Jean Harpedenne II (or John Harpeden II; fl. 1360s–1410s) was a French

aristocrat The aristocracy is historically associated with "hereditary" or "ruling" social class. In many states, the aristocracy included the upper class of people (aristocrats) with hereditary rank and titles. In some, such as ancient Greece, ancient Ro ...

, administrator and military officer. He was the

seigneur ''Seigneur'' is an originally feudal title in France before the Revolution, in New France and British North America until 1854, and in the Channel Islands to this day. A seigneur refers to the person or collective who owned a ''seigneurie'' (or ...

of Belleville and a Marmouset at the court of King Charles VI. Jean was the only son of the English knight John Harpeden and his French wife, Jeanne, daughter of

Olivier IV de Clisson Olivier IV de Clisson (1300–1343), was a Breton Marche Lord and knight who became embroiled in the intrigue of Vannes and was subsequently executed by the King of France for perceived treason. He was the husband of Jeanne de Clisson who even ...

and

Jeanne de Belleville Jeanne de Clisson (1300–1359), also known as Jeanne de Belleville and the Lioness of Brittany, was a French / Breton former noblewoman who became a privateer to avenge her husband after he was executed for treason by the French king. She cros ...

and thus a younger sister of Olivier V. Jean was born in the 1360s and was raised in the household of Olivier V. Jean, who was by language and upbringing a French Poitevin, is unlikely to have seen his father after 1372, when his father was captured in battle by the French. Jean came into possession of his father's estates around Belleville in Poitou in 1372, although he was under the control of his uncle at that time. He is the source for the story that Olivier V de Clisson, while serving as

constable of France The Constable of France (french: Connétable de France, from Latin for 'count of the stables') was lieutenant to the King of France, the first of the original five Great Officers of the Crown (along with seneschal, chamberlain, butler, and ...

, would annually remind the minor-aged Charles VI that he was a year closer to assuming full powers By 1385, Jean had become prominent at the royal court. In that year he served as

seneschal of Périgord The Seneschal of Périgord was an officer carrying out and managing the domestic affairs of the lord of the County of Périgord. During the course of the twelfth century, the seneschalship also became an office of military command. The seneschal ...

. His descendants would continue to serve in the French military into the 20th century. Jean supported

Louis I, Duke of Orléans Louis I of Orléans (13 March 1372 – 23 November 1407) was Duke of Orléans from 1392 to his death. He was also Duke of Touraine (1386–1392), Count of Valois (1386?–1406) Blois (1397–1407), Angoulême (1404–1407 ...

, in the dispute over the regency for Charles VI after the latter was declared insane in 1393. He became Louis's chamberlain and in 1399 Louis appointed him seneschal of Saintonge. In 1402, during a period of lucidity, Charles VI dismissed his uncle, John, Duke of Berry, from the regency and appointed Louis. According to the '' Grandes Chroniques de France'', the duke learned about his dismissal from Jean Harpedenne. When Louis was preparing to march on Paris in August 1405, Jean recruited troops in the Pale of Calais and joined Louis at Melun. Jean married Joan, daughter of Raimond de Montaut, lord of

Mussidan Mussidan (; oc, Moissida) is a commune in the Dordogne department in Nouvelle-Aquitaine in southwestern France. Mussidan station has rail connections to Bordeaux, Périgueux, Brive-la-Gaillarde and Limoges. Population Roundup of 16 January 19 ...

and

Blaye Blaye (; oc, Blaia ) is a commune and subprefecture in the Gironde department in Nouvelle-Aquitaine in southwestern France. For centuries, Blaye was a particularly convenient crossing point for those who came from the north and went to Bordeau ...

, a short time before her father's death in July 1406. By his will Raimond had designated Joan's unmarried sister Marie as his heiress and required her to remain loyal to the English crown. Her mother, Margaret of Albret, was the cousin of the constable of France, Charles d'Albret. She had custody of her daughter and took refuge in Mussidan, which her cousin soon besieged. An arrangement was negotiated by Jean by which Mussidan came under a French garrison. Jean was still living in 1413–15, when he reached agreements with Isabeau, the sister and heiress of Amaury II de Clisson.

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* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Harpedenne, Jean 02 1360s births Seneschals of Périgord Seneschals of the Saintonge 14th-century military history of France Year of death unknown French military officers