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Philip III of Burgundy

«the Good»

Duke of Burgundy and builder of a powerful territorial state between France and the Empire. His court was among the most brilliant in fifteenth-century Europe.

1396 – 1467DukeValois-Burgundy
Explore this family · Spanish AtlasBack to people
Portrait of Philip III of Burgundy
Historical portraitPhilip the GoodUnknown artist · Fifteenth centuryWikimedia CommonsPublic domain · PDM 1.0 · Source
Biography

Life of Philip III of Burgundy

Revenge and the English alliance

The son of John the Fearless, he was born in Dijon in 1396. After his father’s murder at Montereau (1419), he allied with England in the Hundred Years’ War and recognised the Treaty of Troyes. In 1435 he reconciled with Charles VII of France at the Peace of Arras.

References: Deutsche Biographie · Encyclopaedia Britannica

Building a state

Through inheritance, purchase and conquest, he acquired Namur, Brabant, Limburg, Hainaut, Holland, Zeeland and Luxembourg, among other territories. He founded the Order of the Golden Fleece in 1430 to mark his marriage to Isabella of Portugal.

References: Deutsche Biographie · Encyclopaedia Britannica

Courtly splendour

His court, moving between Brussels, Bruges, Lille and Dijon, became a model of ceremonial and patronage. He supported painters including Jan van Eyck. He died in Bruges in 1467.

References: Deutsche Biographie · Encyclopaedia Britannica

This complete profile is available in English. Bibliographic titles retain their original language. Links marked ES open the Spanish edition.

Historical profile

Key details

Birth: 31 July 1396 Documented

Death: 15 June 1467 Documented

Role: Duke

Dynasty: Valois-Burgundy

Territories: Burgundy (ES) · Flanders (ES) · Brabant (ES) · Limburg (ES) · Holland (ES) · Hainaut (ES) · Zeeland (ES) · Artois (ES) · County of Burgundy (ES) · Namur (ES) · Luxembourg (ES) · Auxerre (ES) · Ponthieu (ES)

Recorded governments and reigns
Duke · Burgundy · Duchy Pending review1419–1467Effective rule
Count · Flanders · County Pending review1419–1467Effective rule
Duke · Brabant · Duchy Pending review1430–1467Effective rule
Duke · Limburg · Duchy Pending review1430–1467Effective rule
Regent · Holland · Regency Documented1428–1433RegencyGovernment and guardianship arising from the agreement of Delft.
Count · Holland · County Inferred1433–1467Effective rule
Regent · Hainaut · Regency Pending review1428–1433RegencyGovernment and guardianship arising from the agreement of Delft.
Count · Hainaut · County Pending review1433–1467Effective rule
Regent · Zeeland · Regency Pending review1428–1433RegencyGovernment and guardianship arising from the agreement of Delft.
Count · Zeeland · County Pending review1433–1467Effective rule
Count · Artois · County Pending review1419–1467Effective rule
Count · County of Burgundy · County Pending review1419–1467Effective rule
Count · Namur · County Inferred1429–1467Effective ruleRights purchased in 1421; possession taken on John III’s death in 1429.
Duke · Luxembourg · Duchy Disputed1443–1467Effective ruleRights acquired in 1441; city captured in 1443. Some chronologies date the ducal dignity to 1444.
Count · Auxerre · County Pending review1435–1467Effective ruleCounty ceded by the Treaty of Arras, separate from the Duchy of Burgundy.
Count · Ponthieu · County Pending review1435–1467Effective ruleCounty ceded by the Treaty of Arras; the regional polygon is approximate.
Family network

Recorded relationships

Parents
Partners
Children
Crowns and unions

Their titles over time

Follow the changing territories and offices of Philip III of Burgundy. Each title retains its own status.

Governments in 1433

  • Burgundian State10 titles and offices
    View titles and jurisdictions

    Fiefs brought together under the Valois dukes of Burgundy from 1384 and their heirs. Before sharing a duke, each county keeps its colour; the grouping excludes other kingdoms held by the same sovereign. Source for this grouping

  • HollandRegent
    View titles and jurisdictions
    • Holland · ESRegent · Regency1428–1433 · Government and guardianship arising from the agreement of Delft.
  • HainautRegent
    View titles and jurisdictions
    • Hainaut · ESRegent · Regency1428–1433 · Government and guardianship arising from the agreement of Delft.
  • ZeelandRegent
    View titles and jurisdictions
    • Zeeland · ESRegent · Regency1428–1433 · Government and guardianship arising from the agreement of Delft.

Annual dates: overlap within one year does not prove that two offices were held on the same day. Regencies and co-rulerships retain their labels.

How these titles came together
  1. 1419 · FlandersInheritance

    Philip the Good inherited after the murder of his father, John the Fearless. The dynastic succession formed part of a political crisis in the French monarchy.

    ReferenceReference
  2. 1429 · NamurAgreement · Inheritance

    The rights were purchased in 1421; Philip took possession of the county after John III’s death in 1429.

    Connaître la Wallonie · Entrada de Felipe el Bueno en Namur
  3. 1430 · Brabant · LimburgInheritance

    Philip of Saint-Pol’s death without an heir brought the duchy into the main Valois-Burgundy line.

    Biblissima/BnF · Títulos de Felipe el Bueno
  4. 1433 · Holland · Hainaut · ZeelandAgreement

    The agreement of Delft in 1428 preceded Jacqueline’s final renunciation in 1433. The earlier government is recorded as a regency.

    Canon van Nederland · Jacoba de Baviera y la sucesión de 1433Biblissima/BnF · Títulos de Felipe el Bueno
  5. 1435 · AuxerreAgreement

    The Treaty of Arras ceded this county to Philip. It was distinct from the Duchy of Burgundy.

    BnF Gallica · El condado de Auxerre cedido en 1435
  6. 1435 · PonthieuAgreement

    The Treaty of Arras ceded this county to Philip; the regional polygon does not represent every town on the Somme.

    Cambridge University Press · Ponthieu y las ciudades del Somme
  7. 1443 · LuxembourgAgreement · Conquest

    Elizabeth of Görlitz sold her rights in 1441; Philip captured the city in 1443. The ducal dignity is sometimes dated to 1444.

    Gobierno de Luxemburgo · Adquisición y toma de 1443Biblissima/BnF · Títulos de Felipe el Bueno

Selected explained accessions. Other titles remain in the profile’s list of recorded governments.

Documentation

Sources for this profile

Biographical and contextual references in their original language. Sources and methodology.

Evidence for this profile

32 recorded claims · 19 without a claim-specific source. Context references do not by themselves verify every fact.

Dates (2/2 with a precise source)
Family and relationships (2/4 with a precise source)
Governments (4/16 with a precise source)
  • GovernmentPending review

    Duke · Burgundy · 1419–1467

    A precise source has not yet been added.
    No individual review recorded ·
  • GovernmentPending review

    Count · Flanders · 1419–1467

    A precise source has not yet been added.
    No individual review recorded ·
  • GovernmentPending review

    Duke · Brabant · 1430–1467

    A precise source has not yet been added.
    No individual review recorded ·
  • GovernmentPending review

    Duke · Limburg · 1430–1467

    A precise source has not yet been added.
    No individual review recorded ·
  • GovernmentDocumented

    Regent · Holland · 1428–1433

    The agreement of Delft established the regency; the comital title followed Jacqueline’s renunciation in 1433.
    Canon van Nederland · Jacoba van Beieren · Agreement of Delft of 1428 and renunciation of 1433
    Reviewed on 2026-09-30 by El Árbol de Europa ·
  • GovernmentInferred

    Count · Holland · 1433–1467

    Accession through Jacqueline’s renunciation in 1433 is documented; the end is inferred from Philip’s death in 1467.
    Canon van Nederland · Jacoba van Beieren · Agreement of Delft of 1428 and renunciation of 1433
    Reviewed on 2026-09-30 by El Árbol de Europa ·
  • GovernmentPending review

    Regent · Hainaut · 1428–1433

    A precise source has not yet been added.
    No individual review recorded ·
  • GovernmentPending review

    Count · Hainaut · 1433–1467

    A precise source has not yet been added.
    No individual review recorded ·
  • GovernmentPending review

    Regent · Zeeland · 1428–1433

    A precise source has not yet been added.
    No individual review recorded ·
  • GovernmentPending review

    Count · Zeeland · 1433–1467

    A precise source has not yet been added.
    No individual review recorded ·
  • GovernmentPending review

    Count · Artois · 1419–1467

    A precise source has not yet been added.
    No individual review recorded ·
  • GovernmentPending review

    Count · County of Burgundy · 1419–1467

    A precise source has not yet been added.
    No individual review recorded ·
  • GovernmentInferred

    Count · Namur · 1429–1467

    The taking of possession in 1429 is documented; the end corresponds to the duke’s death and requires a source specific to the county.
    Connaître la Wallonie · Namur en 1429 · John III dies and Philip the Good takes possession in 1429
    Reviewed on 2026-09-30 by El Árbol de Europa ·
  • GovernmentDisputed

    Duke · Luxembourg · 1443–1467

    The city was captured in 1443; Biblissima dates the ducal title to 1444. The map uses 1443 for control of the city, without asserting formal investiture in that year.Recorded alternatives: 1443 · capture of the city · 1444 · ducal title in Biblissima
    Gobierno de Luxemburgo · Ducado de Luxemburgo · Sale of rights in 1441 and capture of the city in 1443Biblissima/BnF · Philippe le Bon · Titles of Brabant and Limburg from 1430 and Luxembourg from 1444
    Reviewed on 2026-09-30 by El Árbol de Europa ·
  • GovernmentPending review

    Count · Auxerre · 1435–1467

    A precise source has not yet been added.
    No individual review recorded ·
  • GovernmentPending review

    Count · Ponthieu · 1435–1467

    A precise source has not yet been added.
    No individual review recorded ·
Successions (5/10 with a precise source)
  • SuccessionPending review

    Brabant · Philip of Saint-Pol → Philip III of Burgundy · 1430

    Philip of Saint-Pol’s death without issue extinguished this ducal line. His cousin Philip the Good inherited Brabant and Limburg, enlarging a Burgundian patrimony composed of distinct titles.A precise source has not yet been added.
    No individual review recorded ·
  • SuccessionPending review

    Flanders · John I of Burgundy → Philip III of Burgundy · 1419

    Philip the Good inherited after the murder of his father, John the Fearless. The dynastic succession formed part of a political crisis in the French monarchy.A precise source has not yet been added.
    No individual review recorded ·
  • SuccessionPending review

    Holland · Jacqueline of Bavaria → Philip III of Burgundy · 1433

    The agreement of Delft in 1428 left Jacqueline with the title and Philip with a decisive position in government. The cession of 1433 transferred the counties to Philip; effective government and title followed different chronologies.A precise source has not yet been added.
    No individual review recorded ·
  • SuccessionPending review

    Hainaut · Jacqueline of Bavaria → Philip III of Burgundy · 1433

    The agreement of Delft in 1428 left Jacqueline with the title and Philip with a decisive position in government. The cession of 1433 transferred the counties to Philip; effective government and title followed different chronologies.A precise source has not yet been added.
    No individual review recorded ·
  • SuccessionPending review

    Zeeland · Jacqueline of Bavaria → Philip III of Burgundy · 1433

    The agreement of Delft in 1428 left Jacqueline with the title and Philip with a decisive position in government. The cession of 1433 transferred the counties to Philip; effective government and title followed different chronologies.A precise source has not yet been added.
    No individual review recorded ·
  • SuccessionDocumented

    Namur · Philip III of Burgundy · 1429

    The rights were purchased in 1421; Philip took possession of the county after John III’s death in 1429.
    Connaître la Wallonie · Entrada de Felipe el Bueno en Namur · Source cited in the succession explanation
    No individual review recorded ·
  • SuccessionDocumented

    Limburg · Philip III of Burgundy · 1430

    Philip of Saint-Pol’s death without an heir brought the duchy into the main Valois-Burgundy line.
    Biblissima/BnF · Títulos de Felipe el Bueno · Source cited in the succession explanation
    No individual review recorded ·
  • SuccessionDocumented

    Luxembourg · Philip III of Burgundy · 1443

    Elizabeth of Görlitz sold her rights in 1441; Philip captured the city in 1443. The ducal dignity is sometimes dated to 1444.
    Gobierno de Luxemburgo · Adquisición y toma de 1443 · Source cited in the succession explanationBiblissima/BnF · Títulos de Felipe el Bueno · Source cited in the succession explanation
    No individual review recorded ·
  • SuccessionDocumented

    Auxerre · Philip III of Burgundy · 1435

    The Treaty of Arras ceded this county to Philip. It was distinct from the Duchy of Burgundy.
    BnF Gallica · El condado de Auxerre cedido en 1435 · Source cited in the succession explanation
    No individual review recorded ·
  • SuccessionDocumented

    Ponthieu · Philip III of Burgundy · 1435

    The Treaty of Arras ceded this county to Philip; the regional polygon does not represent every town on the Somme.
    Cambridge University Press · Ponthieu y las ciudades del Somme · Source cited in the succession explanation
    No individual review recorded ·
Biographical and contextual references (11)
Editorial history
  • 2026-10-12 · Claim registry added; existing historical data kept. Specific sourcing remains to be reviewed.
  • 2026-10-08 · Claim registry added; existing historical data kept. Specific sourcing remains to be reviewed.
  • 2026-10-04 · Claim registry added; existing historical data kept. Specific sourcing remains to be reviewed.
  • 2026-10-04 · Claim registry added; existing historical data kept. Specific sourcing remains to be reviewed.
  • 2026-10-03 · Claim registry added; existing historical data kept. Specific sourcing remains to be reviewed.
  • 2026-09-30 · The duchy is limited to Dijon and Autun; each other fief now enters the map only under its dated ruler. John III of Namur and the Nevers/Rethel branch were added. The previous shape combined later counties and unrelated lands as if all belonged to the duchy from 1363.
  • 2026-09-28 · Claim registry added; existing historical data kept. Specific sourcing remains to be reviewed.

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