General Notes

Philip the Good (1396-1467), duke of Burgundy (1419-65), creator of one of
the most powerful states in 15th-century Europe. Born in Dijon, Philip
succeeded as duke when his father, John the Fearless (1371-1419), was killed
by a group of French nobles. In retaliation, Philip allied himself with
Henry V of England, France's enemy in the Hundred Years' War. In 1430 he
captured Joan of Arc, who had been leading the French, and turned her over
to the English. Later, when the war began to go against England, he changed
sides, concluded the Treaty of Arras (1435) with Charles VII of France, and
received in return most of the province of Picardy. Philip extended
Burgundian rule in the Netherlands, acquiring Holland, Zeeland, and Hainaut
in 1428; Brabant and Limburg in 1433; and Luxembourg in 1443. In 1453 he
conquered the rebellious towns of Flanders. By 1460 he ruled what is now
Belgium and Luxembourg, together with most of the Netherlands and large
areas of northern and eastern France. Philip's court was the most brilliant
of its time. Known for his lavish entertainments and his devotion to the
rituals of chivalry, he instituted (1430) the Order of the Golden Fleece,
one of Europe's most prestigious knightly brotherhoods. In 1465 he handed
the dukedom over to his son, Charles the Bold.