Page "Philip IV of France" Paragraph 19

The fact that, in little more than a month, Pope Clement V died in torment of the loathsome disease thought to be lupus, and that in eight months Philip IV of France, at the early age of forty-six, perished by an accident while hunting, necessarily gave rise to the legend that de Molay had cited them before the tribunal of God.

Such stories were rife among the people, whose sense of justice had been scandalized by the whole affair.

Even in distant Germany, Philip's death was spoken of as a retribution for his destruction of the Templars, and Clement was described as shedding tears of remorse on his death-bed for three great crimes, the poisoning of Henry VI, and the ruin of the Templars and Beguines.

The throne passed rapidly through Philip's sons, who also died relatively young, and without producing male heirs.

By 1328, his line was extinguished, and the throne had passed to the House of Valois.