Philippa of Antioch
Encyclopedia
Philippa of Antioch was the younger daughter of Constance, Princess of Antioch
and her first husband Raymond of Poitiers. She was Lady of Toron by her marriage to Humphrey II of Toron
and she was a mistress of Andronikos I Komnenos
, who had seduced her while he was a guest at her stepfather's court.
, who married Manuel I Komnenos
.
In 1149, Philippa's father died in the Battle of Inab
and her mother remarried in 1153 to Raynald of Châtillon
. From this marriage at least one daughter was born, Agnes
who married Bela III of Hungary
. It is believed that another half-sister was born to Philippa from this marriage, believe to be called Jeanne who supposedly married Boniface I, Marquess of Montferrat.
Philippa's maternal grandparents were Bohemund II of Antioch
and Alice of Antioch
. Her paternal grandparents were William IX, Duke of Aquitaine and his second wife Philippa, Countess of Toulouse.
lived under the rule of Manuel I Komnenos
. He was always faithful to the emperor, but he refused to take an oath of allegiance to the future king Béla III of Hungary
, whom Manuel desired to become his successor. He was removed from court, but received the province of Cilicia
. Andronikos had even taken Manuel's niece, Eudokia Komnene as a mistress.
Being still under the displeasure of the emperor, Andronikos fled to the court of Raymond
, prince of Antioch
. While residing here he captivated and seduced Philippa. Philippa has been described as beautiful. According to John Kinnamos
, her sister Maria was a beautiful, tall, blonde-haired princess, clearly showing her Norman ancestry, and no doubt Philippa had similar physical characteristics. The anger of the emperor was again roused by this dishonour, and Andronikos was compelled to flee Antioch
. Philippa was his mistress for up to two years in 1166-1167.
After she was abandoned by Andronikos, she married Humphrey II of Toron
after 1166. Humphrey's first wife is unknown but she bore his a son Humphrey III of Toron. Philippa however did not give birth to any children to Humphrey or to Andronikos.
Philippa died in 1178 around aged thirty. She was buried at the church of St. Mary in the Valley of Josaphat. Her husband died the following year.
Andronikos went on to invade Constantinople
and arrest Philippa's sister Maria. He had her strangled and her son, Philippa's nephew Alexios II Komnenos
, later died, aged only fourteen. Andronikos was brutally murdered on September 12, 1185 by the inhabitants of Constantinople.
Constance of Antioch
Constance of Antioch was the only daughter of Bohemund II of Antioch by his wife Alice, princess of Jerusalem. She was also Princess regnant of the Principality of Antioch from 1130 to her death.-Early life:...
and her first husband Raymond of Poitiers. She was Lady of Toron by her marriage to Humphrey II of Toron
Humphrey II of Toron
Humphrey II of Toron was lord of Toron and constable of the Kingdom of Jerusalem.Humphrey had become lord of Toron sometime before 1140, when he married the daughter of Renier Brus, lord of Banias . Through this marriage Banias was added to Toron...
and she was a mistress of Andronikos I Komnenos
Andronikos I Komnenos
Andronikos I Komnenos was Byzantine Emperor from 1183 to 1185). He was the son of Isaac Komnenos and grandson of Emperor Alexios I Komnenos.-Early years:...
, who had seduced her while he was a guest at her stepfather's court.
Early Life and Family
Philippa was the younger daughter of Constance's first marriage. Constance's siblings were Bohemond III of Antioch and Maria of AntiochMaria of Antioch
Maria of Antioch was a Byzantine empress as the wife of the Byzantine Emperor Manuel I Komnenos. She was the daughter of Constance of Antioch and her first husband Raymond of Poitiers...
, who married Manuel I Komnenos
Manuel I Komnenos
Manuel I Komnenos was a Byzantine Emperor of the 12th century who reigned over a crucial turning point in the history of Byzantium and the Mediterranean....
.
In 1149, Philippa's father died in the Battle of Inab
Battle of Inab
The Battle of Inab, also called Battle of Ard al-Hâtim or Fons Muratus, was fought on June 29, 1149, during the Second Crusade. The Syrian army of Nur ad-Din Zangi destroyed the Crusader army of Raymond of Antioch and the allied followers of Ali ibn-Wafa.-Background:Nur ad-Din had gained control...
and her mother remarried in 1153 to Raynald of Châtillon
Raynald of Chatillon
Raynald of Châtillon was a knight who served in the Second Crusade and remained in the Holy Land after its defeat...
. From this marriage at least one daughter was born, Agnes
Agnes of Antioch
Agnes of Antioch, , Queen Consort of Hungary.Agnes was the daughter of Raynald of Châtillon, Prince of Antioch by right of his wife, and his first wife, Constance of Antioch...
who married Bela III of Hungary
Béla III of Hungary
Béla III was King of Hungary and Croatia . He was educated in the court of the Byzantine Emperor Manuel I who was planning to ensure his succession in the Byzantine Empire till the birth of his own son...
. It is believed that another half-sister was born to Philippa from this marriage, believe to be called Jeanne who supposedly married Boniface I, Marquess of Montferrat.
Philippa's maternal grandparents were Bohemund II of Antioch
Bohemund II of Antioch
Bohemond II was the Prince of Taranto and Prince of Antioch from 1111. He was the son of the founder of the principalities, Bohemond I, and Constance, daughter of Philip I of France. Taranto was lost to Roger II of Sicily in 1128....
and Alice of Antioch
Alice of Antioch
Alice of Jerusalem was a Princess of Jerusalem. She later became Princess of Antioch.- Biography :Alice was the second daughter of King Baldwin II of Jerusalem and Morphia of Melitene. She has three sisters...
. Her paternal grandparents were William IX, Duke of Aquitaine and his second wife Philippa, Countess of Toulouse.
Life
Andronikos I KomnenosAndronikos I Komnenos
Andronikos I Komnenos was Byzantine Emperor from 1183 to 1185). He was the son of Isaac Komnenos and grandson of Emperor Alexios I Komnenos.-Early years:...
lived under the rule of Manuel I Komnenos
Manuel I Komnenos
Manuel I Komnenos was a Byzantine Emperor of the 12th century who reigned over a crucial turning point in the history of Byzantium and the Mediterranean....
. He was always faithful to the emperor, but he refused to take an oath of allegiance to the future king Béla III of Hungary
Béla III of Hungary
Béla III was King of Hungary and Croatia . He was educated in the court of the Byzantine Emperor Manuel I who was planning to ensure his succession in the Byzantine Empire till the birth of his own son...
, whom Manuel desired to become his successor. He was removed from court, but received the province of Cilicia
Cilicia
In antiquity, Cilicia was the south coastal region of Asia Minor, south of the central Anatolian plateau. It existed as a political entity from Hittite times into the Byzantine empire...
. Andronikos had even taken Manuel's niece, Eudokia Komnene as a mistress.
Being still under the displeasure of the emperor, Andronikos fled to the court of Raymond
Raymond of Antioch
Raymond of Poitiers was Prince of Antioch 1136–1149. He was the younger son of William IX, Duke of Aquitaine and his wife Philippa, Countess of Toulouse, born in the very year that his father the Duke began his infamous liaison with Dangereuse de Chatelherault.-Assumes control:Following the...
, prince of Antioch
Principality of Antioch
The Principality of Antioch, including parts of modern-day Turkey and Syria, was one of the crusader states created during the First Crusade.-Foundation:...
. While residing here he captivated and seduced Philippa. Philippa has been described as beautiful. According to John Kinnamos
John Kinnamos
Joannes Kinnamos or John Cinnamus was a Greek historian. He was imperial secretary to Emperor Manuel I , whom he accompanied on his campaigns in Europe and Asia Minor...
, her sister Maria was a beautiful, tall, blonde-haired princess, clearly showing her Norman ancestry, and no doubt Philippa had similar physical characteristics. The anger of the emperor was again roused by this dishonour, and Andronikos was compelled to flee Antioch
Antioch
Antioch on the Orontes was an ancient city on the eastern side of the Orontes River. It is near the modern city of Antakya, Turkey.Founded near the end of the 4th century BC by Seleucus I Nicator, one of Alexander the Great's generals, Antioch eventually rivaled Alexandria as the chief city of the...
. Philippa was his mistress for up to two years in 1166-1167.
After she was abandoned by Andronikos, she married Humphrey II of Toron
Humphrey II of Toron
Humphrey II of Toron was lord of Toron and constable of the Kingdom of Jerusalem.Humphrey had become lord of Toron sometime before 1140, when he married the daughter of Renier Brus, lord of Banias . Through this marriage Banias was added to Toron...
after 1166. Humphrey's first wife is unknown but she bore his a son Humphrey III of Toron. Philippa however did not give birth to any children to Humphrey or to Andronikos.
Philippa died in 1178 around aged thirty. She was buried at the church of St. Mary in the Valley of Josaphat. Her husband died the following year.
Andronikos went on to invade Constantinople
Constantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
and arrest Philippa's sister Maria. He had her strangled and her son, Philippa's nephew Alexios II Komnenos
Alexios II Komnenos
Alexios II Komnenos or Alexius II Comnenus , Byzantine emperor , was the son of Emperor Manuel I Komnenos and Maria, daughter of Raymond, prince of Antioch...
, later died, aged only fourteen. Andronikos was brutally murdered on September 12, 1185 by the inhabitants of Constantinople.