6 - The End of Resistance

Summary

Philip of Marigny, Archbishop of Sens, was the brother of Enguerrand of Marigny, who, as the royal Chamberlain, was Philip IV's principal minister of finance. In 1310 Enguerrand was the rising star of Philip's government, for he was beginning to displace William of Nogaret as the first minister of the royal council. It seems that Enguerrand had drawn the king's attention to his brother, who, as the former bishop of Cambrai, does not seem to have been well known to Philip. The previous archbishop of Sens, Stephen Béquart, had been ill for some months before his death on 29 March 1309, and since December 1308 Philip IV had been pressing the pope to reserve the see and not to nominate a successor without royal advice. This reservation was made on 23 April 1309, and about October, Philip asked for the promotion of the bishop of Cambrai. In March 1310 Philip of Marigny granted his brother a fief at Gainneville, especially bought in December of the previous year, as a reward for his generosity. While the papal commission took its course in Paris, the episcopal inquiries could still continue to hear cases against individual Templars. With this new elevation Philip IV now had effective control of the proceedings in the province of Sens, within which lay the city of Paris. In the second week of May 1310 Philip IV utilised this control to crush the Templar defence.