Philippe II or Philip Augustus was born in 1165 and became Kng of France in 1180. An able leader, he participated in the Crusades and made France a Europen power. To restore the state of his empire he campaigned against King Richard I who tried to maintain Angevin rule over territories in northern France. After Richard's death England was financially crippled and Philip decided to reclaim Normandy, managing to recover territory after territory. He retook all territories held by England.