John II of Alençon (Jean II d’Alençon) (2 March 1409 – 8 September 1476) was a French nobleman. He succeeded his father as Duke of Alençon and Count of Perche as a minor in 1415, after the latter's death at the Battle of Agincourt. He is best known as a general in the last phase of the Hundred Years' War and for his role as a comrade-in-arms of Joan of Arc.
John was born at the Château d'Argentan, the son of John I of Alençon and Marie of Brittany.[1] He first saw action at the age of 15 at the Battle of Verneuil on 17 August 1424, and was captured by the English.[2] He was held prisoner until 1429 at Le Crotoy, paying 200,000 saluts d'or for his ransom.[3] He sold all he possessed to the English, and his fief of Fougères to the Duke of Brittany. After Alençon's capture, the Duke of Bedford, regent of King Henry VI, took control of his duchy. He would not regain Alençon until 1449, but remained the titular duke in the eyes of the French crown. When he left prison, Jean d'Alençon was called "the poorest man in France."[3]
In April 1429, not long after his release, the Duke heard about Joan of Arc, who had come to King Charles VII at Chinon, promising to liberate France from the English, asking that he send her with an army to lift the Siege of Orléans. Alençon came eagerly to Chinon and very quickly became her good friend and most prominent supporter among the princes of the blood. After she raised the siege alongside Jean de Dunois and La Hire, among others, Alençon arrived as the official commander of the French army and played a major role in the liberation of the rest of the Loire Valley.[5] He left to fight elsewhere after the end of the campaign in September 1429, preferring to attack the English around his domains in Normandy.
John was discontented with the Treaty of Arras, having hoped to make good his poverty through the spoliation of the Burgundians. He fell out with Charles VII, and took part in a revolt in 1439–40, (the Praguerie)[6] but was forgiven, having been a lifelong friend of the king. He took part in the invasion of Normandy in 1449, but he had unwisely entered into correspondence with the English in 1455.[6] (He had also accepted the Order of the Golden Fleece at this time.[6]) Shortly after participating in the "rehabilitation trial" of Joan of Arc in 1456 where he provided extensive testimony,[7] John was arrested by Jean de Dunois and imprisoned at Aigues-Mortes.[8] In 1458, he was convicted of lèse-majesté (treason against the king) and sentenced to death, but the sentence was commuted and he was sentenced to imprisonment.[9] He was released by the next king, Louis XI, upon terms at his accession in 1461, but he refused to keep them and was imprisoned again. He was tried a second time before the Parlement of Paris and sentenced to death again on 18 July 1474, and his Duchy was confiscated. However, the sentence was not carried out, and he died in prison in the Louvre in 1476.[5]
Personal lifeedit
John had two children by his second wife, Marie:
Catherine (1452–1505), married 1461, in Tours, Guy XV de Laval [fr] (died 1501)[10]
Champion, Pierre (2015). The Trial of Jeanne D'arc. Aeterna Press.
Goodrich, Norma Lorre (1967). Charles of Orléans: A Study of Themes in his French and in his English Poetry. Librairie Droz.
Knecht, Robert (2004). The Valois: Kings of France, 1328–1589. Hambledon Continuum.
Manning, Scott (2023). Joan of Arc: A Reference Guide to Her Life and Works. Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN978-1538139165.
Potter, David (1995). Keen, Maurice (ed.). A History of France, 1460–1560: The Emergence of a Nation State. Macmillan.
Taylor, Craig, ed. (2006). Joan of Arc, La Pucelle. Manchester University Press.
Tucker, Spencer C., ed. (2010). "August 17, 1424: Western Europe: France: Hundred Years' War: Battle of Verneuil". A Global Chronology of Conflict: From the Ancient World to the Modern Middle East. ABC-CLIO.
Walsby, Malcolm (2007). The Counts of Laval. Aldershot: Ashgate Publishing Company. ISBN978-0754658115.
john, duke, alençon, john, alençon, jean, alençon, march, 1409, september, 1476, french, nobleman, succeeded, father, duke, alençon, count, perche, minor, 1415, after, latter, death, battle, agincourt, best, known, general, last, phase, hundred, years, role, c. John II of Alencon Jean II d Alencon 2 March 1409 8 September 1476 was a French nobleman He succeeded his father as Duke of Alencon and Count of Perche as a minor in 1415 after the latter s death at the Battle of Agincourt He is best known as a general in the last phase of the Hundred Years War and for his role as a comrade in arms of Joan of Arc Jean IIDuke of AlenconJohn of Alencon dressed as a Knight of the Golden FleeceBorn2 March 1409Chateau d ArgentanDied8 September 1476 1476 09 08 aged 67 ParisNoble familyValois AlenconSpouse s Joan of Valois m 1424 died 1432 wbr Marie of Armagnac m 1437 died 1473 wbr IssueCatherineRene of AlenconFatherJohn I of AlenconMotherMarie of Brittany Contents 1 Biography 2 Personal life 3 Ancestors 4 References 5 Sources 6 External linksBiography editJohn was born at the Chateau d Argentan the son of John I of Alencon and Marie of Brittany 1 He first saw action at the age of 15 at the Battle of Verneuil on 17 August 1424 and was captured by the English 2 He was held prisoner until 1429 at Le Crotoy paying 200 000 saluts d or for his ransom 3 He sold all he possessed to the English and his fief of Fougeres to the Duke of Brittany After Alencon s capture the Duke of Bedford regent of King Henry VI took control of his duchy He would not regain Alencon until 1449 but remained the titular duke in the eyes of the French crown When he left prison Jean d Alencon was called the poorest man in France 3 Before his capture at Verneuil he had married in 1424 at the Chateau de Blois Joan daughter of Charles Duke of Orleans and Isabella of Valois 4 but she died in Angers in 1432 having had no children In April 1429 not long after his release the Duke heard about Joan of Arc who had come to King Charles VII at Chinon promising to liberate France from the English asking that he send her with an army to lift the Siege of Orleans Alencon came eagerly to Chinon and very quickly became her good friend and most prominent supporter among the princes of the blood After she raised the siege alongside Jean de Dunois and La Hire among others Alencon arrived as the official commander of the French army and played a major role in the liberation of the rest of the Loire Valley 5 He left to fight elsewhere after the end of the campaign in September 1429 preferring to attack the English around his domains in Normandy On 30 April 1437 at the Chateau L Isle Jourdain he married Marie of Armagnac 1 daughter of Count Jean IV of Armagnac John was discontented with the Treaty of Arras having hoped to make good his poverty through the spoliation of the Burgundians He fell out with Charles VII and took part in a revolt in 1439 40 the Praguerie 6 but was forgiven having been a lifelong friend of the king He took part in the invasion of Normandy in 1449 but he had unwisely entered into correspondence with the English in 1455 6 He had also accepted the Order of the Golden Fleece at this time 6 Shortly after participating in the rehabilitation trial of Joan of Arc in 1456 where he provided extensive testimony 7 John was arrested by Jean de Dunois and imprisoned at Aigues Mortes 8 In 1458 he was convicted of lese majeste treason against the king and sentenced to death but the sentence was commuted and he was sentenced to imprisonment 9 He was released by the next king Louis XI upon terms at his accession in 1461 but he refused to keep them and was imprisoned again He was tried a second time before the Parlement of Paris and sentenced to death again on 18 July 1474 and his Duchy was confiscated However the sentence was not carried out and he died in prison in the Louvre in 1476 5 Personal life editJohn had two children by his second wife Marie Catherine 1452 1505 married 1461 in Tours Guy XV de Laval fr died 1501 10 Rene of Alencon 1454 1492 1 who would regain his father s confiscated titles of Duke of Alencon and Count of Perche in 1478 John also had several illegitimate children John living 1483 Robert living 1489 Jeanne d aft 4 December 1481 Countess of Beaumont le Roger married in 1470 to Guy de Maulmont Madeleine married Henri de BreuilAncestors editAncestors of John II Duke of Alencon8 Charles II Count of Alencon4 Peter II Count of Alencon9 Maria de la Cerda2 John I Duke of Alencon10 Guillaume II Chamaillard Lord of Anthenaise5 Marie Chamaillard Viscountess of Beaumont11 Marie de Brienne Viscountess of Beaumont au Maine1 John II Duke of Alencon12 John of Montfort6 John IV Duke of Brittany13 Joanna of Flanders3 Marie of Brittany14 Charles II of Navarre7 Joan of Navarre15 Joan of Valois John II Duke of AlenconHouse of Valois AlenconCadet branch of the Capetian dynastyBorn 2 March 1409 Died 8 September 1476 Preceded byJohn I Duke of Alencon1415 1474 Succeeded byRene Count of Perche1415 1474References edit a b c Potter 1995 p 375 Tucker 2010 p 330 a b Champion 2015 p 267 Goodrich 1967 p 112 a b Manning 2023 p 11 a b c Knecht 2004 p 83 Manning 2023 pp 11 12 Taylor 2006 p 304 Knecht 2004 p 84 Walsby 2007 pp 184 185 Sources editChampion Pierre 2015 The Trial of Jeanne D arc Aeterna Press Goodrich Norma Lorre 1967 Charles of Orleans A Study of Themes in his French and in his English Poetry Librairie Droz Knecht Robert 2004 The Valois Kings of France 1328 1589 Hambledon Continuum Manning Scott 2023 Joan of Arc A Reference Guide to Her Life and Works Rowman amp Littlefield ISBN 978 1538139165 Potter David 1995 Keen Maurice ed A History of France 1460 1560 The Emergence of a Nation State Macmillan Taylor Craig ed 2006 Joan of Arc La Pucelle Manchester University Press Tucker Spencer C ed 2010 August 17 1424 Western Europe France Hundred Years War Battle of Verneuil A Global Chronology of Conflict From the Ancient World to the Modern Middle East ABC CLIO Walsby Malcolm 2007 The Counts of Laval Aldershot Ashgate Publishing Company ISBN 978 0754658115 External links edithttp xenophongroup com montjoie compgns htm https web archive org web 20090321045721 http futura dtp dk SLAG Personer NavneA AlenconDuc htm http www maidofheaven com joanofarc alencon asp Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title John II Duke of Alencon amp oldid 1185545661, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
