Difference between revisions of "Philippa of Hainault" - New World Encyclopedia

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{{Infobox British Royalty|majesty|consort
 
{{Infobox British Royalty|majesty|consort
| name           =Philippa of Hainault
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| name     =Philippa of Hainault
| title           =Queen consort of England
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| title     =Queen consort of England
| image           =Philippa-of-Hainault sm.jpg
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| image     =Philippa-of-Hainault sm.jpg
| imgw           =170px
+
| imgw     =170px
| caption         =
+
| caption     =
| reign           =January 24, 1328 - August 15, 1369
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| reign     =January 24, 1328 - August 15, 1369
| spouse         =[[Edward III of England|Edward III]]
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| spouse     =[[Edward III of England|Edward III]]
| issue           =[[Edward, the Black Prince]]<br/> [[Isabella de Coucy|Isabella, Lady of Coucy]]<br/>[[Joan of England (1334-1348)|Joan of England]] <br/> [[Lionel of Antwerp, 1st Duke of Clarence|Lionel, 1st Duke of Clarence]]<br/>[[John of Gaunt, 1st Duke of Lancaster|John, 1st Duke of Lancaster]]<br/>[[Edmund of Langley, 1st Duke of York|Edmund, 1st Duke of York]]<br/> [[Mary Plantagenet|Mary, Duchess of Brittany]]<br/> [[Margaret Plantagenet, Countess of Pembroke|Margaret, Countess of Pembroke]]<br/>[[Thomas of Woodstock|Thomas, 1st Duke of Gloucester]]
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| issue     =[[Edward, the Black Prince]]<br/> [[Isabella de Coucy|Isabella, Lady of Coucy]]<br/>[[Joan of England (1334-1348)|Joan of England]] <br/> [[Lionel of Antwerp, 1st Duke of Clarence|Lionel, 1st Duke of Clarence]]<br/>[[John of Gaunt, 1st Duke of Lancaster|John, 1st Duke of Lancaster]]<br/>[[Edmund of Langley, 1st Duke of York|Edmund, 1st Duke of York]]<br/> [[Mary Plantagenet|Mary, Duchess of Brittany]]<br/> [[Margaret Plantagenet, Countess of Pembroke|Margaret, Countess of Pembroke]]<br/>[[Thomas of Woodstock|Thomas, 1st Duke of Gloucester]]
| royal house     =[[House of Plantagenet|Plantagenet]]
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| royal house   =[[House of Plantagenet|Plantagenet]]
| titles         =''Her Grace'' The Queen<br/>Lady Philippa of Hainault
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| titles     =''Her Grace'' The Queen<br/>Lady Philippa of Hainault
| father         =[[William I, Count of Hainaut]]
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| father     =[[William I, Count of Hainaut]]
| mother         =[[Joan of Valois (1294-1352)|Joan of Valois]]
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| mother     =[[Joan of Valois (1294-1352)|Joan of Valois]]
| date of birth   ={{birth date|1311|6|24|df=y}}
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| date of birth ={{birth date|1311|6|24|df=y}}
| place of birth =[[Valenciennes]]
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| place of birth =[[Valenciennes]]
| date of death   ={{death date and age|1369|8|15|1311|6|24|df=y}}
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| date of death ={{death date and age|1369|8|15|1311|6|24|df=y}}
| place of death =[[Windsor Castle]]
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| place of death =[[Windsor Castle]]
 
| place of burial =[[Westminster Abbey]]
 
| place of burial =[[Westminster Abbey]]
 
|}}
 
|}}
  
'''Philippa of Hainault''' (born in [[Hainaut, Flanders]]/today [[France]] on June 24 1311 &ndash; August 15 1369) was the [[Queen consort]] of [[Edward III of England]]. Married to Edward at 16, they had 14 children from whom all English monarchs are descended. Theirs was a loving family but in adulthood their sons, John of Gaunt and Thomas of Woodstock; and grandsons King [[Richard II]], [[Richard Langley]] (son of Edmund of Langley) and Henry Bolingbroke were involved in a struggle for the right to the throne of England which led to the [[Wars of Roses]]. [[Henry Bolingbroke]], son of John of Gaunt replaced Richard II as king to become [[Henry IV]].
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'''Philippa of Hainault''' (June 24, 1311 &ndash; August 15, 1369) was the [[queen consort]] of [[Edward III of England]]. Born in [[Hainaut, Flanders]] (today [[France]]) she was married to Edward at 16, and they had 14 children, from whom all subsequent English [[monarch]]s are descended.
  
Philippa was known as a kind and loving woman who was loved by her British subjects. She brought weavers from Holland to introduce their quality work to the English. She survived all but five of her children during her 40 year marriage and died at 58 from dropsy and was buried at Westminster Abbey, eight years later her husband was laid to rest beside her.  
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She is remembered as a gentle queen who persuaded her husband to spare the lives of [[the Burghers of Calais]] after his victory there in 1346. Yet, as regent during her husband's absence on the Continent, Philippa raised an army and won the battle of Neville's Cross, taking the Scottish King [[David II Bruce]] prisoner.
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Philippa was known as a kind and loving woman who was loved by her British subjects, and her marriage was a successful one. After her death, however, a violent struggle broke out among her sons and grandsons for the throne of [[England]], which led to the [[Wars of Roses]].
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{{toc}}
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Philippa survived all but five of her children during her 40-year marriage and died at 58 from [[dropsy]]. She was buried at [[Westminster Abbey]], and eight years later her husband was laid to rest beside her. The [[Queen's College]], [[Oxford University|Oxford]] is named after Philippa.  
  
 
==Life==
 
==Life==
Philippa was born in [[Valenciennes]] (then in [[Flanders]], now [[France]]) and was the daughter of [[William I, Count of Hainaut]] (Count Guillaume/William III de Avesnes of Hainault and Holland) (d.1337)<ref>It seems that she was born in Hainaut, an area of Flanders, yet her father's name is both of Hainaut and Hainault, which seems to indicate the difference due to language, Dutch or French. The sources do not stipulate why there is a difference. There is an area called Hainault near London.</ref> and [[Joan of Valois (1294-1352)|Jeanne of Valois]], (d.1352) the granddaughter of [[Philip III of France]]. She was raised in the cultured court of Hainault where she developed literary tastes and an interest in learning.  
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Philippa was born in [[Valenciennes]] in the County of Hinault and was the daughter of [[William I, Count of Hainaut]] (d. 1337)<ref>Her father's name is both of Hainaut and Hainault, not to be confused with the area called Hainault near London.</ref> and [[Joan of Valois (1294-1352)|Jeanne of Valois]], (d. 1352) the granddaughter of [[Philip III of France]]. She was raised in the cultured court of Hainault where she developed literary tastes and an interest in learning.
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[[Image:Edward III of England.png|thumb|left|150px|King [[Edward III]]]]
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Her marriage to King [[Edward III of England]] was arranged by Edward's mother, [[Isabella of France]]. They were [[second cousin]]s who had met previously and enjoyed each other's company. On January 24, 1328, they were married—he was 15 and she was 16—11 months after his accession to the English throne, following the death of his father. However, Edward's mother, Isabella, ruled as regent together with her lover, [[Roger Mortimer]], the real power behind the throne.
  
Her marriage to King Edward III of England was arranged by Edward's mother, [[Isabella of France]]. They were second cousins who had met previously and enjoyed each others' company. On January 24, 1328, they were married, he was fifteen and she was sixteen, eleven months after his accession to the English throne following the death of his father, she was crowned in 1330. Unlike many of her predecessors, she did not alienate the English people by retaining her foreign retinue upon her marriage or bringing large numbers of foreigners to the English court.
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Philippa was crowned as queen in 1330 in which year she also gave birth to a son. Unlike many of her predecessors, she did not alienate the English people by retaining her foreign retinue upon her marriage or bringing large numbers of foreigners to the English court.  
[[Image:Edward III of England.png|thumb|left|150px|King Edward III]]
 
When Edward was seventeen, he determined to govern the kingdom without the influence of his domineering mother and her lover Mortimer. He shut his mother up in a castle, and sent Mortimer to the Tower where he was sentenced to die. At that point Edward began a series of reforms to correct many abuses caused by Mortimer, and trade with other nations was encouraged.  
 
  
Unlike many queens, Philippa accompanied her husband, Edward, on his expeditions to the [[Kingdom of Scotland]] (1333) and [[Flanders]] (1338-40), where she won acclaim for her gentleness and compassion-even though she was pregnant much of the time. But she is best remembered as the tender-hearted and pregnant woman who interceded with her husband and persuaded him to spare the lives of [[the Burghers of Calais]] (1346) whom he had planned to execute as an example to the townspeople following his successful siege (she said it would be bad for their baby).  
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When Edward was nearly 18, he determined to govern the kingdom without the influence of his domineering mother and her lover Mortimer. He thus staged a coup, exiled his mother up in [[Castle Rising]], and sent Mortimer to the [[Tower of London]], where he was sentenced to die. Edward then began a series of reforms to correct abuses caused by Isabella and Mortimer, engaged in various military campaigns, and encouraged trade with other nations.  
  
Philippa was a competent woman and was appointed Regent of England by her husband Edward when he was absent on the Continent. While alone, the Scots invaded England as far south as Durham in 1346, Philippa raised an army and challenging the enemy on a white horse, her forces won the battle of Neville's Cross, and took the Scottish King [[David II Bruce]] (d.1371) prisoner.  
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Unlike many queens, Philippa accompanied her husband on his military expeditions, for example to the [[Kingdom of Scotland]] (1333) and [[Flanders]] (1338-40), where she won acclaim for her gentleness and compassion. She is best remembered as the tender-hearted woman who interceded with her husband and persuaded him to spare the lives of [[the Burghers of Calais]] (1346) whom he had planned to execute as an example to the townspeople following his successful siege of the city. She reportedly told him such an act would be bad for the baby with which she was currently pregnant.
[[Image:David II of Scotland.jpg|120px|thumb|King David II Bruce]]
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[[Image:David II of Scotland.jpg|120px|thumb|King [[David II Bruce]], whom Philippa defeated in battle and captured]]
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Philippa was appointed regent of England by Edward when he was absent on the Continent. At this time, the Scots invaded England as far south as Durham in 1346. Philippa raised an army and, challenging the enemy on a white horse, inspired her forces to win the battle of Neville's Cross, taking the Scottish King [[David II Bruce]] prisoner.  
  
She brought Flemish weavers to teach the English, beginning with a little colony of weavers at Norwich, often going herself to look after them, and encourage their work. She also encouraged coal-mining, and made the French poet and historian [[Jean Froissart]] her secretary. It was during the reign of her husband Edward III that English became the "official" language in 1363.<ref>[http://womenofhistory.blogspot.com/2007/05/philippa-of-hainault.html Women of History] ''womenofhistory.blogspot.com'' Retrieved November 7, 2008.</ref>
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She also brought Flemish [[weaving|weavers]] to teach the English the craft, beginning with a little colony at Norwich, often going herself to look after them and encourage their work. She also encouraged [[coal]]-mining. She made the French poet and historian [[Jean Froissart]] her secretary. It was during the reign of her husband that English became the "official" language in 1363.
  
Edward and Philippa were reported to have been loving parents, doting on their brood. Philippa even breast fed her children which was unheard of in a fourteenth century noble. They did not force their eldest son, Edward, into a loveless marriage and was allowed to marry for love, Joan, his second cousin, which did not bring a union of two great royal houses of Europe as most other royal offspring were forced to do. Yet rivalry found its way into the family of their grown sons which ultimately led to the challenge to the throne and the ensuing [[Wars of Roses]].  
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Edward and Philippa were reported to have been loving parents, doting on their brood. Philippa breast-fed her children, which was virtually unheard of among the fourteenth-century [[nobility]]. The royal couple did not force their eldest son, Edward, into a loveless marriage. Instead, he was allowed to marry for love relatively late in life, to Joan, his second cousin.  
  
Philippa had grown portly in her later years, and this added to the view most of her English subjects had of her as a friendly, homely, motherly woman whom the nation greatly loved. Philippa outlived nine of her 14 children; two of whom were lost during the [[Black Death]] outbreak in 1348.
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Philippa had grown portly in her later years, and this added to the view most of her English subjects had of her as a friendly, homely, motherly woman whom the nation greatly loved. She outlived nine of her 14 children; two of whom were lost during the [[Black Death]] outbreak in 1348.
 
[[Image:Black Death.jpg|thumb|200px|left|Illustration of the Black Death from the [[Toggenburg]] Bible (1411)]]  
 
[[Image:Black Death.jpg|thumb|200px|left|Illustration of the Black Death from the [[Toggenburg]] Bible (1411)]]  
  
She did not live to see the sad changes leading up to the Wars of the Roses which made her son, Edward's life so unhappy; she did not live to see her husband, a great man with a mind once so mighty, sink into helpless old age.  
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Unfortunately, rivalry found its way into the family of Philippa's grown sons and grandsons, which ultimately led to various challenges to the throne and the ensuing [[Wars of Roses]]. She did not live to see the sad changes leading up to the struggles which made her son [[Edward II]]'s life so tragic; nor did she live to see her husband become a helpless old man whose throne became such an object of contention among his sons and grandsons.
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As she lay dying, Philippa reportedly asked Edward:
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<blockquote>"We have, my husband, enjoyed our long union in peace and happiness, but before we are forever parted in this world, I entreat you will grant me three requests." "Lady, name them," answered Edward, "they shall be granted." "My lord," she whispered, "I beg you will pay all the merchants I have engaged for their wares; I beseech you to fulfill any gifts or legacies I have made to churches and my servants; and when it shall please God to call you hence, that you will lie by my side in the cloisters of [[Westminster Abbey]]." As she passed, the king was in tears. "Lady," he said, "all this shall be done."<ref>[http://www.mainlesson.com/display.php?author=synge&book=englishwomen&story=philippa The Baldwin Project: Philippa of Hainault] ''mainlesson.com''. Retrieved November 7, 2008.</ref></blockquote>
  
As she lay dying, she asked Edward: "We have, my husband, enjoyed our long union in peace and happiness, but before we are forever parted in this world, I entreat you will grant me three requests." "Lady, name them," answered Edward, "they shall be granted." "My lord," she whispered, "I beg you will pay all the merchants I have engaged for their wares; I beseech you to fulfill any gifts or legacies I have made to churches and my servants; and when it shall please God to call you hence, that you will lie by my side in the cloisters of Westminster Abbey." As she passed, the king was in tears. "Lady," he said, "all this shall be done." And Philippa the queen died. He died eight years later.
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On August 15, 1369, Philippa died of an illness akin to [[dropsy]]<ref>A swelling from excessive accumulation of watery fluid in cells, tissues, or serous cavities [syn: edema].</ref> in [[Windsor Castle]]. She was buried at [[Westminster Abbey]]. By all accounts, her 40 year marriage to Edward had been happy, despite his taking a mistress, [[Alice Perrers]] (a young, successful landowner), during the later part of it.
<ref>[http://www.mainlesson.com/display.php?author=synge&book=englishwomen&story=philippa The Baldwin Project: Philippa of Hainault] ''mainlesson.com'' Retrieved November 7, 2008.</ref>
 
  
On August 15, 1369 Philippa died of an illness akin to [[dropsy]] <ref>A swelling from excessive accumulation of watery fluid in cells, tissues, or serous cavities [syn: edema].</ref> in [[Windsor Castle]]. She was buried at [[Westminster Abbey]]. By all accounts, her 40 year marriage to Edward had been happy, despite his taking a mistress, [[Alice Perrers]] (a young, successful landowner), during the later part of it.
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==Legacy==
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[[Image:England Arms 1340-white label.svg|thumb|100px|left|The Black Prince's [[escutcheon (heraldry)|shield]] as heir-apparent]]
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[[Image:Coin of Edward the Black Prince.jpg|thumb|100px|Coin of Edward, the Black Prince]]
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[[Image:Jongaunt.JPG|thumb|100px|[[John of Gaunt]]]]
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[[Image:John of Gaunt-Castile Arms.svg|100px|thumb|left|Coat of arms of [[John of Gaunt]] with lilies of [[France]] and the lions of [[England]]]]
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[[Image:Edmund of Langley, Duke of York.jpg|thumb|100px|Edmund of Langley, Duke of York]]
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[[Image:Stephen.jpg|thumb|left|100px|Stephen, King of the English; Duke of the Normans]]
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Oftentimes a royal woman was seen only as a vehicle to produce an [[heir]]. Philippa outdid herself becoming literally the foremother of all future English monarchs. She also produced many heirs who married into other royal families of [[Europe]] in the fourteenth century.  
  
==Issue==
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Philippa and Edward had 14 children, including five sons who lived into adulthood and whose rivalry would eventually bring about the long-running [[civil war]]s known as the [[Wars of the Roses]]. Their sons are:
{{main|Issue of Edward III of England}}
 
Philippa and Edward had fourteen children, including five sons who lived into adulthood and whose rivalry would eventually bring about the long-running civil wars known as the [[Wars of the Roses]]. Their sons are:
 
  
[[Image:England Arms 1340-white label.svg|thumb|90px|left|The Black Prince's [[escutcheon (heraldry)|shield]] as heir-apparent]][[Image:Coin of Edward the Black Prince.jpg|thumb|100px|Coin of Edward, the Black Prince]]
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*[[Edward, the Black Prince]] (1330-76), "black" refers to his black breast plate and helmet. He was father to King [[Richard II]], and married his cousin, [[Joan of Kent]]. He was a founding member of the [[Order of the Garter]], an English patriotic royal order which signified a shift away from the crusader mentality. He died before his own father did so he never became king.
  
*[[Edward, the Black Prince]] (1330-76), the black title refers to his black breast plate and helmet. He was father to King [[Richard II]], he married his cousin, [[Joan of Kent]]. He was a founding member of the [[Order of the Garter]], an English patriotic royal order signified a shift away from the crusader mentality. He died before his own father did so he never became king, but his own son became king after Edward III's death.  
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*[[Lionel of Antwerp, 1st Duke of Clarence]] (1338-68), married [[Elizabeth de Burgh]], 4th Countess of [[Ulster]], in 1352, received her great Irish land inheritance and in 1347 became the [[Earl of Ulster]]. He became the [[Duke of Clarence]] in 1361, but was unable to gain control over the Irish people and lands. His wife died in 1363 in [[Dublin]], and their daughter Philippa's descendants would claim the throne for the [[House of York]].<ref>Philippa married [[Edmund Mortimer, 3rd Earl of March]] in 1368. Her granddaughter, [[Anne Mortimer]] married into the York branch of the royal family which was the basis of the [[House of York]]'s claim to the throne.</ref>
  
*[[Lionel of Antwerp, 1st Duke of Clarence]] (1338-68), married [[Elizabeth de Burgh]], 4th Countess of [[Ulster]], in 1352, received her great Irish land inheritance and in 1347 became the [[Earl of Ulster]]. He became the [[Duke of Clarence]] in 1361, but couldn't gain control over the Irish people and lands. His wife died in 1363 in [[Dublin]], their daughter Philippa's descendants would claim the throne for the [[House of York]]. <ref>Philippa married [[Edmund Mortimer, 3rd Earl of March]] in 1368. Her granddaughter, [[Anne Mortimer]] married into the York branch of the royal family which was the basis of the [[House of York]]'s claim to the throne.</ref> Lionel then married [[Violante of Pavia]] (Milan) but he died in Alba after falling ill at her home, there was strong suggestion he was poisoned by his father-in-law who many thought didn't like him.
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*[[John of Gaunt, 1st Duke of Lancaster]] (1340-99), was born in [[Ghent]] then called "Gaunt," who supported his weak nephew [[Richard II]] until he died. He married three times, producing 14 children. His first wife was [[Blanche of Lancaster]]. John's legitimate male heirs, the [[Lancasters]], included Kings [[Henry IV]] (son of Blanche) and his descendants, [[Henry V]], and [[Henry VI]]. One daughter, [[Philippa of Lancaster]], became Queen consort of [[John I of Portugal]] and mother of [[King Edward of Portugal]]. Philippa gave birth to several famous princes and princesses of Portugal that became known as the "Illustrious Generation." John of Gaunt then married Constance and fathered [[Katherine of Lancaster]], Queen consort of [[Henry III of Castile]], mother of [[John II of Castile]]. He finally married [[Katherine Swynford]], and their descendants included Kings [[Edward IV]], [[Richard III]], [[Henry VII]] and the subsequent monarchs of the [[House of Tudor]]. All English monarchs from Henry IV on are descendants of John of Gaunt.
[[Image:Jongaunt.JPG|thumb|100px|John of Gaunt, great-grandfather of Margaret Beaufort.]]
 
[[Image:John of Gaunt-Castile Arms.svg|90px|thumb|left|Coat of arms of John of Gaunt asserting his kingship over Castile and Leon, combining the Spanish castle and lion with lilies of France and the lions of England]]
 
*[[John of Gaunt, 1st Duke of Lancaster]] (1340-99), was born in [[Ghent]] then called "Gaunt," who helped his weak nephew Richard II until he died. He married three times producing 14 children. His first wife was [[Blanche of Lancaster]], mother to Kings [[Edward IV]] and [[Richard III]] and great grandparents to [[Henry Tudor]]. <ref>The wealth she brought to the marriage was the foundation of John's fortune. Blanche died of bubonic plague on September 12, 1369 at Bolingbroke Castle, while her husband was away at sea. Their daughter Philippa became Queen of Portugal by marrying [[King John I of Portugal]] in 1387. </ref>John's legitimate male heirs, the Lancasters, included Kings [[Henry IV]], [[Henry V]], and [[Henry VI]]. his daughters [[Philippa of Lancaster]], Queen consort of [[John I of Portugal]] and mother of [[King Edward of Portugal]], known as "Duarte" in Portuguese. John was also the father of [[Elizabeth, Duchess of Exeter]], the mother of [[John Holland, 2nd Duke of Exeter]]. He then married Constance and fathered [[Katherine of Lancaster]], Queen consort of [[Henry III of Castile]], granddaughter of [[Peter of Castile]] and mother of [[John II of Castile]]. He finally married [[Katherine Swynford]] and had her children with him legitimized by the Pope and by royal decree. Descendants of the marriage  included their son [[Henry Beaufort, Bishop of Winchester]] and eventually Cardinal; their granddaughter [[Cecily Neville]], mother to Kings Edward IV and Richard III; and their great-grandson Henry Tudor, who became King of England after the [[Battle of Bosworth Field]] in 1485 and established the House of Tudor. His great-granddaughter, was [[Margaret Beaufort]], (mother of King [[Henry VII]], grandmother to King [[Henry III]], and great grandmother to Queen [[Elizabeth I]]). All monarchs from Henry IV on are descendants of John of Gaunt.<ref>When John of Gaunt died in 1399, his estates were declared forfeit to the crown, as King Richard II had exiled John's son and heir, [[Henry Bolingbroke]], in 1398. Bolingbroke and Richard II were first cousins; their fathers were brothers. Bolingbroke returned from exile to reclaim his confiscated inheritance and deposed the unpopular Richard. Bolingbroke then reigned as King [[Henry IV]] of England (1399–1413), the first of the descendants of John of Gaunt to hold the throne of England.</ref>
 
  
*[[Edmund of Langley, 1st Duke of York]] (1341-1402), his son Richard was instrumental in the challenge to the English throne in the [[Wars of Roses]]. His daughter, Isabella, was mother to Edward, Richard, and ancestor of Kings [[Edward IV]], V and [[Richard III]]; he had another daughter, Constance. He then married [[Joan Holland]] but they had no children.  
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*[[Edmund of Langley, 1st Duke of York]] (1341-1402), his son Richard was instrumental in the challenge to the English throne in the [[Wars of Roses]]. One daughter, Isabella, was ancestor of Kings [[Edward IV]], [[Edward V|V]] and [[Richard III]]. He then married [[Joan Holland]] but they had no children.  
[[Image:Edmund of Langley, Duke of York.jpg|thumb|100px|Edmund of Langley, Duke of York]]
 
  
*[[Thomas of Woodstock, 1st Duke of Gloucester]] (1355-97), was the 14th child. He married [[Eleanor de Bohan]] and inherited the title of [[Earl of Essex]]. His wife's younger sister married [[Henry IV]] who led the group against Richard II, (son of Edward the Black Prince) his nephew.  
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*[[Thomas of Woodstock, 1st Duke of Gloucester]] (1355-97), Philippa's 14th child. He married [[Eleanor de Bohan]] and inherited the title of [[Earl of Essex]]. His wife's younger sister married Henry Bolingbroke/[[Henry IV]] who led the group against Richard II.  
  
 
Another three sons and two daughters died in infancy. There were four surviving daughters:
 
Another three sons and two daughters died in infancy. There were four surviving daughters:
Line 74: Line 83:
 
*[[Joan of England (1334-1348)]], betrothed to [[Castro of Castile]] but died from the [[Black Death]] before she met him.
 
*[[Joan of England (1334-1348)]], betrothed to [[Castro of Castile]] but died from the [[Black Death]] before she met him.
  
*[[Mary Plantagenet]] (1344-1362), betrothed to [[John V of Brittany]], they grew up in the same household together. They married in 1361 and they became the Duke and Duchess of Brittany, but three weeks later she became lethargic and died; she was buried with her sister Joan who died just weeks before.
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*[[Mary Plantagenet]] (1344-1362), betrothed to [[John V of Brittany]], they grew up in the same household together. They married in 1361 and they became the Duke and Duchess of Brittany, but three weeks later she became lethargic and died. She was buried next to her sister Margaret, who died just weeks before.
  
*[[Margaret Plantagenet, Countess of Pembroke|Margaret Plantagenet]] (1346-1361), was betrothed to [[John V of Brittany]] but Mary married him instead. She grew up in the same house with [[John Hastings]] and thus married him at age 13, in 1359 but died two years later.
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*[[Margaret Plantagenet, Countess of Pembroke|Margaret Plantagenet]] (1346-1361), was betrothed to [[John V of Brittany]] but Mary married him instead. She grew up in the same house with [[John Hastings]] and thus married him at age 13, in 1359, but died two years later.
  
==Legacy==
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Through her children, Philippa also reintroduced the bloodline of an earlier English King, [[Stephen of England|Stephen]], into the royal family.  
[[Image:Stephen.jpg|thumb|100px|Stephen, King of the English; Duke of the Normans]]
 
Oftentimes a royal woman was seen only as a vehicle to produce an heir. Philippa outdid herself producing many heirs who married into other royal families of Europe in the fourteenth century. Through her children, Philippa also reintroduced the bloodline of an earlier English King, [[Stephen of England|Stephen]], into the royal family. She was descended from Stephen through Matilda of Brabant, the wife of [[Floris IV, Count of Holland]]. Their daughter [[Adelaide of Holland]] married [[John I of Avesnes]], Count of Hainaut, Philippa's paternal great-grandfather. Matilda of Brabant in turn was the great-granddaughter of Stephen through her mother Matilda of Boulogne, the wife of [[Henry I, Duke of Brabant]].
 
  
[[Image:Philip iv and family.jpg|thumb|left|120px|Philippa's mother, Isabella of France, third from left, with her father, [[Philip IV]], her future French king brothers, and King Philip's brother [[Charles of Valois]]]]
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In her husband's absence in the Continent, she was appointed regent and when the Scottish King David Bruce invaded England, Philippa raised an army and, challenging the enemy on a white horse, inspired her forces to win the battle of Neville's Cross, taking him prisoner.  
Philippa was also a descendant of [[Harold II of England]] through his daughter [[Gytha of Wessex]], married to [[Vladimir II Monomakh]] of Kiev. His bloodline, however, had been reintroduced to the English royal family by Philippa's mother-in-law, [[Isabella of France]], a granddaughter of [[Isabella of Aragon]], the wife of [[Philip III of France]]. Isabella of Aragon's mother, [[Violant of Hungary]], was a daughter of [[Andrew II of Hungary]], a grandson of [[Géza II]] by Euphrosyne of Kiev, herself a granddaughter of Gytha. [[Image:Philippa of Hainault.jpg|thumb|100px|Tomb effigy of Philippa of Hainault]] Through her maternal great-grandmother, [[Maria of Hungary (1257-1323)|Maria of Hungary]], she was descended from [[Elizabeth the Cuman|Elisabeth of Bosnia]] (born before 1241), a daughter of [[Köten|Kuthen]], Khan of the [[Cumans|Cumens]] and his Slavic wife, Galicie of Halicz, thus bringing Western Asian blood into the English royal line.<ref>Van de Pas, Leo. ''WorldRoots.com'' Retrieved November 7, 2008.</ref>
 
  
 
[[The Queen's College, Oxford]] is named after Philippa. It was founded by one of her chaplains, [[Robert de Eglesfield]], in her honor and placed under her care and protection.
 
[[The Queen's College, Oxford]] is named after Philippa. It was founded by one of her chaplains, [[Robert de Eglesfield]], in her honor and placed under her care and protection.
 
== Ancestry ==
 
<div style="clear: both; width: 100%; padding: 0; text-align: left; border: none;" class="NavFrame">
 
<div style="background: #ccddcc; text-align: center; border: 1px solid #667766" class="NavHead">'''Ancestors of Philippa of Hainault'''
 
</div>
 
<div class="NavContent" style="display:none;">
 
<center>{{ahnentafel-compact5
 
|style=font-size: 90%; line-height: 110%;
 
|border=1
 
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|boxstyle_4=background-color: #bfc;
 
|boxstyle_5=background-color: #9fe;
 
|1= 1. '''Philippa of Hainault'''
 
|2= 2. [[William I, Count of Hainaut]]
 
|3= 3. [[Joan of Valois (1294-1352)|Joan of Valois]]
 
|4= 4. [[John II, Count of Holland]]
 
|5= 5. [[Philippa of Luxembourg]]
 
|6= 6. [[Charles of Valois]]
 
|7= 7. [[Marguerite of Anjou and Maine]]
 
|8= 8. [[John I of Avesnes]]
 
|9= 9. [[Adelaide of Holland]]
 
|10= 10. [[Henry V of Luxembourg]]
 
|11= 11. Marguerite of Bar
 
|12= 12. [[Philip III of France]]
 
|13= 13. [[Isabella of Aragon]]
 
|14= 14. [[Charles II of Naples]]
 
|15= 15. [[Maria of Hungary (1257-1323)|Maria of Hungary]]
 
|16= 16. [[Bouchard IV of Avesnes]]
 
|17= 17. [[Margaret II, Countess of Flanders]]
 
|18= 18. [[Floris IV, Count of Holland]]
 
|19= 19. Matilde of Brabant
 
|20= 20. [[Waleran III of Limburg]]
 
|21= 21. [[Ermesinda of Luxembourg]]
 
|22= 22. Henry II, Count of Bar
 
|23= 23. Philippa de Dreux
 
|24= 24. [[Louis IX of France]]
 
|25= 25. [[Marguerite of Provence]]
 
|26= 26. [[James I of Aragon]]
 
|27= 27. [[Violant of Hungary]]
 
|28= 28. [[Charles I of Naples]]
 
|29= 29. [[Beatrice of Provence]]
 
|30= 30. [[Stephen V of Hungary]]
 
|31= 31. [[Elizabeth the Cuman]]
 
}}</center>
 
</div></div>
 
  
 
==Notes==
 
==Notes==
Line 139: Line 97:
  
 
==References==
 
==References==
* Ashley, Mike. ''British Kings & Queens'', Carroll & Graf, 2002. ISBN 0-7867-1104-3
+
* Ashley, Mike. ''British Kings & Queens''. Carroll & Graf, 2002. ISBN 978-0786711048
* Fraser, Antonia. ''The Lives of the Kings and Queens of England'' University of California Press, 2000. ISBN 978-0520224605
+
* Fraser, Antonia. ''The Lives of the Kings and Queens of England''. University of California Press, 2000. ISBN 978-0520224605
* Salmonson, Jessica Amanda. ''The Encyclopedia of Amazons.'' Paragon House, 1991. ISBN 1-55778-420-5
+
* Salmonson, Jessica Amanda. ''The Encyclopedia of Amazons.'' Paragon House, 1991. ISBN 978-1557784209
* Weir, Alison. ''Britain's Royal Family: A Complete Genealogy'', The Bodley Head London, U.K., Pimlico, 2002. ISBN 978-0712642866
+
* Weir, Alison. ''Britain's Royal Family: A Complete Genealogy''. The Bodley Head London, U.K.: Pimlico, 2002. ISBN 978-0712642866
  
 
==External links==
 
==External links==
All links retrieved November 7, 2008.
+
All links retrieved November 23, 2022.
* [http://www.middle-ages.org.uk/philippa-of-hainault.htm Middle Ages] ''middle-ages.org.uk''
 
* [http://www.history.ac.uk/richardII/philippa.html Richard II's Treasure] ''history.ac.uk''
 
* [http://www.mainlesson.com/display.php?author=synge&book=englishwomen&story=philippa The Baldwin Project] ''mainlesson.com''
 
* [http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/plantagenet_kings/65348/ Suite 101 project] ''suite101.com''
 
* [http://www.belgiumtheplaceto.be/famous_belgians_philippa_of_hainault.php Belgium Tourist Office] ''belgiumtheplaceto.be''
 
* [http://www.allbiographies.com/biography-PhilippaofHainault-24900.html All biographies] ''allbiographies.com''
 
* [http://womenofhistory.blogspot.com/2007/05/philippa-of-hainault.html Women of History website] ''womenofhistory.blogspot.com''
 
  
 +
* [http://www.lordsandladies.org/philippa-of-hainault.htm Middle Ages]
 +
* [http://www.history.ac.uk/richardII/philippa.html Richard II's Treasure]
 +
* [http://womenofhistory.blogspot.com/2007/05/philippa-of-hainault.html Women of History website]
  
{{s-start}}
 
{{s-roy|en}}
 
{{s-bef | before = [[Isabella of France]]}}
 
{{s-ttl| title = [[List of English consorts|Queen Consort of England]] | years =24 January 1328 - 15 August 1369}}
 
{{s-aft|after = [[Anne of Bohemia]]}}
 
{{end}}
 
  
 
{{English consort}}
 
{{English consort}}

Latest revision as of 03:56, 24 November 2022

Philippa of Hainault
Queen consort of England
Philippa-of-Hainault sm.jpg
Consort January 24, 1328 - August 15, 1369
Consort to Edward III
Issue
Edward, the Black Prince
Isabella, Lady of Coucy
Joan of England
Lionel, 1st Duke of Clarence
John, 1st Duke of Lancaster
Edmund, 1st Duke of York
Mary, Duchess of Brittany
Margaret, Countess of Pembroke
Thomas, 1st Duke of Gloucester
Titles
Her Grace The Queen
Lady Philippa of Hainault
Royal House Plantagenet
Father William I, Count of Hainaut
Mother Joan of Valois
Born June 24 1311(1311-06-24)
Valenciennes
Died 15 August 1369 (aged 58)
Windsor Castle
Buried
Westminster Abbey

Philippa of Hainault (June 24, 1311 – August 15, 1369) was the queen consort of Edward III of England. Born in Hainaut, Flanders (today France) she was married to Edward at 16, and they had 14 children, from whom all subsequent English monarchs are descended.

She is remembered as a gentle queen who persuaded her husband to spare the lives of the Burghers of Calais after his victory there in 1346. Yet, as regent during her husband's absence on the Continent, Philippa raised an army and won the battle of Neville's Cross, taking the Scottish King David II Bruce prisoner.

Philippa was known as a kind and loving woman who was loved by her British subjects, and her marriage was a successful one. After her death, however, a violent struggle broke out among her sons and grandsons for the throne of England, which led to the Wars of Roses.

Philippa survived all but five of her children during her 40-year marriage and died at 58 from dropsy. She was buried at Westminster Abbey, and eight years later her husband was laid to rest beside her. The Queen's College, Oxford is named after Philippa.

Life

Philippa was born in Valenciennes in the County of Hinault and was the daughter of William I, Count of Hainaut (d. 1337)[1] and Jeanne of Valois, (d. 1352) the granddaughter of Philip III of France. She was raised in the cultured court of Hainault where she developed literary tastes and an interest in learning.

King Edward III

Her marriage to King Edward III of England was arranged by Edward's mother, Isabella of France. They were second cousins who had met previously and enjoyed each other's company. On January 24, 1328, they were married—he was 15 and she was 16—11 months after his accession to the English throne, following the death of his father. However, Edward's mother, Isabella, ruled as regent together with her lover, Roger Mortimer, the real power behind the throne.

Philippa was crowned as queen in 1330 in which year she also gave birth to a son. Unlike many of her predecessors, she did not alienate the English people by retaining her foreign retinue upon her marriage or bringing large numbers of foreigners to the English court.

When Edward was nearly 18, he determined to govern the kingdom without the influence of his domineering mother and her lover Mortimer. He thus staged a coup, exiled his mother up in Castle Rising, and sent Mortimer to the Tower of London, where he was sentenced to die. Edward then began a series of reforms to correct abuses caused by Isabella and Mortimer, engaged in various military campaigns, and encouraged trade with other nations.

Unlike many queens, Philippa accompanied her husband on his military expeditions, for example to the Kingdom of Scotland (1333) and Flanders (1338-40), where she won acclaim for her gentleness and compassion. She is best remembered as the tender-hearted woman who interceded with her husband and persuaded him to spare the lives of the Burghers of Calais (1346) whom he had planned to execute as an example to the townspeople following his successful siege of the city. She reportedly told him such an act would be bad for the baby with which she was currently pregnant.

King David II Bruce, whom Philippa defeated in battle and captured

Philippa was appointed regent of England by Edward when he was absent on the Continent. At this time, the Scots invaded England as far south as Durham in 1346. Philippa raised an army and, challenging the enemy on a white horse, inspired her forces to win the battle of Neville's Cross, taking the Scottish King David II Bruce prisoner.

She also brought Flemish weavers to teach the English the craft, beginning with a little colony at Norwich, often going herself to look after them and encourage their work. She also encouraged coal-mining. She made the French poet and historian Jean Froissart her secretary. It was during the reign of her husband that English became the "official" language in 1363.

Edward and Philippa were reported to have been loving parents, doting on their brood. Philippa breast-fed her children, which was virtually unheard of among the fourteenth-century nobility. The royal couple did not force their eldest son, Edward, into a loveless marriage. Instead, he was allowed to marry for love relatively late in life, to Joan, his second cousin.

Philippa had grown portly in her later years, and this added to the view most of her English subjects had of her as a friendly, homely, motherly woman whom the nation greatly loved. She outlived nine of her 14 children; two of whom were lost during the Black Death outbreak in 1348.

Illustration of the Black Death from the Toggenburg Bible (1411)

Unfortunately, rivalry found its way into the family of Philippa's grown sons and grandsons, which ultimately led to various challenges to the throne and the ensuing Wars of Roses. She did not live to see the sad changes leading up to the struggles which made her son Edward II's life so tragic; nor did she live to see her husband become a helpless old man whose throne became such an object of contention among his sons and grandsons.

As she lay dying, Philippa reportedly asked Edward:

"We have, my husband, enjoyed our long union in peace and happiness, but before we are forever parted in this world, I entreat you will grant me three requests." "Lady, name them," answered Edward, "they shall be granted." "My lord," she whispered, "I beg you will pay all the merchants I have engaged for their wares; I beseech you to fulfill any gifts or legacies I have made to churches and my servants; and when it shall please God to call you hence, that you will lie by my side in the cloisters of Westminster Abbey." As she passed, the king was in tears. "Lady," he said, "all this shall be done."[2]

On August 15, 1369, Philippa died of an illness akin to dropsy[3] in Windsor Castle. She was buried at Westminster Abbey. By all accounts, her 40 year marriage to Edward had been happy, despite his taking a mistress, Alice Perrers (a young, successful landowner), during the later part of it.

Legacy

The Black Prince's shield as heir-apparent
Coin of Edward, the Black Prince
John of Gaunt
Coat of arms of John of Gaunt with lilies of France and the lions of England
Edmund of Langley, Duke of York
Stephen, King of the English; Duke of the Normans

Oftentimes a royal woman was seen only as a vehicle to produce an heir. Philippa outdid herself becoming literally the foremother of all future English monarchs. She also produced many heirs who married into other royal families of Europe in the fourteenth century.

Philippa and Edward had 14 children, including five sons who lived into adulthood and whose rivalry would eventually bring about the long-running civil wars known as the Wars of the Roses. Their sons are:

  • Edward, the Black Prince (1330-76), "black" refers to his black breast plate and helmet. He was father to King Richard II, and married his cousin, Joan of Kent. He was a founding member of the Order of the Garter, an English patriotic royal order which signified a shift away from the crusader mentality. He died before his own father did so he never became king.
  • Lionel of Antwerp, 1st Duke of Clarence (1338-68), married Elizabeth de Burgh, 4th Countess of Ulster, in 1352, received her great Irish land inheritance and in 1347 became the Earl of Ulster. He became the Duke of Clarence in 1361, but was unable to gain control over the Irish people and lands. His wife died in 1363 in Dublin, and their daughter Philippa's descendants would claim the throne for the House of York.[4]
  • John of Gaunt, 1st Duke of Lancaster (1340-99), was born in Ghent then called "Gaunt," who supported his weak nephew Richard II until he died. He married three times, producing 14 children. His first wife was Blanche of Lancaster. John's legitimate male heirs, the Lancasters, included Kings Henry IV (son of Blanche) and his descendants, Henry V, and Henry VI. One daughter, Philippa of Lancaster, became Queen consort of John I of Portugal and mother of King Edward of Portugal. Philippa gave birth to several famous princes and princesses of Portugal that became known as the "Illustrious Generation." John of Gaunt then married Constance and fathered Katherine of Lancaster, Queen consort of Henry III of Castile, mother of John II of Castile. He finally married Katherine Swynford, and their descendants included Kings Edward IV, Richard III, Henry VII and the subsequent monarchs of the House of Tudor. All English monarchs from Henry IV on are descendants of John of Gaunt.
  • Edmund of Langley, 1st Duke of York (1341-1402), his son Richard was instrumental in the challenge to the English throne in the Wars of Roses. One daughter, Isabella, was ancestor of Kings Edward IV, V and Richard III. He then married Joan Holland but they had no children.
  • Thomas of Woodstock, 1st Duke of Gloucester (1355-97), Philippa's 14th child. He married Eleanor de Bohan and inherited the title of Earl of Essex. His wife's younger sister married Henry Bolingbroke/Henry IV who led the group against Richard II.

Another three sons and two daughters died in infancy. There were four surviving daughters:

  • Isabella of England (1332-1379), married Enguerrand VII of Coucy at age 33.
  • Joan of England (1334-1348), betrothed to Castro of Castile but died from the Black Death before she met him.
  • Mary Plantagenet (1344-1362), betrothed to John V of Brittany, they grew up in the same household together. They married in 1361 and they became the Duke and Duchess of Brittany, but three weeks later she became lethargic and died. She was buried next to her sister Margaret, who died just weeks before.
  • Margaret Plantagenet (1346-1361), was betrothed to John V of Brittany but Mary married him instead. She grew up in the same house with John Hastings and thus married him at age 13, in 1359, but died two years later.

Through her children, Philippa also reintroduced the bloodline of an earlier English King, Stephen, into the royal family.

In her husband's absence in the Continent, she was appointed regent and when the Scottish King David Bruce invaded England, Philippa raised an army and, challenging the enemy on a white horse, inspired her forces to win the battle of Neville's Cross, taking him prisoner.

The Queen's College, Oxford is named after Philippa. It was founded by one of her chaplains, Robert de Eglesfield, in her honor and placed under her care and protection.

Notes

  1. Her father's name is both of Hainaut and Hainault, not to be confused with the area called Hainault near London.
  2. The Baldwin Project: Philippa of Hainault mainlesson.com. Retrieved November 7, 2008.
  3. A swelling from excessive accumulation of watery fluid in cells, tissues, or serous cavities [syn: edema].
  4. Philippa married Edmund Mortimer, 3rd Earl of March in 1368. Her granddaughter, Anne Mortimer married into the York branch of the royal family which was the basis of the House of York's claim to the throne.

References
ISBN links support NWE through referral fees

  • Ashley, Mike. British Kings & Queens. Carroll & Graf, 2002. ISBN 978-0786711048
  • Fraser, Antonia. The Lives of the Kings and Queens of England. University of California Press, 2000. ISBN 978-0520224605
  • Salmonson, Jessica Amanda. The Encyclopedia of Amazons. Paragon House, 1991. ISBN 978-1557784209
  • Weir, Alison. Britain's Royal Family: A Complete Genealogy. The Bodley Head London, U.K.: Pimlico, 2002. ISBN 978-0712642866

External links

All links retrieved November 23, 2022.


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