Philippa of Hainault was born on 24 June 1313 in Valenciennes, France. She was the third daughter of Willem, count of Hainault, Holland, and Zeeland in modern-day Belgium and the Netherlands and Jeanne de Valois. She was the granddaughter of a King of France, through her mother’s lineage. Philippa was one of eight siblings.
Jeanne Valois introduced Philippa and the court to French literature. Philippa was described as being, “sensibly brought up by her mother.” Philippa possibly had instruction about numbers, or at least was gifted with a good head for numbers. Philippa’s relatives favored both romances and illuminated books. Philippa gifted Edward with a book for their betrothal, which featured an assortment of texts in French and Latin. As queen, Philippa hired an illuminator. Philippa owned a couple of illuminated psalters. As a couple, Philippa and Edward had upwards of 160 books between them.
Froissart's works describe a queen who took an active military role in the defense of her kingdom, but this romantic view is not supported by other evidence. According to Froissart, Queen Philippa personally led troops in battle against the Scottish invaders who had attacked England in 1346 at the request of Philip VI of Valois, whose forces were being besieged at Calais in France by Philippa's husband. Having assembled all the forces she could, according to Froissart, Philippa then marched them to Newcastle (although other, more reliable evidence suggests that they were probably marched to Durham) and led the makeshift English army at the Battle of Neville's Cross, where she captured King David of Scotland. However, contemporary evidence does not support Froissart's account of the battle: the English army was raised by William Zouch, archbishop of York and Philippa did not go to battle herself; she instead spent the day of the battle in Durham praying for the success of the English army and only went to the battlefield after her army had defeated the Scots.
When Calais finally fell after a long siege, Edward III ordered the six leading burgesses of the city to be taken from the city in chains and then beheaded. According to Froissart, the pregnant Queen Philippa fell to her knees in tears to beseech her husband, as proof of his love for her, to show mercy upon them. Edward released the six burgesses to her care and ceased further military action against the people of the conquered city of Calais. There is no real evidence in support of Froissart's tale, although it has the ring of truth: sixteen years earlier Philippa had intervened in a similar way on behalf of the people of Westminister.
Philippa of Hainault 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.
One of the outstanding innovations Queen Philippa encouraged for her kingdom was industry. Hailing from the Low Country, she knew about weaving and the flourishing industries of her original homeland. She had Flemish weavers immigrate to England and practice their specialized trade in Norwich, personally visiting and taking an interest in their work. She also ordered workers to start coal mining on her personal royal estate.
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.
Phillipa was kind and inclined to be generous and exercised a steadying influence on her husband. Phillipa of Hainault was a popular Queen Consort, who was widely loved and respected, and theirs was a very close marriage, despite Edward's frequent infidelities. She frequently acted as Regent in England during Edward's absences in France.
Physical Characteristics: Philippa of Hainault had not uncomely hair, betwixt blue-black and brown. Her head was clean-shaped; her forehead high and broad, and standing somewhat forward. Her face narrowed between the eyes, and the lower part of her face was still more narrow and slender than the forehead. Her eyes were blackish-brown and deep. Her nose was fairly smooth and even, saved that it was somewhat broad at the tip and somewhat flattened, yet it was no snub-nose. Her nostrils were also broad, her mouth fairly wide. Her lips somewhat full, and especially the lower lip. Her ears and chin were comely enough. Her neck, shoulders, and all her body were reasonably well sharpened; all her limbs were well set and unmaimed. Moreover, she was brown of skin all over, and much like her father. She was neither too tall nor too short.
Quotes from others about the person
"Queen Philippa was a very good and charming person who exceeded most ladies for the sweetness of nature and virtuous disposition." - Joshua Barnes
"The most gentle Queen, most liberal, and most courteous that ever was Queen in her days." - Jean Froissart
Philippa married Edward III of England at York Minster on 30 January 1328, when she was fifteen to eighteen years old. Edward was born in 1312, making him close in age to Philippa. Her arrival and wedding were overshadowed by the death and funeral of Edward II, who was buried a mere four days before Philippa set foot in England. The building in which her wedding took place was leaking, too.
Queen Philippa had fourteen children, but only five of these children outlived their mother. Her first son was born when she was about sixteen, and this son - later known as Edward the Black Prince - would gain battlefield fame, but die before he had the chance to rule England.
William the Good was the count of Hainaut, Avesnes, Holland, and Zeeland from 1304 to his death.
Joan of Valois was a Countess consort of Hainaut, Holland, and Zeeland. She was the second eldest daughter of the French prince Charles, Count of Valois, and his first wife, Margaret, Countess of Anjou.
William II was Count of Hainaut from 1337 until his death. He was also Count of Holland and Count of Zeeland. He succeeded his father, William I, and married Joanna of Brabant in 1334, but had no issue.
Margaret II of Avesnes was Countess of Hainaut and Countess of Holland from 1345 to 1356. She was Holy Roman Empress and Queen of Germany by marriage to Emperor Louis IV the Bavarian.
Joanna of Hainault was a Duchess of Jülich by marriage to William V, Duke of Jülich. She was the third daughter of William I, Count of Hainaut, and Joanna of Valois.
Edward III was King of England and Lord of Ireland from January 1327 until his death; he is noted for his military success and for restoring royal authority after the disastrous and unorthodox reign of his father, Edward II.
John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster was an English prince, military leader, and statesman. He was the third of the five sons of King Edward III of England and Queen Philippa who survived to adulthood.
Edward of Woodstock, known to history as the Black Prince, was the eldest son of King Edward III of England, and thus the heir to the English throne. He died before his father and so his son, Richard II, succeeded to the throne instead.
Edmund of Langley, 1st Duke of York, KG was the fourth surviving son of King Edward III of England and Philippa of Hainault. Like many medieval English princes, Edmund gained his nickname from his birthplace: Kings Langley Palace in Hertfordshire.
Lionel of Antwerp, 1st Duke of Clarence, KG was the third son, but the second son to survive infancy, of the English king Edward III and Philippa of Hainault. He was named after his birthplace, at Antwerp in the Duchy of Brabant.
Thomas of Woodstock, 1st Duke of Gloucester was the fifth surviving son and youngest child of King Edward III of England and Philippa of Hainault.
Joan of England was the daughter of Edward III and his wife, Philippa of Hainault. Joan, also known as Joanna, was born on either December 19, 1333, or January 28, 1334, in the Tower of London. As a child, she was placed in the care of Marie de St Pol, wife of Aymer de Valence and foundress of Pembroke College, Cambridge.
Isabella of England was the eldest daughter of King Edward III of England and Philippa of Hainault, and the wife of Enguerrand de Coucy, Earl of Bedford, by whom she had two daughters. She was made a Lady of the Garter in 1376.
Margaret of England was a royal princess born in Windsor, the daughter of King Edward III of England and his consort, Philippa of Hainault. Margaret would be the last princess born to a reigning English monarch for over a century, until the birth of Elizabeth of York in 1466.
Mary of Waltham Duchess of Brittany was the daughter of King Edward III of England and Philippa of Hainault and was the wife of John IV, Duke of Brittany.
William of Hatfield died in infancy.
Thomas of Windsor died in the infancy of the plague.
William of Windsor in infancy.
Blanche died shortly after birth.
