Philippa of Hainaut

French-born queen of England (r. 1327-1369)

• Born: c. 1312
• Birthplace: Bois-de-Valenciennes, France
• Died: August 15, 1369
• Place of death: Windsor, Berkshire, England

Philippa of Hainaut won the hearts of the English subjects of King Edward III, helped him keep the peace, and served as regent during his absences from England. Queen’s College at Oxford University in England is named for Philippa.

Early Life

Philippa of Hainaut (fil-EE-pah uhv HAY-naut) came from royal stock. Her father, William the Good, was count of Hainaut and Holland. Her mother was Jeanne de Valois, granddaughter of King Philip III of France. Philippa first met Edward, her future husband, when his mother, Queen Isabella of France, wife of King Edward II, fled to France with Edward, heir apparent to the British throne, where they first met Philippa.

Isabella’s marriage to King Edward II was collapsing, and she had been fully aware of the widespread rumors of the king’s homosexuality. She had taken a lover, Roger Mortimer, who influenced her considerably. Edward II was a weak king, overly concerned with appearances and possessions, and his subjects became increasingly concerned about his ineptitude. Isabella’s fleeing to Paris with her son Edward III in 1326 led her to fear that some of the king’s minions would track them down and attempt to return Edward III, then fourteen, to England by force. To thwart this threat, Isabella sought refuge with her cousin Jeanne, wife of William the Good and mother of Philippa, at her rural palace in Bois-de-Valenciennes. Jeanne and her husband had four daughters and one son.

Isabella and Edward were welcomed in Valenciennes and were encouraged to remain as long as they wished. Jeanne urged her children to amuse their royal guest Edward while Isabella concentrated on resolving her political dilemma. Edward was shy and withdrawn, except with Philippa, who was the only one among the children with whom he felt at ease. The two grew close in the week that Edward spent at Valenciennes. On leaving, Edward kissed Philippa, who cried uncontrollably at the prospect of his departure. Edward was equally moved. Before she left Valenciennes, Isabella, observing the compatibility of Edward and Philippa, rejoiced and committed Edward to marrying Philippa on his ascent to the throne. She had been plotting an invasion of England and realized that a union of her son with the count of Hainaut’s daughter might well help her to obtain assistance, both financial and military, to implement her plans for an invasion.

Isabella received the assistance she desired. On September 23, 1326, her army and a cadre of seven hundred volunteers from Hainaut landed at Harwich, where they were met by friendly forces that included Henry of Lancaster, Thomas of Norfolk, and many of the most celebrated people of East Anglia, all bent on forcing Edward II’s abdication. Edward II fled to the Tower of London, then attempted to escape to Ireland, but he eventually was captured, and on January 25, 1327, he capitulated, agreeing that Edward III would succeed him.

Edward II abdicated on January 29, 1327. His son’s coronation occurred at Westminster Abbey on February 1, 1327. The new king had turned fourteen the preceding November. Early in April, his ambassadors journeyed to Valenciennes to broker his marriage to Philippa. This union was blocked temporarily when Pope John XXII , disturbed by the tactics used to depose Edward II, denied the dispensation required because Edward and Philippa were distant cousins, placing them within the third degree of consanguinity. Only after Edward personally petitioned the pope for a dispensation did John XXII provide it.

In October, 1327, the proxy union between Philippa and Edward was performed at Valenciennes by the bishop of Lichfield, who brought with him the news of Edward II’s death. The king was first thought to have died from natural causes, but later his death was declared a murder caused by the insertion of hot irons into the former king’s intestines.

Edward III, now occupied with leading royal forces against the Scots, narrowly escaped death when the Scottish forces attacked his encampment, advancing as far as Edward’s tent before they were repulsed. In January, 1328, however, Philippa and Edward were married again, this time in a more traditional royal ceremony at York.

Life’s Work

When Philippa first arrived in England in 1327 with her retinue, Edward could not meet her because he was involved in his battle against the Scots. He charged the constable of Dover with welcoming Philippa and making her comfortable. As Philippa traveled through the counties south of London, the populace, relieved to have a new king, received her enthusiastically.

As her entourage approached villages along the way, Philippa, despite bitter cold weather, insisted on leaving her carriage and riding through each small town on a saddle horse so that she could interact with people, who already regarded Edward III as an idol. His bride was accorded similar status. She delighted Edward’s subjects by insisting on stopping at Canterbury on the way to London to worship at Saint Thomas Becket’s tomb.

When Philippa arrived in London on the morning of Christmas Eve, 1327, London’s church bells clanged their welcome. An array of dignitaries awaited her at the north end of London Bridge. During her stay in London, Philippa won the hearts of everyone she met.

Eager to join her husband, she left London after three days, but her arrival was celebrated for many days after her departure. So bad was the weather that the carriages carrying Philippa’s retainers and wedding gifts were bogged down in mud. The procession did not arrive in York, where Edward awaited, until the end of January, 1328.

A royal wedding ceremony was held the next day. Because Lent was about to begin, Edward and Philippa could not take a honeymoon. The Church forbade sexual intercourse during the forty days of Lent. Finally, when Lent ended, the couple embarked on a leisurely trip through Lincoln and Northampton, arriving at their destination, Woodstock, early in June.

Edward had been dominated since birth by his scheming mother. When Edward became king, Isabella and her paramour, Roger Mortimer, attempted to control him completely. Isabella frequently snubbed Philippa. She delayed Philippa’s coronation because she considered herself the legitimate queen of England.

Philippa was appalled when Isabella arranged for the marriage of her seven-year-old daughter, Joan, to five-year-old David, son of the Scotsman Robert Bruce, in an effort to broker an alliance between England and Scotland. She ordered Edward to travel north to participate in the marriage rites. At the last minute, however, openly defying his mother, he refused to attend the wedding, going only as far as Northampton. Philippa had discerned Isabella’s deviousness and was made miserable by it. Edward now sought a way to escape his mother’s domination, and Philippa gave him her full support and encouragement in these efforts.

Mortimer contrived to have Parliament meet in Winchester, where he laid a trap for Lancaster, Norfolk, and Kent. He insisted that Edward attend, but Edward agreed to do so only if Philippa came along. In the end, the detestable Mortimer destroyed Lancaster and Norfolk and had York, Edward’s uncle, beheaded, forcing Edward’s reluctant approval of the execution. Philippa, still in her teens, was present with Edward at the Parliament in Winchester when these appalling events occurred. Philippa became aware that Isabella was declining mentally and was moving toward an ever-consuming insanity.

The major obligation of most queens is to produce an heir and a “spare” so that the line of ascendancy will be preserved. Philippa was slow to become pregnant, but shortly after Edward returned from France, she was expecting. Edward was determined that Philippa would be queen of England before her first child’s birth. At his insistence, and contrary to Isabella’s wishes, Philippa’s coronation took place in Westminster Abbey on March 4, 1330.

Following the ceremony, Philippa went to Woodstock to await the birth of her child, Edward, born on June 15, 1330. Her husband went with her and stayed beside her until their child was born. Parliament was forced to meet at Woodstock to accommodate the king. Philippa gave birth to seven sons and five daughters between her eighteenth and forty-third years.

When Edward, at seventeen years old, saw his first child, he resolved to escape the stranglehold Isabella and Mortimer had on him. He acted decisively by capturing Mortimer, having him tried, convicted, and transported to London, where he was hanged. Isabella’s insanity was now advanced, but Philippa, inherently gentle and generous, saw to it that she was well cared for. Edward could reign without his mother’s direct influence.

Edward and Philippa had a virtually perfect marriage that lasted until Philippa’s death on August 15, 1369. Philippa often accompanied Edward to battle. She was present in 1333 when the English defeated the Scots decisively at the Battle of Neville’s Cross. She also accompanied the king on his expedition to Flanders between 1338 and 1340.

Philippa served as regent when it was necessary for Edward, at one point king of both England and France, to be away. Although she had little desire to influence government, she intervened in 1347 when Edward threatened to have six burghers of Calais executed. Her intervention saved their lives.

If Philippa had any failing, it was her extravagance. Her generosity regularly caused her expenditures that exceeded the royal income, resulting in huge debts. At one point, when Philippa and her children were in Ghent, Edward had to return to England to raise money. His creditors insisted that Philippa and the children remain in Ghent as security for the debts the royal family had incurred there.

Significance

Philippa was among the most conciliatory queens England ever knew. Her subjects revered her as few public figures are revered. She raised her family well, and five of her sons including Edward, the so-called Black Prince, and John of Gaunt had notable political careers. Her daughters were bright, vital women. Four of them preceded Philippa in death. The loss of her daughter Joan, who died on her honeymoon at age fifteen, caused Philippa to lose her spirit.

Perhaps foreseeing her own death, Philippa engaged Alice Perrers as her personal servant, probably in 1366. It has been suggested that Philippa chose Alice because she thought Alice would be a reasonable substitute for her in Edward’s life after her demise. Actually, Alice did become Edward’s mistress, although their intimate relationship seemingly did not begin until after Philippa died.

Bibliography

Allmand, Christopher. War, Government and Power in Late Medieval France. Liverpool, England: Liverpool University Press, 2000. Despite its seeming focus only on war and government, this book discusses the literary culture of the court of Hainaut, including Philippa and her secretary Jean Froissart.

Bothwell, J. S., ed. The Age of Edward III. York, England: York Medieval Press, 2001. Several of the eleven contributions to this collection touch on Philippa. The fullest discussion is found in Bennett’s chapter, “Isabelle of France, Anglo-French Diplomacy and Cultural Exchange in the late 1350’.”

Crawford, Anne. The Letters of the Queens of England, 1066-1547. Dover, N.H.: A. Sutton, 1994. Includes a chapter that addresses the letters and correspondence of Philippa.

Froissart, Jean. Chronicles. Selected, Translated, and Edited by Geoffrey Brereton. Baltimore: Penguin Books, 1968. These chronicles, compiled by Philippa’s personal secretary from 1362 until her death in 1369, contain valuable insights into the life of the queen and court.

Kay, George F. Lady of the Sun: The Life and Times of Alice Perrers. New York: Barnes and Noble Books, 1966. This account of the life of Philippa’s personal servant who became Edward III’s mistress also contains a succinct overview of Philippa’s life. Chapters 3 and 4 are particularly relevant.

McKisack, May. The Fourteenth Century: 1307-1399. Oxford, England: Clarendon Press, 1959. This comprehensive study of the fourteenth century and of the effects of the Hundred Years’ War on the reign of Edward III contains valuable insights into the political role Philippa played as queen of England.

Sedgwick, Anne Douglas. Philippa. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1930. A dated but still compelling full-scale treatment of Philippa’s life.