Philippa of Lancaster - Influence in The Court

Influence in The Court

Though Philippa was seen in her time as the perfect symbol of queenly piety, and made public comments saying that “it would be regarded as an indecent thing for a wife to interfere in her husband’s affairs”, she actually wielded quite a bit of influence in both the Portuguese and English courts and was “actively involved in world affairs”.

Surviving letters show that Philippa often wrote to the English court from Portugal and stayed involved in English politics in this way. On one instance, Philippa intervened in court politics on “behalf of followers of the dethroned Richard II when they appealed for her help after her brother, Henry IV, had usurped the English throne”. On another occasion, she persuaded the reluctant Earl of Arundel to marry her husband's illegitimate daughter Beatrice, further cementing the alliance between Portugal and England.

Philippa’s main political contribution, however, was in her own court. Upon the end of the Portuguese involvement in several wars with Castile and the Moors, the Portuguese economy was in ruins, and many men who had found employment in the war were suddenly unemployed. Philippa knew that the conquest and control of Ceuta would be quite lucrative for Portugal: it would mean nothing less than the control of the African and Indian spice trade. Though Philippa died before her plan was realized, Portugal did send an expedition to conquer the city, a goal that was realized on 14 August 1415 in the Battle of Ceuta.