Philippa of Guelders

Who was Philippa of Guelders?

Philippa of Guelders, was the daughter of Adolf of Egmond and Catharine of Bourbon.

Philippa was the twin sister of Charles, Duke of Guelders; they were born at Grave, Netherlands, and were their parents' only children. To strengthen the ties between the Kingdom of France and the Duchy of Lorraine, she was chosen as the bride of René II, Duke of Lorraine. The marriage took place in Orléans on 1 September 1485.

After the death of her husband Philippa tried to assume the regency of the duchy in the name of her son Anthony, who was only 9 years old, but it was decided that the child was old enough to reign alone.

On 13 June 1509 she redeemed the lordship of Mayenne from Margaret of Vaudémont, Duchess of Alençon. She retired to the convent Clarisse to Pont-à-Mousson on 15 December 1519 where she remained until her death.

While at the convent she commanded a magnificent altarpiece for the congregation, it remained there until his death. Her twin brother Charles, Duke of Gelderland, died on 30 June 1538, without legitimate offspring. Philippa claimed the duchies of Gelderland and Jülich but Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, seized the duchies.