Philip I of Namur

Philip as depicted on his seal

Philip I (1175 – 9 October 1212), called the Noble, was the margrave of Namur from 1195 until his death. He was the second son of Count Baldwin V of Hainault and Countess Margaret I of Flanders. His paternal grandmother was Alice of Namur.

Baldwin V had fought a war with his uncle Count Henry IV of Luxembourg to establish Namur as independent from Luxembourg in 1190 and in 1194, Emperor Henry VI declared Namur to be a margraviate. Baldwin's will left Namur to Philip, but as a fief of Hainault.^[1] However, Count Theobald I of Bar, who had married Henry of Luxembourg's daughter, Ermesinda, refused to relinquish Namur and attacked Philip, besieging him in Namur.^[2] The war lasted for three years until the Treaty of Dinant, signed on 26 July 1199, recognised Philip as holder of Namur.^[2]

Philip was left as regent of Hainault while his elder brother, Count Baldwin IX of Flanders, went on the Fourth Crusade and acted as guardian to Baldwin's daughters, and Margaret.^[3]

Following Baldwin's capture at Adrianople, Philip was summoned to a meeting by King Philip Augustus of France at Pont de l'Arche.^[4] Philip was forced to swear fealty to the king of France and give Baldwin's daughters as wards of the King.^[5][4] Along with these exactions Philip was forced to marry Marie, daughter of Philip Augustus and Agnes of Merania.^[4]

In Namur, Philip reigned as a peaceful and pious promoter of social development. He intervened as the mediator between many feuding lords. He died of dysentery on 9 October 1212, in Valenciennes. He had designated his twin sister Yolande as heir.

Notes[]

References[]

• Baldwin, John W. (1986). The Government of Philip Augustus: Foundations of French Royal Power in the Middle Ages. University of California Press.
• Bradbury, Jim (1998). Philip Augustus: King of France 1180-1223. Taylor & Francis.
• Freed, John B. (2016). Frederick Barbarossa: The Prince and the Myth. Yale University Press.
• Gade, John A. (1951). Luxembourg in the Middle Ages. E.J. Brill.
• Spiegel, Gabrielle M. (1993). Romancing the Past: The Rise of Vernacular Prose Historiography in Thirteenth Century France. University of California Press.

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