Question

Which elements contributed to the economic and political strength of the Capetian dynasty in France?


1. the longevity of Capetian kings
2. the fertility of land in the Parisian basin
3. the marriage alliance between Louis VII and Eleanor of Aquitaine
4. Philip II’s claim to be the overlord of Normandy

Answer 1

Correct answers: 1, 2, and 4.

Brief explanations:
- 1 (longevity of Capetian kings): True. The dynasty’s long, relatively uninterrupted male succession produced political stability and accumulation of authority over generations.
- 2 (fertility of land in the Paris basin): True. The productive Île‑de‑France provided the economic base (food surplus, rents, and revenues) that underwrote royal power.
- 3 (Louis VII’s marriage to Eleanor of Aquitaine): False as a lasting strength. The marriage briefly linked Aquitaine to the crown, but their divorce and Eleanor’s remarriage to Henry II of England put vast territories into Plantagenet hands and strengthened a rival.
- 4 (Philip II’s claim to be overlord of Normandy): True. Philip II (Augustus) successfully used his feudal claims to assert overlordship and recover territories like Normandy, greatly expanding and consolidating royal power.