Let us consider... my 23rd great-grandfather King Philip II, or as the French remember him, Philippe Auguste. He was born in 1165, and crowned King of France in 1179, succeeding his ailing father, Louis VII.
Philippe Auguste transformed France from a small feudal state into the most prosperous and powerful country in Europe and checked the power of the French nobles. He re-organized the French government and brought financial stability to his country.
Philippe succeeded, after a twelve year struggle, in depriving England its rule over French lands, most notably Normandy, Brittany, Gascony and Aquitane.
With Paris as his capital, he had the main thoroughfares paved, built a great wall around the city, continued the construction begun in 1163 of Notre-Dame de Paris, constructed the Louvre as a fortress, and gave a charter to the University of Paris in 1200.
Philippe Auguste died at age 57 in 1223, and was succeeded by his son, Louis VIII.
