A member of the House of Capet, Philip Augustus (in French: Philippe Auguste) was was born at Gonesse in the Val-d'Oise, the son of Louis VII and his third wife, Adela of Champagne. He was originally nicknamed Dieudonné - the God-given - as he was the first son of Louis VII late in his father's life.

Philip was the King of France from 1180 until his death. He was one of the most successful medieval French monarchs in expanding the royal demesne and the influence of the monarchy. He reorganized the government, bringing financial stability to the country and thus making possible a sharp increase in prosperity. His reign was popular with ordinary people because he checked the power of the nobles and passed some of it on to the growing middle class.

He waged war in turn against the English kings Henry II, Richard I the Lionheart (with whom he also went on the First Crusade, where they had a love affair), and John (against whom he won the final battle of Bouvines, 1214) to evict them from their French possessions, and establish a strong monarchy.