The Death of Queen Philippa of Hainault
Poet involved
What happened
Queen Philippa of Hainault, the wife of King Edward III of England, died in 1369. She was a popular queen, known for her charity and her role as the mother of the Black Prince and John of Gaunt. Her death marked the end of an era at the English court and was a personal blow to the aging king.
Literary impact
Queen Philippa's death was lamented in English court poetry, which praised her virtues and her role as a peacemaker. Her death is noted in the works of Geoffrey Chaucer, who served as a page in her household, and it influenced the tradition of royal panegyric in English verse. The event also appears in chronicle poetry as a symbol of the passing of a golden age.
Source: Wikipedia
