John the Fearless
John I of Valois (May 28 1371 in Dijon – killed September 10 1419 on the bridge of Montereau), also known as the Fearless was duke of Burgundy from 1404 to 1419. John was son of Philip II, the Bold and Margaret of Flanders and used the title of count of Nevers until his accession to the duchy.
In 1385, John married Margaret of Bavaria to consolidate his position in the Low Countries, after cancelling his engagement with Catherine of Valois, daughter of king Charles V of France. From Margaret he had the following issue:
- Marguerite, duchess of Guyenne (1390-1441), married first Louis of Valois (heir of king Charles VI of France), then Arthur III, Duke of Brittany
- Mary (1393-1463), married Adolph II, Duke of Cleves
- Philip III, Duke of Burgundy (1396-1467)
- Anne (1404-1432), married John, Duke of Bedford
- Agnes (1407-1476), married Charles I, Duke of Bourbon
Before his accession to the Duchy, John participated in the war of Hungary against Sultan Bayezid I. John fought the battle of Nicopolis (September 28 1396) with such enthusiasm and bravery that he was given the nickname of Fearless. Nevertheless he was taken prisoner and released only in the next year, against an enormous ransom paid by his father.
John vs Orleans
John was invested as duke of Burgundy in 1404 and almost immediately went into open conflict against Louis of Orleans, younger brother of the increasingly mad Charles VI, as both men were attempting to seize the power from the demented king. John played a game of marriages, exchanging his daughter Marguerite for Michelle of Valois, who would marry his heir Philip, but did not overlook the importance of the middle class of merchants and tradesman, or the importance of the university. Louis of Orleans and the queen Isabella were extremely unpopular are the rumours which described them as lovers were the opportunity John did not let go. After a game of hide and seek with the dauphin, his son in law, being successively kidnapped and recovered by both parts, the Duke of Burgundy managed to be appointed by royal decree guardian of the dauphin and the king's children. This obvious proof of royal favour did not improve the relations between John and Louis. Meanwhile, hostilities had been resumed with England (Hundred Years War), now centred in Calais. John was willing to sent an expedition to recover the city, but the duke of Orleans had squandered the money raised for the campaign. This was the final drop of water and soon the two rivals broke out into open threats. John of Valois, Duke of Berry, their uncle secured a vow of solemn reconciliation, but three days, on November 23 1407 Louis was found assassinated in the streets of Paris. The order, no one doubted, had come from the duke of Burgundy. After an escape from Paris and a few skirmishes against the Orleans party, John managed to recover the kings favour. On the treaty of Chartres, signed on March 9 1409, the king absolved him from the crime, and Valentina Visconti, the widow of the murdered duke, pledged to reconciliation, while a later edict renewed John's guardianship of the dauphin.
John vs Armagnac
Even with the Orleans dispute resolved to his favour, John would not have an easy life. Almost immediately after count Bernard of Armagnac started another anti-Burgundian party. Peace was solemnly swore on 1410 and both Armagnacs and Burgundians promised to stay out of each others routes: John returned to Burgundy and Bernard remained in Paris and succeeded Louis of Orleans in the queens bed. Armagnac's party was not contempted with political power and after a series of riots and attacks against the citizens, John was recalled to the capital. Despite his will to insure peace, he was sent back to Burgundy in 1413. At this time king Henry V of England invaded French territory and threatened to attack Paris. John participated in the peace negotiations, but with dubious intents. Although he talked of helping his sovereign, his troops took no part in the battle of Azincourt (in 1415), where, two of his brothers, Anthony duke of Brabant, and Philip count of Nevers, died fighting for France.
John vs the Dauphin
Two years later, John's troops invaded France and attacked Paris. On May 30 1418 and captured the city but not before the dauphin, future Charles VII of France, escaped. John then installed himself in the city and made himself protector of the now plain mad Charles VI (a historical case of maniac-depression). Although not an open allied of the English, John did nothing to prevent the surrender of Rouen in 1419, which had been besieged by the English, and on which the fate of the kingdom seemed to depend. With whole Northern France in English hands and Paris occupied by Burgundy, the dauphin tried a reconciliation with John. Both parties met in July and swore peace on the bridge of Pouilly, near Melun. On the ground that peace was not sufficiently assured by the Pouilly meeting, a fresh interview was proposed by the dauphin to take place on September 10, 1419 on the bridge of Montereau. John of Burgundy was present with his escort for what he considered a diplomatic meeting. He was, however, assassinated by the dauphin's companions. He was later buried in Dijon.
See also: Dukes of Burgundy family tree – Hundred Years War
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This article incorporates data from the 1911 Encyclopaedia Britannica