John I (, ; 1217/12188 October 1286), known as John the Red due to the colour of his beard, was

Duke of Brittany This is a list of rulers of Brittany. In different epochs the rulers of Brittany were kings, princes, and dukes. The Breton ruler was sometimes elected, sometimes attained the position by conquest or intrigue, or by hereditary right. Hereditary ...

from 1221 to his death and 2nd

Earl of Richmond The now-extinct title of Earl of Richmond was created many times in the Peerage of Peerage of England, England. The earldom of Richmond, North Yorkshire, Richmond was initially held by various Breton people, Breton nobles; sometimes the holde ...

in 1268. John was the eldest of three children born to Duchess Alix and her

husband and co-ruler ''Jure uxoris'' (a Latin phrase meaning "by right of (his) wife"), citing . describes a title of nobility used by a man because his wife holds the office or title ''suo jure'' ("in her own right"). Similarly, the husband of an heiress could becom ...

, 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 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 Louis IX (25 April 1214 – 25 August 1270), also known as Saint Louis, was King of France from 1226 until his death in 1270. He is widely recognized as the most distinguished of the Direct Capetians. Following the death of his father, Louis VI ...

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 Theobald I (, ; 30 May 1201 – 8 July 1253), also called the Troubadour and the Posthumous, was Count of Champagne (as Theobald IV) from birth and King of Navarre from 1234. He initiated the Barons' Crusade, was famous as a trouvère, and was the ...

. They had the following surviving issue: * John II, Duke of Brittany (1239–1305), married Beatrice of England and had issue. *Peter (1241–1268), Lord of

Dinan Dinan (; ) is a walled Brittany, Breton town and a commune in France, commune in the Côtes-d'Armor Departments of France, department in northwestern France. On 1 January 2018, the former commune of Léhon was merged into Dinan. Geography Inst ...

, 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. * Alix (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. *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.

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* * * * * *

Marriage and issue

References

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See also