| Philip of Dreux | |
|---|---|
| Bishop of Beauvais | |
 | |
| Reign | 1175–1217 |
| Predecessor | Bartholomew of Montcornet |
| Successor | Milo of Nanteuil |
| Born | 1158 |
| Died | 4 November 1217 (aged 58–59) |
| Burial | |
| House | House of Dreux |
| Father | Robert I |
| Mother | Agnes de Baudemont, Countess of Braine |
Philip of Dreux (Philippe de Dreux; 1158–1217) was a French nobleman,Bishop of Beauvais, and figure of theThird Crusade. He was an active soldier, an ally in the field ofPhilip Augustus, the French king and his cousin,[1] making him an opponent in campaigns in France and elsewhere ofRichard I of England. He was also in demand as a priest, to make and break marriages. He presided over that of his cousinConrad of Montferrat at theSiege of Acre, marrying him toIsabella I of Jerusalem, daughter ofAmalric I, whose marriage heannulled. He was also a party to the annulment of the marriage between Philip Augustus andIngeborg of Denmark.
Philip was the son ofRobert I of Dreux and Agnes of Baudemont,[2] and the brother ofRobert II of Dreux.
He first campaigned in Palestine in 1180, in an expedition headed byHenry II of Champagne andPeter I of Courtenay. This attack onSaladin's holdings was ineffectual.[3]
Robert II and Philip of Dreux arrived with forces in Palestine in 1189. They participated in the Siege of Acre as part of King Philip II's army, though when the King returned to France in July of 1191 they stayed as part of the remaining French Crusader forces under the command ofHugh III, Duke of Burgundy.[4] They would both later participate in theBattle of Arsuf, though Philip would then retire to the city ofTyre in the aftermath of the victory.
Philip was present in Tyre on April 28th, 1192, where he dined with Conrad of Montferrat who had by then been named King of Jerusalem. As Conrad returned from Philip's quarters, he was ambushed by twoAssassins and killed.[5]
Richard the Lionheart bore him a consistent enmity after the Crusade; Philip of Dreux had been one of those relaying the rumour that Richard was responsible for the killing of Conrad[6][7] Subsequently Philip had gone to Germany, when Richard was imprisoned, to advocate against setting him free.[8] There, Philip encouraged Richard's captors to treat him poorly, earning the lifelong hatred of Richard, who considered him "a robber and an incendiary".[9]
He was captured by Angevin forces under the mercenary leaderMercadier and Prince John in a Normandy campaign, in 1197.[10] Richard was still refusing to release him a year later,[11] and again early in 1199.[12] WhenPeter of Capua (who was trying to enlist Richard for theFourth Crusade) insisted that Richard release Philip, Richard exploded and threatened to castrate Peter, so intense was his hatred of his prisoner Philip.[9]Pope Celestine III was unsympathetic to Philip, confined atRouen and then, after an escape attempt, atChinon. He was freed only after Richard's death in 1199,[13] with Richard's successor,John agreeing to exchange him for the captured bishop-elect of Cambrai in 1200.[14]
In 1210 he was in action against theCathars in southern France, withRenaud de Mouçon,bishop of Chartres, in support ofSimon de Montfort.
He drew support from Philip Augustus in his conflict againstRenaud de Dammartin, leading to Renaud's 1212 alliance with John.[15] Philip was later a combatant on the victorious French side in 1214 at theBattle of Bouvines.[16] He took amace toWilliam Longsword, Earl of Salisbury, at an important moment in the battle, leading to the Earl's capture.[17]
In his last year as bishop he founded thePentemont Abbey, aCistercian convent whose later buildings in Paris remain to the present day.
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