Philip Count of Flanders: Encyclopedia II - Philip Count of Flanders - Count of Flanders

Philip Count of Flanders - Count of Flanders

His reign began in 1157, while he acted as regent and co-count for his father Thierry, who was frequently away on crusade. He defeated Floris III, Count of Holland and stopped the piracy; Floris was captured in Bruges and remained in prison until being ransomed in 1167, in exchange for recognition of Flemish suzerainty over Zeeland. By inheritance, Philip also recovered for Flanders the territories of Waes and Quatre-Métiers. In 1159 Philip married Elisabeth of Vermandois, elder daughter of count Raoul I of Vermandois and Petronilla of Aquitaine. The same year as his father died (1168), his wife inherited a major portion of Vermandois. This pushed Flemish authority further south, at its greatest extent thus far, and threated to completely alter the balance of power in northern France.

Philip governed wisely with the aid of Robert d'Aire, whose role was almost that of a prime minister. They established an effective administrative system, and Philip's foreign relations were excellent: he mediated in disputes between Louis VII of France and Henry II of England, between Henry II and Thomas Becket, and arranged the marriage of his sister Margaret with Baldwin V, Count of Hainaut.

Philip and Elisabeth were childless. In 1175, Philip discovered Elisabeth was committing adultery, and had her lover, Walter de Fontaines, beaten to death. Philip then obtained complete control of her lands in Vermandois from King Louis VII of France. Philip's brothers Matthew and Peter also died without surviving children, so in 1177 he designated Margaret and Baldwin as his heirs, before going on crusade.

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "Count of Flanders", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki