Hello All,
If ancient Breton history was like and epic fantasy, it definitely reverted to Game of Thrones, as we reached the Hundred Years War. I must admit I always found Game of Thrones a bit boring. I read the first book back when it was released, but didn’t feel the need to continue. What’s the point of reading about backstabbing fantasy families, when you have real, much more colorful ones?
Through the Middle Ages, Brittany was stuck in the rivalry between the kings of France and England. The Breton dukes were nominally vassals of the French kings, but, since they were also Earls of Richmond, they had a vassality to the kings of England.
The majority of Bretons didn’t care. They considered themselves Bretons first and foremost.
The duchy was divided into two distinct regions: the eastern "Gallo-Brittany" (think fertile farmland and latin-style language) and the western "Breton Brittany" (rocky coasts, dark forests, and stubborn people who definitely knew how to hold a grudge).
All that didn’t matter too much until Duke John III of Brittany died childless and each kingdom tried to put its own candidate on the throne. This led to the War of the Breton Succession, best known as… The War of the Three Jeannes (Joans). Yes, it was mostly a conflict between three women.
This involved epic battles, sieges, evasions, and pirates. Everything you need to write a trilogy. The three heroines of these books would be:
Jeanne #1: Jeanne de Penthièvre (Joan the Lame) 1324-1384
Our first contestant was the niece of the deceased duke and had been his chosen heir. She was married to Charles of Blois, the second son of a powerful noble house whose maternal uncle was King Philip VI of France. Obviously, she had full royal support in her claim to the Duchy.
Charles de Blois sounded like a good hero: he was "austere, pious but also a fine and intelligent soldier who inspired the loyalty of people around him".
Most of the Breton nobility supported this couple, viewing them as the legitimate heirs. They had the backing of the King of France, the papal blessing, and the support of the established power structure in Brittany.
Jeanne #2: Jeanne de Montfort (Joan the Flame) 1295-1374
The Challenger. She was the wife of John de Montfort, the duke's half-brother. The two half-siblings couldn’t see eye to eye, but he also claimed the throne, backed by Edward III of England.
Jeanne #3: Jeanne de Clisson (The Lioness of Brittany)
Now for our star of the show: Jeanne de Clisson (1300–1359), also known as Jeanne de Belleville. She wasn't initially part of the succession fight, but boy, did she make an entrance. Jeanne first married at the tender age of 12 (medieval people really didn't mess around with childhood). After her first husband died, she married the wealthy and powerful Olivier de Clisson in 1330. They were happily ruling their chunk of southeastern Brittany, raising five children, and probably arguing about whose turn it was to collect taxes from the peasants.
The Lame and the Flame
After the funeral of John III, Jeanne and Charles of Blois returned to the Court of France and Jeanne and John of Montfort returned to their Breton estate, while the great nobles of Brittany assembled to discuss the succession. Since most of the nobility supported Jeanne de Penthièvre and her husband, Montfort figured if he was to have any chance, it was dependent upon swift action before organized resistance could be made.
So, he went with a small army and seized Nantes, Brittany’s capital, while the nobles debated. He simply showed up at the gates and announced he was the new duke. The assembled lords basically turned round and found he had squeezed past them and, like an unwanted relative, was ensconced in the castle.
The citizens of Nantes, perhaps sensing which way the wind was blowing—or simply impressed by his audacity—swore loyalty to him. John quickly took possession of the city and then, seized the Ducal treasury at Limoges.
Thanks to the ducal treasury, he recruited mercenaries, which allowed him to perform in two months a 'great ride through Brittany' and take control of most of the duchy. What made this campaign so remarkable wasn't just its speed, but its relative bloodlessness. Most towns and castles simply opened their gates when they saw John approaching with his mercenaries and the ducal treasury. Sometimes being accepted by the confused, sometimes having to fight, but the momentum was clearly with the Montforts.
John's great ride couldn't last forever. The French court, alarmed by his rapid conquest, decided to prepare for war. In an attempt to resolve the succession question, John reached out to King Philip VI of France. After receiving safe conduct from the king, John went to Paris to plead his case yet was swiftly imprisoned. Philip VI declared the Blois as Brittany's true dukes.
This betrayal of safe conduct was a shocking breach of medieval protocol. The message was clear: France would support Charles de Blois, regardless of the legal niceties.
Meanwhile, Jeanne of Montfort, was in Rennes with her two-year-old son, also named John, and the ducal treasury when news of her husband’s capture arrived. Rather than seeking terms or fleeing to safety, Jeanne declared herself regent for her infant son and prepared for war, sending for assistance to Edward III of England. The English were eager to support her cause, as controlling Brittany would give them a crucial strategic advantage in their war with France.
Jeanne recalled the field army from western Brittany, joined it with some of the troops in Rennes and took command. She stormed the town of Redon and then moved to Hennebont. Are you still following?
The Siege That Made a Legend
Now, the Blois were not staying idle. They had gathered a formidable army and was systematically conquering the duchy. Charles marched on Hennebont, where Jeanne had established her headquarters. The town was strategically located on the Blavet river in western Brittany, and Jeanne was determined to hold it at all costs while waiting for English reinforcements.
When Jeanne of Montfort and her supporters heard that Charles of Blois was coming to besiege them, she gave orders for all her troops to arm and for the great bell to be rung to summon everyone to the city's defence. She took up arms and, dressed in armour, conducted the defence, encouraging the people to fight, and urging the women to "cut their skirts and take their safety in their own hands".
The first French assault came quickly, but it was poorly coordinated. Part of Charles army advanced against orders and attacked some of the town's defenders who were formed up outside its gate. More troops were pulled into this fight before the French were pushed back in a disorderly retreat. The Montfortists pursued, inflicting many casualties and burning the French camp.
The Birth of "La Flamme"
But the moment that would earn Jeanne her legendary nickname came a few days later. After three days of fighting, while surveying the combats, saw that all the besiegers had left their quarters and gone forward to watch the assault. They were all concentrated on the attack, leaving their camp virtually undefended. “She mounted her charger, fully armed as she was, and called upon some three hundred men-at-arms who were guarding a gate that wasn't under attack; then she rode out with this company and charged boldly into the enemy camp, which was devoid of anyone but a few boys and servants.”
The raid was devastatingly effective. They killed them all and set fire to everything: soon the whole encampment was ablaze.
But then, came the twist. When the besiegers realized 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. From there, she gathered together extra supporters and secretly returned to Hennebont, evading the Blois forces and re-entering the town with her reinforcements.
Then, more adventures!
Jeanne sailed to England to seek further reinforcements from King Edward, which he provided, but this fleet was attacked on its way to Brittany by a Blois' ally, Louis of Spain. As his men attempted to board Jeanne's ship, she fought in person. Eventually the English forces managed to escape and land in Vannes.
And there, John of Montfort was released “on bail”. What followed was far less epic: a petty war of attrition for about 20 years, with change of kings, on both sides, the Hundred Years war escalating and finally, the Black Death. As for Jeanne, she returned to the English court once too many, and King Edward put this cumbersome ally on house arrest, possibly to keep her as hostage against those bloody minded Breton dukes.
Still, her son became Duke of Brittany.
