Martin M. Miles' photos with the keyword: Philip II of France

The Basilique Sainte-Marie-Madeleine in Vezelay is a breathtaking jewel of romanesque architecture. This is probably the church I have visited most often all over France. As a young student at the university back in the early 70s I had done some research about the "Cluny Network". Vezelay played a role in that and I had been here a first time. The relics of Sainte Marie-Magdalene had been venerated here and this was a major centre of pilgrimage up to the day when in 1279 Dominican monks in Saint-Maximin-la-Sainte-Baume claimed to have found the "real" sarcophagus of Marie Madeleine. When the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela had developed into a pan-European phenomenon, Vezelay was a gathering point, as here the "Via Lemovicensis" started. Bernard of Clairvaux had preached the Second Crusade to a large crowd at Vezelay in 1146. In 1189, the Frankish and English factions of the Third Crusade met here before departing for the Holy Land. The English army was led by Richard I of England (aka "Richard the Lionheart", "Cœur de Lion"), the Frankish by Philip II of France (aka "Phillipe Auguste") One of the many things, I could not understand as a young student was, how people covered these enormous distances. Many years later, after I had visited Vezelay a couple of times by car, I decided in 2005 to walk to Vezelay. I started (absolutely inexperienced!), in Trier (Treves) - and gave up in Vaucouleurs after about a week. I restarted with some more experience (and less luggage) some weeks later in Vaucouleurs and finally reached Vezelay August 2nd. 2005. There I found the office of the "Association des 'Amis et Pèlerins de Saint-Jacques de la Voie de Vézelay", and there another a long story started, that kept me walking... In 2019 the facade and the narthex were under renovation. I have uploaded already many photos taken in and around Vezelay, so I will add only two this time.

Albi was a wealthy and prospering time already in the 11th century, when a bridge, that still exists, was built, to cross the river Tarn. Albis´s fate changed dramatically, when in 1208 Pope Innocent III and Philip II of France decided to start the Albigensian Crusade to eliminate Catharism in the south of France. Albi was an important center of the Cathars and got nearly completely destroyed between 1209 and 1229. Many Cathars were burnt at the stake in Albi. After Albingensian Crusade Bishop Bernard de Castanet, who as well was the Chief Inquisitor, ordered the building of the cathedral of Sainte-Cécile in 1282. This cathedral, built from red bricks, is a massive statement of power. It is one of the largest brick buildings in the world. I had been in Albi many times before, but in 2017 I stayed in the "Ibis Styles" hotel the first time. I was lucky that I could book the same room in the high rising building I had before. There is an incredible view, so I took photos - again. Early morning.

Albi was a wealthy and prospering time already in the 11th century, when a bridge, that still exists, was built, to cross the river Tarn. Albis´s fate changed dramatically, when in 1208 Pope Innocent III and Philip II of France decided to start the Albigensian Crusade to eliminate Catharism in the south of France. Albi was an important center of the Cathars and got nearly completely destroyed between 1209 and 1229. Many Cathars were burnt at the stake in Albi. After Albingensian Crusade Bishop Bernard de Castanet, who as well was the Chief Inquisitor, ordered the building of the cathedral of Sainte-Cécile in 1282. This cathedral, built from red bricks, is a massive statement of power. It is one of the largest brick buildings in the world. I had been in Albi many times before, but in 2017 I stayed in the "Ibis Styles" hotel the first time. I was lucky that I could book the same room in the high rising building I had before. There is an incredible view, so I took photos - again. Late afternoon.

Richard I of England (aka "Richard Lionheart") was taken prisoner on his return from the Third Crusade by Leopold V, Duke of Austria. He was imprisoned was imprisoned in Dürnstein Castle and later Trifels Castle and was finally released after Emperor Henry VI had received 100,000 pounds of silver as ransom. During this time his brother John Lackland revolted against him with the aid of Philip II of France. Richard Lionheart, who was King of England and Duke of Normandy had this castle built in record time of only two years from 1196 on. After Richard´s death in 1199 the Château Gaillard was taken in 1204 by Philip II, after a lengthy siege. The castle changed hands several times in the Hundred Years' War, but in 1449 the French king captured Château Gaillard from the English definitively, and from then on it remained in French ownership. Henry IV of France ordered the demolition of Château Gaillard in 1599. .. and during the "Tour de France" the wall of the castle is decorated "with a giant "maillot jaune".

Albi was a wealthy and prospering time already in the 11th century, when a bridge, that still exists, was built, to cross the river Tarn. Albis´s fate changed dramatically, when in 1208 Pope Innocent III and Philip II of France decided to start the Albigensian Crusade to eliminate Catharism in the south of France. Albi was an important center of the Cathars and got nearly completely destroyed between 1209 and 1229. Many Cathars were burnt at the stake in Albi. After Albingensian Crusade Bishop Bernard de Castanet, who as well was the Chief Inquisitor, ordered the building of the cathedral of Sainte-Cécile in 1282. This cathedral, built from red bricks, is a massive statement of power. It is one of the largest brick buildings in the world. I had been in Albi a couple of times before, but for the first time I stayed in the Ibis Styles hotel. I had choosen the highrising building, as I knew I would be able to see the cathedral from my room in the morning, in the afternoon and even late at night, when this photo was taken.

Albi was a wealthy and prospering time already in the 11th century, when a bridge, that still exists, was built, to cross the river Tarn. Albis´s fate changed dramatically, when in 1208 Pope Innocent III and Philip II of France decided to start the Albigensian Crusade to eliminate Catharism in the south of France. Albi was an important center of the Cathars and got nearly completely destroyed between 1209 and 1229. Many Cathars were burnt at the stake in Albi. After Albingensian Crusade Bishop Bernard de Castanet, who as well was the Chief Inquisitor, ordered the building of the cathedral of Sainte-Cécile in 1282. This cathedral, built from red bricks, is a massive statement of power. It is one of the largest brick buildings in the world. I had been in Albi a couple of times before, but for the first time I stayed at the Ibis Styles hotel. I had choosen the highrising building, as I knew I would be able to see the cathedral from my room in the morning, in the afternoon and even late at night. So this photo was taken just after sunset.

Albi was a wealthy and prospering time already in the 11th century, when a bridge, that still exists, was built, to cross the river Tarn. Albis´s fate changed dramatically, when in 1208 Pope Innocent III and Philip II of France decided to start the Albigensian Crusade to eliminate Catharism in the south of France. Albi was an important center of the Cathars and got nearly completely destroyed between 1209 and 1229. Many Cathars were burnt at the stake in Albi. After Albigensian Crusade Bishop Bernard de Castanet, who as well was the Chief Inquisitor, ordered the building of the cathedral of Sainte-Cécile in 1282. This cathedral, built from red bricks, is a massive statement of power. It is one of the largest brick buildings in the world. I had been in Albi a couple of times, so I´ll not add more details of the cathedral´s exterior. The cathedral has no portal on the west side. I learned, that the former Cathar quarters were mainly in that direction, so people from there, did not deserve a portal. The architecture of the cathedral is a kind of propaganda against the heretics. The paintings seen below the organ (1736, Christophe Moucherel) depict the Last Judgement. They were painted 1474-1484 and have really horrifying details of physical torture in hell. They remind me on works of Hieronymus Bosch.

Albi was a wealthy and prospering time already in the 11th century, when a bridge, that still exists, was built, to cross the river Tarn. Albis´s fate changed dramatically, when in 1208 Pope Innocent III and Philip II of France decided to start the Albigensian Crusade to eliminate Catharism in the south of France. Albi was an important center of the Cathars and got nearly completely destroyed between 1209 and 1229. Many Cathars were burnt at the stake in Albi. After Albigensian Crusade Bishop Bernard de Castanet, who as well was the Chief Inquisitor, ordered the building of the cathedral of Sainte-Cécile in 1282. This cathedral, built from red bricks, is a massive statement of power. It is one of the largest brick buildings in the world. I had been in Albi a couple of times, so I´ll not add more details of the cathedral´s exterior. Seen here is the nave, facing west. The cathedral has no portal on the west side. I learned, that the former Cathar quarters were mainly in that direction, so people from there, did not deserve a portal. The architecture of the cathedral is a kind of propaganda against the heretics. The paintings seen below the organ (1736, Christophe Moucherel) have really horrifying details of physical torture in hell.

Albi was a wealthy and prospering time already in the 11th century, when a bridge, that still exists, was built, to cross the river Tarn. Albis´s fate changed dramatically, when in 1208 Pope Innocent III and Philip II of France decided to start the Albigensian Crusade to eliminate Catharism in the south of France. Albi was an important center of the Cathars and got nearly completely destroyed between 1209 and 1229. Many Cathars were burnt at the stake in Albi. When, just after the Crusade, Durand de Beaucaire was bishop here, the erection of this fortress and the donjon started. The fortress, what was meant to be the episcopal palace, was enlarged and furher fortified even by his successors. Obviously the Catholic administration did not really feel safe and comfortable in that time. Later, the bishops transformed the structure into a stately palace with Baroque gardens, overlooking the river Tarn. Since the 1920s the Palais de la Berbie hosts the Toulouse-Lautrec Museum. Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec (1864 – 1901) was born in Albi.

Albi was a wealthy and prospering time already in the 11th century, when a bridge, that still exists, was built, to cross the river Tarn. Albis´s fate changed dramatically, when in 1208 Pope Innocent III and Philip II of France decided to start the Albigensian Crusade to eliminate Catharism in the south of France. Albi was an important center of the Cathars and got nearly completely destroyed between 1209 and 1229. Many Cathars were burnt at the stake in Albi. After Albigensian Crusade Bishop Bernard de Castanet, who as well was the Chief Inquisitor, ordered the building of the cathedral of Sainte-Cécile in 1282. This cathedral, built from red bricks, is a massive statement of power. It is one of the largest brick buildings in the world. I had been in Albi a couple of times, but for the first time I stayed at the Ibis Styles hotel. I had choosen the highrising building, as I knew I would be able to see the cathedral from my room in the morning, in the afternoon and even late at night.

Angers, the historical capital of Anjou, inherited by Henry II of England (aka "Henry Plantagenet", "Curtmantle", "Court-manteau", FitzEmpress), Eleanor of Aquitaine´s second husband, in 1151. At that tme Angers was part of the vast "Angevin Empire". In 1204 the region was conquered by Philip II of France. During the 15th century, under the rule of well travelled René of Anjou (aka "Bon Roi René"), a patron of arts, the city developed into a intelectual centre. The half-timbered "Maison d'Adam" in the medieval center of the city dates back to around 1500.