Philippa (de) Roet

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Philippa Roet was the second daughter of Payne (Gilles) Roet of Hainault and the wife of writer Geoffrey Chaucer.

She had an elder sister, Isabel, who became Chanoinesse of the Convent of St Waudru, Mons, by nomination of the Empress Margaret of Bavaria, sister to Queen consort Philippa of Hainault, wife of Edward III of England. Philippa's younger sister, Katherine, is the woman whose life is celebrated in Anya Seton's novel, Katherine, and is known to history as Katherine Swynford, the mistress and eventual third wife of John of Gaunt, 1st Duke of Lancaster.

Philippa joined Gaunt's household in time for his c. 1372 marriage to Constance of Castile, whose father Pedro of Castile's violent life was later the subject of one of Chaucer's writings (O Worthie Pedro... of The Monk's Tale of The Canterbury Tales).

Philippa and Geoffrey's son, Thomas Chaucer, was one of the supporters of the new reign of Henry IV, Gaunt's son, who took the throne by force from his cousin Richard II. Together with his cousins, the Beauforts (offspring of sister Katherine and Gaunt), they formed an important role in solidifying Henry's government.

Philippa's pension was collected for the last time in c. 1386 and it is assumed that she died shortly thereafter. She is thought to be buried at East Worldham in Hampshire.