Jeanne of Flanders (c. 1295 – September 1374) was Duchess of Brittany by her marriage to Jean of Montfort. Much of her life was taken up in defence of the rights of her husband and, later, son to the dukedom, which was challenged by the House of Blois during the War of the Breton Succession. Known for her fiery personality, she led the Montfortist cause after her husband had been captured, and showing considerable skill as a military leader.
Jeanne was highly praised by the chronicler Jean Froissart for her courage and energy. Because of her feats of leadership, David Hume described her as "the most extraordinary woman of the age".
Jeanne was the daughter of Louis I, Count of Nevers and Jeanne Countess of Rethel, and the sister of Louis I, Count of Flanders.She married Jean count of Monfort in March 1329.
When Jean III, Duke of Brittany died childless in 1341, he left behind a contentious succession dispute. For many years he tried to find means to ensure that the children of his stepmother, Yolande of Dreux would not inherit the Duchy, including trying to have her marriage to his father annulled. At this time he declared his heir to be his niece Jeanne de Penthièvre which was supported by France.
Jeanne led the Montfortist faction after the capture of her husband. She mustered an army and captured Redon. From there she went to Hennebont, to prepare it for a siege. Charles of Blois duly arrived in 1342 and besieged the town. She then sent Amaury de Clisson to ask King Edward III of England for aid. This, Edward was eager to give, since he had been claiming the French crown for himself, and was therefore at odds with King Philippe .If he could get Brittany as an ally, this would be of great advantage for future campaigns.
In the siege of Hennebont, she took up arms and, dressed in armour, conducted the defence of the town, encouraging the people to fight, and urging the women to "cut their skirts and take their safety in their own hands". When she looked from a tower and saw that the enemy camp was almost unguarded, she led three hundred men on a charge, burned down Charles' supplies and destroyed his tents. After this she became known as "Jeanne la Flamme". When the Blois faction realised what was happening, they cut off her retreat to the town, but she and her knights rode to Brest, drawing a portion of the Blois force with them. Having secured Brest, she gathered together extra supporters and secretly returned to Hennebont, evading the Blois forces and re-entering the town with her reinforcements.
Charles of Blois tried to starve the people in Hennebont. During a long meeting the bishop of Leon tried to persuade her to surrender, but from the window she saw the English fleet .Hennebont was strengthened with the English forces and held out.
She sailed to England to seek further reinforcements but the English fleet was intercepted on its way to Brittany by Charles of Blois' French ally, Luis de la Cerda count of Talmont. In a hard-fought battle, and according to Froissart, Jeanne fought in person "with the heart of a lion, and in her hand she wielded a sharp glaive, wherewith she fought fiercely".Eventually the English forces beat off the French ships and made harbour near Vannes which they took .Her forces then besieged Rennes and sought to break the siege of Hennebont.
With neither side able to achieve a decisive victory, by the truce of Malestroit in 1343, her husband was released and resumed the conflict. When her husband died in 1345 in the midst of the war, she again became the leader of the Montfort party to protect the rights of her son Jean against the House of Blois. In 1347, English forces acting on her behalf captured Charles of Blois in battle.
By this time Jeanne and her son were living in England where after being initially welcomed with honour she was later confined by order of King Edward III and spent the rest of her life a state prisoner at Tickhill Castle .King Edward III probably imprisoned her in order to increase his own power in Brittany.
She lived long enough to see the final victory of her son John IV, Duke of Brittany over the House of Blois in 1364, but she never returned to the duchy. The last mention made of the duchess and her guardian is 14 February 1374. It seems she died that year a state prisoner .
Jeanne was highly praised by the chronicler Jean Froissart for her courage and energy. Because of her feats of leadership, David Hume described her as "the most extraordinary woman of the age".
Jeanne was the daughter of Louis I, Count of Nevers and Jeanne Countess of Rethel, and the sister of Louis I, Count of Flanders.She married Jean count of Monfort in March 1329.
When Jean III, Duke of Brittany died childless in 1341, he left behind a contentious succession dispute. For many years he tried to find means to ensure that the children of his stepmother, Yolande of Dreux would not inherit the Duchy, including trying to have her marriage to his father annulled. At this time he declared his heir to be his niece Jeanne de Penthièvre which was supported by France.
Jeanne led the Montfortist faction after the capture of her husband. She mustered an army and captured Redon. From there she went to Hennebont, to prepare it for a siege. Charles of Blois duly arrived in 1342 and besieged the town. She then sent Amaury de Clisson to ask King Edward III of England for aid. This, Edward was eager to give, since he had been claiming the French crown for himself, and was therefore at odds with King Philippe .If he could get Brittany as an ally, this would be of great advantage for future campaigns.
In the siege of Hennebont, she took up arms and, dressed in armour, conducted the defence of the town, encouraging the people to fight, and urging the women to "cut their skirts and take their safety in their own hands". When she looked from a tower and saw that the enemy camp was almost unguarded, she led three hundred men on a charge, burned down Charles' supplies and destroyed his tents. After this she became known as "Jeanne la Flamme". When the Blois faction realised what was happening, they cut off her retreat to the town, but she and her knights rode to Brest, drawing a portion of the Blois force with them. Having secured Brest, she gathered together extra supporters and secretly returned to Hennebont, evading the Blois forces and re-entering the town with her reinforcements.
Charles of Blois tried to starve the people in Hennebont. During a long meeting the bishop of Leon tried to persuade her to surrender, but from the window she saw the English fleet .Hennebont was strengthened with the English forces and held out.
She sailed to England to seek further reinforcements but the English fleet was intercepted on its way to Brittany by Charles of Blois' French ally, Luis de la Cerda count of Talmont. In a hard-fought battle, and according to Froissart, Jeanne fought in person "with the heart of a lion, and in her hand she wielded a sharp glaive, wherewith she fought fiercely".Eventually the English forces beat off the French ships and made harbour near Vannes which they took .Her forces then besieged Rennes and sought to break the siege of Hennebont.
With neither side able to achieve a decisive victory, by the truce of Malestroit in 1343, her husband was released and resumed the conflict. When her husband died in 1345 in the midst of the war, she again became the leader of the Montfort party to protect the rights of her son Jean against the House of Blois. In 1347, English forces acting on her behalf captured Charles of Blois in battle.
By this time Jeanne and her son were living in England where after being initially welcomed with honour she was later confined by order of King Edward III and spent the rest of her life a state prisoner at Tickhill Castle .King Edward III probably imprisoned her in order to increase his own power in Brittany.
She lived long enough to see the final victory of her son John IV, Duke of Brittany over the House of Blois in 1364, but she never returned to the duchy. The last mention made of the duchess and her guardian is 14 February 1374. It seems she died that year a state prisoner .
Jeanne of Flanders (c. 1295 – September 1374) was Duchess of Brittany by her marriage to Jean of Montfort. Much of her life was taken up in defence of the rights of her husband and, later, son to the dukedom, which was challenged by the House of Blois during the War of the Breton Succession. Known for her fiery personality, she led the Montfortist cause after her husband had been captured, and showing considerable skill as a military leader.
Jeanne was highly praised by the chronicler Jean Froissart for her courage and energy. Because of her feats of leadership, David Hume described her as "the most extraordinary woman of the age".
Jeanne was the daughter of Louis I, Count of Nevers and Jeanne Countess of Rethel, and the sister of Louis I, Count of Flanders.She married Jean count of Monfort in March 1329.
When Jean III, Duke of Brittany died childless in 1341, he left behind a contentious succession dispute. For many years he tried to find means to ensure that the children of his stepmother, Yolande of Dreux would not inherit the Duchy, including trying to have her marriage to his father annulled. At this time he declared his heir to be his niece Jeanne de Penthièvre which was supported by France.
Jeanne led the Montfortist faction after the capture of her husband. She mustered an army and captured Redon. From there she went to Hennebont, to prepare it for a siege. Charles of Blois duly arrived in 1342 and besieged the town. She then sent Amaury de Clisson to ask King Edward III of England for aid. This, Edward was eager to give, since he had been claiming the French crown for himself, and was therefore at odds with King Philippe .If he could get Brittany as an ally, this would be of great advantage for future campaigns.
In the siege of Hennebont, she took up arms and, dressed in armour, conducted the defence of the town, encouraging the people to fight, and urging the women to "cut their skirts and take their safety in their own hands". When she looked from a tower and saw that the enemy camp was almost unguarded, she led three hundred men on a charge, burned down Charles' supplies and destroyed his tents. After this she became known as "Jeanne la Flamme". When the Blois faction realised what was happening, they cut off her retreat to the town, but she and her knights rode to Brest, drawing a portion of the Blois force with them. Having secured Brest, she gathered together extra supporters and secretly returned to Hennebont, evading the Blois forces and re-entering the town with her reinforcements.
Charles of Blois tried to starve the people in Hennebont. During a long meeting the bishop of Leon tried to persuade her to surrender, but from the window she saw the English fleet .Hennebont was strengthened with the English forces and held out.
She sailed to England to seek further reinforcements but the English fleet was intercepted on its way to Brittany by Charles of Blois' French ally, Luis de la Cerda count of Talmont. In a hard-fought battle, and according to Froissart, Jeanne fought in person "with the heart of a lion, and in her hand she wielded a sharp glaive, wherewith she fought fiercely".Eventually the English forces beat off the French ships and made harbour near Vannes which they took .Her forces then besieged Rennes and sought to break the siege of Hennebont.
With neither side able to achieve a decisive victory, by the truce of Malestroit in 1343, her husband was released and resumed the conflict. When her husband died in 1345 in the midst of the war, she again became the leader of the Montfort party to protect the rights of her son Jean against the House of Blois. In 1347, English forces acting on her behalf captured Charles of Blois in battle.
By this time Jeanne and her son were living in England where after being initially welcomed with honour she was later confined by order of King Edward III and spent the rest of her life a state prisoner at Tickhill Castle .King Edward III probably imprisoned her in order to increase his own power in Brittany.
She lived long enough to see the final victory of her son John IV, Duke of Brittany over the House of Blois in 1364, but she never returned to the duchy. The last mention made of the duchess and her guardian is 14 February 1374. It seems she died that year a state prisoner .
Jeanne was highly praised by the chronicler Jean Froissart for her courage and energy. Because of her feats of leadership, David Hume described her as "the most extraordinary woman of the age".
Jeanne was the daughter of Louis I, Count of Nevers and Jeanne Countess of Rethel, and the sister of Louis I, Count of Flanders.She married Jean count of Monfort in March 1329.
When Jean III, Duke of Brittany died childless in 1341, he left behind a contentious succession dispute. For many years he tried to find means to ensure that the children of his stepmother, Yolande of Dreux would not inherit the Duchy, including trying to have her marriage to his father annulled. At this time he declared his heir to be his niece Jeanne de Penthièvre which was supported by France.
Jeanne led the Montfortist faction after the capture of her husband. She mustered an army and captured Redon. From there she went to Hennebont, to prepare it for a siege. Charles of Blois duly arrived in 1342 and besieged the town. She then sent Amaury de Clisson to ask King Edward III of England for aid. This, Edward was eager to give, since he had been claiming the French crown for himself, and was therefore at odds with King Philippe .If he could get Brittany as an ally, this would be of great advantage for future campaigns.
In the siege of Hennebont, she took up arms and, dressed in armour, conducted the defence of the town, encouraging the people to fight, and urging the women to "cut their skirts and take their safety in their own hands". When she looked from a tower and saw that the enemy camp was almost unguarded, she led three hundred men on a charge, burned down Charles' supplies and destroyed his tents. After this she became known as "Jeanne la Flamme". When the Blois faction realised what was happening, they cut off her retreat to the town, but she and her knights rode to Brest, drawing a portion of the Blois force with them. Having secured Brest, she gathered together extra supporters and secretly returned to Hennebont, evading the Blois forces and re-entering the town with her reinforcements.
Charles of Blois tried to starve the people in Hennebont. During a long meeting the bishop of Leon tried to persuade her to surrender, but from the window she saw the English fleet .Hennebont was strengthened with the English forces and held out.
She sailed to England to seek further reinforcements but the English fleet was intercepted on its way to Brittany by Charles of Blois' French ally, Luis de la Cerda count of Talmont. In a hard-fought battle, and according to Froissart, Jeanne fought in person "with the heart of a lion, and in her hand she wielded a sharp glaive, wherewith she fought fiercely".Eventually the English forces beat off the French ships and made harbour near Vannes which they took .Her forces then besieged Rennes and sought to break the siege of Hennebont.
With neither side able to achieve a decisive victory, by the truce of Malestroit in 1343, her husband was released and resumed the conflict. When her husband died in 1345 in the midst of the war, she again became the leader of the Montfort party to protect the rights of her son Jean against the House of Blois. In 1347, English forces acting on her behalf captured Charles of Blois in battle.
By this time Jeanne and her son were living in England where after being initially welcomed with honour she was later confined by order of King Edward III and spent the rest of her life a state prisoner at Tickhill Castle .King Edward III probably imprisoned her in order to increase his own power in Brittany.
She lived long enough to see the final victory of her son John IV, Duke of Brittany over the House of Blois in 1364, but she never returned to the duchy. The last mention made of the duchess and her guardian is 14 February 1374. It seems she died that year a state prisoner .
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