John I ( br, Yann, french: Jean; c. 1217/12188 October 1286), known as John the Red due to the colour of his beard, was Duke of Brittany from 1221 to his death and 2nd Earl of Richmond in 1268. John was the eldest of three children born to Duchess Alix and her husband and '' jure uxoris'' co-ruler, Duke Peter I. He became duke upon his mother's death in 1221. His father, who had reigned as duke due to his marriage to Alix, ruled as regent until John reached adulthood. In 1268, Henry III granted the earldom of Richmond to John, and the title continued in his family, through frequent temporary forfeitures and reversions, until 1342. He experienced a number of conflicts with the

Bishop of Nantes The Roman Catholic Diocese of Nantes ( la, Dioecesis Nannetensis; french: Diocèse de Nantes; br, Eskopti Naoned) is a diocese of the Latin Rite of the Roman Catholic Church in Nantes, France. The diocese consists of the department of Loire ...

and the Breton clergy. In 1240, he issued an edict expelling Jews from the duchy and cancelling all debts to them. He joined Louis IX of France in the

Eighth Crusade The Eighth Crusade was the second Crusade launched by Louis IX of France, this one against the Hafsid dynasty in Tunisia in 1270. It is also known as the Crusade of Louis IX against Tunis or the Second Crusade of Louis. The Crusade did not see an ...

in 1270, and survived the plague that killed the king. The duchy of Brittany experienced a century of peace, beginning with John I and ending with Duke John III's reign in 1341.

Marriage and issue

In 1236 John married Infanta Blanche, daughter of King Theobald I of Navarre. They had the following surviving issue: *

John II, Duke of Brittany John II ( br, Yann, french: Jean; 123918 November 1305) reigned as Duke of Brittany from 1286 until his death, and was also Earl of Richmond in the Peerage of England. He took part in two crusades prior to his accession to the ducal throne. As a ...

(1239–1305), married

Beatrice of England Beatrice of England (25 June 1242 – 24 March 1275) was a member of the House of Plantagenet, the daughter of Henry III of England and Eleanor of Provence. Childhood Born 25 June 1242, Beatrice was the second-eldest daughter of King Henry III ...

and had issue. *Peter (1241–1268), Lord of Dinan, Hade, Léon,

Hennebont Hennebont (; ) is a commune in the Morbihan department in the region of Brittany in north-western France. Geography Hennebont is situated about ten miles from the mouth of the River Blavet, which divides it into two parts: the ''Ville Close'', ...

and

La Roche-Derrien La Roche-Derrien (; br, Ar Roc'h-Derrien) is a former commune in the Côtes-d'Armor department of Brittany in northwestern France. On 1 January 2019, it was merged into the new commune La Roche-Jaudy.Alix ''Alix'', or ''The Adventures of Alix'', is a Franco-Belgian comics series drawn in the ligne claire style by Jacques Martin (comics), Jacques Martin. The stories revolve around a young Gallo-Roman man named Alix in the late Roman Republic. Al ...

(1243–1288), Dame de Pontarcy; married John of Châtillon, Count of Blois. *Theobald (1245–1246), interred in the church abbey of

Saint-Gildas-de-Rhuys Saint-Gildas-de-Rhuys () is a commune in the Morbihan department of Brittany in north-western France. Inhabitants of Saint-Gildas-de-Rhuys are called in French ''Gildasiens''. Its French name refers to Saint Gildas, who founded the abbey of Sai ...

. *Theobald (1247died young), interred in the church abbey of Saint-Gildas-de-Rhuys. *Eleanor (1248died young), interred in the church abbey of Saint-Gildas-de-Rhuys. *Nicolas (1249–1251), interred in the church abbey of Saint-Gildas-de-Rhuys. *Robert (1251–1259), interred in the church abbey of Saint-Gildas-de-Rhuys.

References

Sources

* * * * * *

Marriage and issue

References

Sources

See also