Philip II Augustus (French: Philippe Auguste; 21 August 1165 – 14 July 1223) is the King of France from 1180 until his death.

A member of the House of Capet, Philip Augustus 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 is one of the most successful mediaeval French monarchs in expanding the royal demesne and the influence of the monarchy.

He breaks up the great Angevin Empire and defeats a coalition of his rivals (German, Flemish and English) at the Battle of Bouvines in 1214.

He reorganizes the government, bringing financial stability to the country and thus making possible a sharp increase in prosperity.

His reign is popular with ordinary people because he checks the power of the nobles and passes some of it on to the growing middle class.