and Memory
Philip V is buried at Saint-Denis, while his viscera are deposited at the convent of the Jacobins of Paris. His tomb would be desecrated during the Revolution.
🧠 A Kingdom Stabilized, But Not Pacified
Philip V leaves a more administered state, but a kingdom marked by social crises. The dynastic question is contained, without disappearing: it will reappear when the direct line becomes extinct.
The precedent of 1316 weighs afterward: Charles IV dies in turn without male descendant in 1328, which fuels competing claims, notably that of Edward III of England through his mother Isabella, and prepares the Hundred Years’ War.
🧠 Key Points to Remember
- 1322 confirms a continuity through Capetian brothers.
- Succession remains a central issue of political stability.