Philip III (31 July 1396 – 15 June 1467), also known as Philip the Good (; ), was Duke of Burgundy from 1419 until his death in 1467. He was a member of a cadet line of the House of Valois, to which all 15th-century kings of France belonged. During his reign, the Burgundian State reached the apex of its prosperity and prestige, and became a leading centre of the arts.

Duke Philip has a reputation for his administrative reforms, for his patronage of Flemish artists (such as Jan van Eyck) and of Franco-Flemish composers (such as Binchois), and for the 1430 seizure of Joan of Arc, whom Philip ransomed to the English after his soldiers captured her, resulting in her trial and eventual execution. In political affairs, he alternated between alliances with the English and with the French in an attempt to improve his dynasty's powerbase. Additionally, as ruler of Flanders, Brabant, Limburg, Artois, Hainaut, Holland, Luxembourg, Zeeland, Friesland and Namur, he played an important role in the history of the Low Countries.

He married three times and had three legitimate sons, all from his third marriage; only one legitimate son reached adulthood. Philip had 24 documented mistresses and fathered at least 18 illegitimate children.

Early life

Philip of Valois-Burgundy was born on 31 July 1396 in Dijon, Duchy of Burgundy, France as the fourth child and first son of John, Count of Nevers (later Duke of Burgundy known as "John the Fearless"; 1371–1419) and his wife and consort, born Margaret of Bavaria (1363–1424). He was a great-grandson of John II, King of France (1319–1364), and a first cousin once removed of the then-ruling king, Charles VI (1368–1422). His father succeeded Philip's grandfather, Philip II ("Philip the Bold", 1342–1404) as Duke of Burgundy in 1404. On 28 January 1405, at the age of eight, Philip was created Count of Charolais as an appanage and was probably engaged to his second cousin, nine-year-old Michelle of France (1395–1422), daughter of King Charles VI on the same day. They were married in June 1409.

In 1415, when the English forces under King Henry V of England invaded France, his father, the Duke of Burgundy, declared neutrality and forbade him from leaving the Duchy of Burgundy to join the French forces.

Early rule and alliance with England

In 1419, at the age of 24, Philip became Duke of Burgundy (fief of France) and Count of Flanders (France), Artois (France) and Count Palatine of Burgundy (Holy Roman Empire), upon the assassination of John the Fearless, his father. Upon receiving the news, he flung himself onto his bed, thrashing about, grinding his teeth and rolling his eyes, Philip accused Charles, the Dauphin of France and Philip's brother-in-law, of planning the murder, which took place during a meeting between John and Charles at Montereau, and negotiated with the English for alliance mere days after. Because of this, he continued to prosecute the Armagnac–Burgundian Civil War, which in turn became entangled in the larger Hundred Years' War. In 1420, Philip allied himself with Henry V of England under the Treaty of Troyes. In 1423, the marriage of Philip's sister Anne to John, Duke of Bedford, regent for Henry VI of England, strengthened the English alliance. It was also during his reign that the Burgundian chapel became the musical centre of Europe, with the activity of the Burgundian School of composers and singers. Esteemed composers such as Gilles Binchois, Robert Morton, and later Guillaume Dufay were all part of Philip's court chapel.

In 1428, van Eyck travelled to Portugal to paint a portrait of the daughter of King John I, the Infanta Isabella, personally for Philip in advance of their marriage. With help from more experienced Portuguese shipbuilders, Philip established a shipyard in Bruges, which helped commerce flourish. Rogier van der Weyden painted his portrait twice on panel. Only copies survive, but in each he is shown wearing the collar of the Order of the Golden Fleece. The only extant original van der Weyden of Philip is a superb miniature known as "Jean Wauquelin presenting his 'Chroniques de Hainaut' to Philip the Good". The painter Hugo van der Goes of the Early Netherlandish school is credited with paintings for the church where Philip's funeral was held.

Family and issue

Marriages and legitimate children

Philip married his second cousin Michelle of France (1395–1422) in June 1409, when he was 12 and she was 14. She was a daughter of Charles VI, King of France (1368–1422) and his wife and consort, Isabeau of Bavaria (–1435). They had one daughter, Agnes, who died in infancy, and Michelle died on 8 July 1422. On 30 November 1424 in Moulins-Engelbert, Philip married the widow of his late paternal uncle, Philip II, Count of Nevers (1389–1415), Bonne of Artois (1396 – 17 September 1425). She was the daughter of Philip of Artois, Count of Eu (1358–1397) and his wife, Marie of Berry, suo jure Duchess of Auvergne (–1434). Bonne died within a year of the wedding, and the couple had no children, leaving Philip with no legitimate sons to this point.

On 7 January 1430 in Bruges, Philip married his third wife, Infanta Isabella of Portugal (21 February 1397 – 17 December 1471), daughter of John I, King of Portugal (1357–1433) and his wife, Philippa of Lancaster (1360–1415) after a proxy marriage the year before. This marriage produced three sons, only one of whom reached adulthood:

  • Anthony of Burgundy (30 September 1430, Brussels – 5 February 1432, Brussels), Count of Charolais;
  • Josse of Burgundy (24 April 1432 – in 1432, after 6 May), Count of Charolais;
  • Charles of Burgundy (10 November 1433, Dijon – 5 January 1477, Nancy), Philip's successor, known as "Charles the Bold".

Mistresses and illegitimate children

Philip had 24 documented mistresses and fathered at least 18 illegitimate children.

  • From Catharina Schaers:
  • Cornille, bastard of Burgundy (circa 1420 – 16 June 1452, Rupelmonde), Lord of Beveren, known as "le Grand Bâtard de Bourgogne" (the Great Bastard of Burgundy), Governor-general of Luxembourg, who died in the Battle of Bazel. He did not marry but had illegitimate issue;
  • From Jeanne de Presles (circa 1400 – circa 1440), daughter of Louis or Raoul de Presles:
  • Anthony, bastard of Burgundy (circa 1421 – 5 May 1504), Count of La Roche, Lord of Beveren and known as "le Grand Bâtard de Bourgogne" after the death of his older half-brother, who married Jeanne-Marie de La Vieville/Viesville (born circa 1430) and had both legitimate and illegitimate issue, becoming founder of the Burgundy-Beveren branch of the family;
  • From Jeanne/Colette Catelaine/Chastellain, also known as Jeanne/Colette de Bosquiel, demoiselle of Quiéry-la-Motte (died 1462), who married Étienne de Bours, also known as Mailltoin (died 1450), governor of Gorgues and Dunkirk:
  • Mary of Burgundy (circa 1426 – 1462), who married Pierre de Bauffremont, Count of Charny (circa 1397 – 1473) in 1447 and had issue;
  • From Nicoletta de Bosquiel:
  • David, bastard of Burgundy, Bishop of Utrecht (circa 1427 – 16 April 1496)
  • From Jacqueline van Steenbergen/Steenberghe:
  • Anne, bastard of Burgundy (circa 1435 – January 1508, Souburg Castle), governess of her niece, Mary, suo jure Duchess of Burgundy ("Mary the Rich; 1457–1482), daughter of her legitimate half-brother Charles; married first Adriaan van Borselen, Lord of Brigdamme (circa 1417 – 1468) then her paternal cousin Adolph of Cleves, Lord of Ravenstein (1425–1492) and had issue;
  • From the wife of a Venetian merchant of the Mercatellis family in Bruges:
  • Raphael of Burgundy, (circa 1437 – 3 August 1508), abbot of Saint Bavo's Abbey in Ghent, titular bishop of Rhosus and bibliophile;
  • From Catharina de Tiesferies (born circa 1425):
  • Baudouin of Burgundy, Lord of Falais (1445, Rijssen – May 1508, Brussels)
  • From Margaretha Post:
  • Philip, bastard of Burgundy, Bishop of Utrecht, Admiral of the Netherlands (1464 – 7 April 1524, Wijk bij Duurstede)
  • From Isabella de la Vigne:
  • Margaret, bastard of Burgundy (died 1455)
  • From Marguerite Scupelins:
  • Jean, bastard of Burgundy (died 25 January 1499, Brussels), provost in Bruges, papal notary, had illegitimate issue;
  • From Célie:
  • Marion, bastard of Burgundy
  • From unknown mothers:
  • Barbe de Steenbourg, abbess in Bourbourg
  • Corneille (died circa 1428)
  • Cornelia, bastard of Burgundy, married André de Toulongeon, Lord of Mornay and Saint-Aubin (died 1432, Palestine)
  • Catherine, bastard of Burgundy, married Humbert de Luyrieux, Lord of La Quelle on 28 June 1460 and had issue
  • Cateline, bastard of Burgundy, an abbess in Ghent (died after 1515)
  • Arthur, died young and had no issue
  • Catherine, a nun
  • Jossine, died young
  • Philippe, bastard of Burgundy, died young
  • Madeleine/Magdalena, bastard of Burgundy
  • Marie, a nun
  • Yolande, bastard of Burgundy (died 3 November 1470), who married Jean d'Ailly, Vidame of Amiens in 1456

Honours

  • : 1st Grand Master and Knight of the Order of the Golden Fleece
  • – Duchy of Orléans: Knight of the Order of the Porcupine

Refused honours

  • : Order of the Garter

References

Sources

  • Lobanov, Aleksandr. "The Indenture of Philip the Good, Duke of Burgundy, of 12 February 1430 and the Lancastrian Kingdom of France". The English Historical Review, volume 130, no. 543, April 2015.

Further reading

  • Brief Profile – Contains a short biography of Philip, from "The Best of Dijon".
  • – Short sketch of the Duke's life.
  • Joan of Arc's First Letter to Philip – Mention of a letter dictated by Joan of Arc to Duke Philip in June 1429, translated by Allen Williamson.
  • Joan of Arc's Second Letter to Philip – Translation by Allen Williamson of a letter dictated by Joan of Arc to Duke Philip on 17 July 1429.
  • Philip III – Article from the Web Gallery of Art.