John V, Duke of Brittany
Encyclopedia
John V the Conqueror KG
(in Breton Yann IV, in French Jean IV) (1339 – 1 November 1399) was Duke of Brittany
and Count of Montfort, from 1345 until his death.
and Joanna of Flanders
. His father claimed the title John IV, Duke of Brittany
, but was largely unable to enforce his claim for more than a brief period. Because his father's claim to the title was disputed, the subject of this article has often been numbered John IV, while his father has been referred to as simply "John de Montfort". He is still numbered John IV by some historians and is still more commonly known by that designation (Jean IV) in France, since the French monarchy, unlike the English, never acknowledged his father's title.
, fought by his father against his cousin Joanna of Penthièvre and her husband Charles of Blois
. With French military support Charles was able to control most of Brittany. After his father's death, John's mother Jeanne attempted to continue the war in the name of her baby son. She became known as "Jeanne la Flamme" for her fiery personality. However, she was eventually forced to retreat with her son to England to ask for the aid of Edward III. She was later declared insane and imprisoned in Tickhill Castle in 1343. John and his sister Joan of Brittany
were taken into the King's household afterwards.
John returned to Brittany to enforce his claim, with English help. In 1364, John managed to win a decisive victory against the House of Blois in the Battle of Auray
, with the support of the English army. His rival Charles was killed in the battle and Charles's widow Joanna was forced to sign the Treaty Guérande on 12 April 1365. In the terms of the treaty, Joanna gave up her rights to Brittany and recognized John as sole master of the duchy.
, which gave the English military access to the peninsula and which took revenue from Brittany to the English crown. This English powerbase in Brittany was resented by the Breton aristocrats and the French monarchy, as was John's use of English advisors. However, John V declared himself a vassal to king Charles V of France
, not to Edward III of England
. This gesture did not placate his critics, who saw the presence of rogue English troops and lords as destabilizing. Faced with the defiance of the Breton nobility, John was unable to muster military support against Charles V, who took the opportunity to exert pressure over Brittany. Without local support, in 1373 Jean was forced into exile once more in England.
However, Charles V made the mistake of attempting to completely annex the duchy to France. Bertrand de Guesclin was sent to make the duchy submit to the French king by force of arms in 1378. The barons revolted against the annexation and invited John V back from exile in 1379. He landed in Dinard
and took control of the duchy once more with the support of local barons. An English army under Thomas of Woodstock, 1st Duke of Gloucester
was landed at Calais and marched towards Nantes to take control of the city. However, John reconciled with the new French king Charles VI
and paid off the English troops to avoid a confrontation. He ruled his duchy thereafter in peace with the French and English crowns for over a decade, maintaining contact with both, but minimising open links to England. He also managed to extricate Brest from English control in 1397 using diplomatic pressure and financial inducements.
, the Constable of France
, who was an old enemy of the duke's. The attacker, Pierre de Craon
, fled to Brittany. John was assumed to be behind the plot, and Charles VI took the opportunity to attack Brittany once more. Accompanied by the Constable, he marched on Brittany, but before he reached the duchy the king was seized with madness. Relatives of Charles VI blamed Clisson, and instituted legal proceedings against him to undermine his political position. Stripped of his status as Constable, Clisson now took refuge in Brittany himself, and was reconciled with John (1397), becoming a close advisor to the duke.
Joanna was the mother of all his children. After his death she married Henry IV of England
.
Order of the Garter
The Most Noble Order of the Garter, founded in 1348, is the highest order of chivalry, or knighthood, existing in England. The order is dedicated to the image and arms of St...
(in Breton Yann IV, in French Jean IV) (1339 – 1 November 1399) was Duke of Brittany
Duke of Brittany
The Duchy of Brittany was a medieval tribal and feudal state covering the northwestern peninsula of Europe,bordered by the Alantic Ocean on the west and the English Channel to the north with less definitive borders of the Loire River to the south and Normandy to the east...
and Count of Montfort, from 1345 until his death.
Numbering
He was son of John de MontfortJohn IV, Duke of Brittany
John IV of Montfort , was duke of Brittany, from 1341 to his death. He was son of Duke Arthur II and Yolande de Dreux, countess of Montfort, his second wife.In 1322 he succeeded his mother as count of Montfort, and in 1329, he married Joanna of Flanders at Chartres...
and Joanna of Flanders
Joanna of Flanders
Joanna of Flanders , also known as, Countess Jeanne, Jehanne de Montfort, and Jeanne la Flamme, was consort Duchess of Brittany by her marriage to John IV, Duke of Brittany...
. His father claimed the title John IV, Duke of Brittany
John IV, Duke of Brittany
John IV of Montfort , was duke of Brittany, from 1341 to his death. He was son of Duke Arthur II and Yolande de Dreux, countess of Montfort, his second wife.In 1322 he succeeded his mother as count of Montfort, and in 1329, he married Joanna of Flanders at Chartres...
, but was largely unable to enforce his claim for more than a brief period. Because his father's claim to the title was disputed, the subject of this article has often been numbered John IV, while his father has been referred to as simply "John de Montfort". He is still numbered John IV by some historians and is still more commonly known by that designation (Jean IV) in France, since the French monarchy, unlike the English, never acknowledged his father's title.
Conquest
The first part of his rule was tainted by the Breton War of SuccessionBreton War of Succession
The Breton War of Succession was a conflict between the Houses of Blois and Montfort for control of the Duchy of Brittany. It was fought between 1341 and 1364. It formed an integral part of the early Hundred Years War due to the involvement of the French and English governments in the conflict; the...
, fought by his father against his cousin Joanna of Penthièvre and her husband Charles of Blois
Charles, Duke of Brittany
Charles of Blois , claimed the title Duke of Brittany, from 1341 to his death.Charles is the son of Guy I of Blois-Châtillon, count of Blois, by Margaret of Valois, a sister of king Philip VI of France. He was a devout man, who took piety to the extreme of mortifying his own flesh...
. With French military support Charles was able to control most of Brittany. After his father's death, John's mother Jeanne attempted to continue the war in the name of her baby son. She became known as "Jeanne la Flamme" for her fiery personality. However, she was eventually forced to retreat with her son to England to ask for the aid of Edward III. She was later declared insane and imprisoned in Tickhill Castle in 1343. John and his sister Joan of Brittany
Joan of Brittany, Baroness of Drayton
Jeanne de Montfort, also known as Jeanne de Bretagne and Jeanne de Montfort, 1341 - November 8, 1402 was the sister of John V, Duke of Brittany.- Biography :Her parents were John de Montfort, Duke of Brittany, and Joanna of Flanders....
were taken into the King's household afterwards.
John returned to Brittany to enforce his claim, with English help. In 1364, John managed to win a decisive victory against the House of Blois in the Battle of Auray
Battle of Auray
The Battle of Auray took place on 29 September 1364 at the French town of Auray. This battle was the decisive confrontation of the Breton War of Succession, a part of the Hundred Years' War....
, with the support of the English army. His rival Charles was killed in the battle and Charles's widow Joanna was forced to sign the Treaty Guérande on 12 April 1365. In the terms of the treaty, Joanna gave up her rights to Brittany and recognized John as sole master of the duchy.
Power struggles
Having achieved victory with English support (and having married into the English royal family), Jean was constrained to confirm several English barons in positions of power within Brittany, especially as controllers of strategically important strongholds in the environs of the port of BrestBrest, France
Brest is a city in the Finistère department in Brittany in northwestern France. Located in a sheltered position not far from the western tip of the Breton peninsula, and the western extremity of metropolitan France, Brest is an important harbour and the second French military port after Toulon...
, which gave the English military access to the peninsula and which took revenue from Brittany to the English crown. This English powerbase in Brittany was resented by the Breton aristocrats and the French monarchy, as was John's use of English advisors. However, John V declared himself a vassal to king Charles V of France
Charles V of France
Charles V , called the Wise, was King of France from 1364 to his death in 1380 and a member of the House of Valois...
, not to Edward III of England
Edward III of England
Edward III was King of England from 1327 until his death and is noted for his military success. Restoring royal authority after the disastrous reign of his father, Edward II, Edward III went on to transform the Kingdom of England into one of the most formidable military powers in Europe...
. This gesture did not placate his critics, who saw the presence of rogue English troops and lords as destabilizing. Faced with the defiance of the Breton nobility, John was unable to muster military support against Charles V, who took the opportunity to exert pressure over Brittany. Without local support, in 1373 Jean was forced into exile once more in England.
However, Charles V made the mistake of attempting to completely annex the duchy to France. Bertrand de Guesclin was sent to make the duchy submit to the French king by force of arms in 1378. The barons revolted against the annexation and invited John V back from exile in 1379. He landed in Dinard
Dinard
Dinard is a commune in the Ille-et-Vilaine department in Brittany in north-western France.Dinard is on the Côte d'Émeraude of Brittany. Its beaches and mild climate make it a popular holiday destination, and this has resulted in the town having a variety of famous visitors and residents...
and took control of the duchy once more with the support of local barons. An English army under Thomas of Woodstock, 1st Duke of Gloucester
Thomas of Woodstock, 1st Duke of Gloucester
Thomas of Woodstock, 1st Duke of Gloucester, 1st Earl of Buckingham, 1st Earl of Essex, Duke of Aumale, KG was the thirteenth and youngest child of King Edward III of England and Philippa of Hainault...
was landed at Calais and marched towards Nantes to take control of the city. However, John reconciled with the new French king Charles VI
Charles VI of France
Charles VI , called the Beloved and the Mad , was the King of France from 1380 to 1422, as a member of the House of Valois. His bouts with madness, which seem to have begun in 1392, led to quarrels among the French royal family, which were exploited by the neighbouring powers of England and Burgundy...
and paid off the English troops to avoid a confrontation. He ruled his duchy thereafter in peace with the French and English crowns for over a decade, maintaining contact with both, but minimising open links to England. He also managed to extricate Brest from English control in 1397 using diplomatic pressure and financial inducements.
Clisson affair
In 1392 an attempt was made to kill Olivier de ClissonOlivier de Clisson
Olivier de Clisson , nicknamed "The Butcher", was a Breton soldier, the son of the Olivier de Clisson who was put to death in 1343 on the suspicion of having wished to give up Nantes to the English.- Biography :...
, the Constable of France
Constable of France
The Constable of France , as the First Officer of the Crown, was one of the original five Great Officers of the Crown of France and Commander in Chief of the army. He, theoretically, as Lieutenant-general of the King, outranked all the nobles and was second-in-command only to the King...
, who was an old enemy of the duke's. The attacker, Pierre de Craon
Pierre de Craon
Pierre de Craon , known as "le Grand", was a medieval French aristocrat notorious for his riotous temperament, culminating in his attempted murder of Olivier de Clisson, Constable of France...
, fled to Brittany. John was assumed to be behind the plot, and Charles VI took the opportunity to attack Brittany once more. Accompanied by the Constable, he marched on Brittany, but before he reached the duchy the king was seized with madness. Relatives of Charles VI blamed Clisson, and instituted legal proceedings against him to undermine his political position. Stripped of his status as Constable, Clisson now took refuge in Brittany himself, and was reconciled with John (1397), becoming a close advisor to the duke.
Marriages
John V married three times:- 1) Mary PlantagenetMary PlantagenetMary of Waltham was the daughter of Edward III of England and Philippa of Hainault.-Life:Mary was betrothed in childhood to John V of Brittany, who grew up with her. As it is reported in some sources, the betrothal was held c. 1355.In 1348 Mary met her mother and sister-in-law Joanna...
(1344–1362), daughter of King Edward III of EnglandEdward III of EnglandEdward III was King of England from 1327 until his death and is noted for his military success. Restoring royal authority after the disastrous reign of his father, Edward II, Edward III went on to transform the Kingdom of England into one of the most formidable military powers in Europe...
and Philippa of HainaultPhilippa of HainaultPhilippa of Hainault, or, Philippe de Hainaut was the Queen consort of King Edward III of England. Edward, Duke of Guyenne, her future husband, promised in 1326 to marry her within the following two years...
. - 2) Joan Holland (1350–1384), daughter of Thomas Holland, 1st Earl of KentThomas Holland, 1st Earl of KentThomas Holland, 1st Earl of Kent, 2nd Baron Holand, KG was an English nobleman and military commander during the Hundred Years' War.-Early Life:...
, in LondonLondonLondon is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
in May 1366. - 3) Joanna of Navarre (1370–1437), daughter of King Charles II of NavarreCharles II of NavarreCharles II , called "Charles the Bad", was King of Navarre 1349-1387 and Count of Évreux 1343-1387....
, at Saillé-près-Guérande on 2 October 1386.
Joanna was the mother of all his children. After his death she married Henry IV of England
Henry IV of England
Henry IV was King of England and Lord of Ireland . He was the ninth King of England of the House of Plantagenet and also asserted his grandfather's claim to the title King of France. He was born at Bolingbroke Castle in Lincolnshire, hence his other name, Henry Bolingbroke...
.
Children
- Jeanne of Brittany (NantesNantesNantes is a city in western France, located on the Loire River, from the Atlantic coast. The city is the 6th largest in France, while its metropolitan area ranks 8th with over 800,000 inhabitants....
, 12 August 1387 – 7 December 1388)
- a daughter (1388)
- John VI, Duke of BrittanyJohn VI, Duke of BrittanyJohn VI the Wise , was duke of Brittany, count of Montfort, and titular earl of Richmond, from 1399 to his death...
(1389–1442) - Marie of Brittany (Nantes, 18 February 1391 – 18 December 1446), Lady of La Guerche, married at the Château de l'Hermine on 26 June 1398 John I of AlençonJohn I of AlençonJohn I of Alençon, called the Sage , was the son of Peter II of Alençon and Marie de Chamaillard. In 1404, he succeeded his father as Count of Alençon and Perche. He was made Duke of Alençon in 1414.He commanded the second division of the French army at the Battle of Agincourt...
- Marguerite of Brittany (1392 – 13 April 1428), Lady of Guillac, married on 26 June 1407, Alain IX, Viscount of Rohan and Count of Porhoët (d. 1462)
- Arthur III, Duke of BrittanyArthur III, Duke of BrittanyArthur III , known as the Justicier and as Arthur de Richemont, was Lord of Parthenay and titular Count of Richmond in England and for eleven months at the very end of his life, Duke of Brittany and Count of Montfort after inheriting those titles upon the death of his nephew.-Biography:Belonging...
(Château de Succinio, 24 August 1393 – 26 December 1458, Château Nantes) - Gilles of Brittany (1394 – 19 July 1412, Cosne-sur-Loire), Lord of Chantocé and Ingrande
- Richard of Brittany (1395 – 2 June 1438, Château de ClissonChâteau de ClissonThe Château de Clisson is a castle in the commune of Clisson in the Loire-Atlantique département of France. It stands on the right bank of the Sèvre Nantaise.-History:...
), Count of Benon, Étampes, and Mantes, married in 1423 Margaret d'Orléans, Countess of Vertus, daughter of Louis of Valois, Duke of OrléansLouis of Valois, Duke of OrléansLouis I was Duke of Orléans from 1392 to his death. He was also Count of Valois, Duke of Touraine , Count of Blois , Angoulême , Périgord, Dreux, and Soissons.... - Blanche of Brittany (1397 – aft. 1419), married at Nantes on 26 June 1407 John IV, Count of Armagnac