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{{Succession box | before=[[John III, Duke of Brittany|John III]] | title=[[List of rulers of Brittany|Duke of Brittany]] ''jure uxoris''<br>''with [[Joanna of Dreux|Joanna]]<br><small> disputed with [[John IV, Duke of Brittany|John IV]] and [[John V, Duke of Brittany|John V]]'' </small>| years=1341&ndash;1364 | after=[[John V, Duke of Brittany|John V]]<br> <small>''undisputed from 1364 under the<br> Treaty of Guerande''</small>}}
{{Succession box | before=[[John III, Duke of Brittany|John III]] | title=[[List of rulers of Brittany|Duke of Brittany]] ''jure uxoris''<br>''with [[Joanna of Dreux|Joanna]]<br><small> disputed with [[John IV, Duke of Brittany|John IV]] and [[John V, Duke of Brittany|John V]]'' </small>| years=1341&ndash;1364 | after=[[John V, Duke of Brittany|John V]]<br> <small>''undisputed from 1364 under the<br> Treaty of Guerande''</small>}}

Revision as of 19:18, 8 February 2013

Charles of Blois
Duke of Brittany
Duke of Brittany
Reign30 April 1341 – 29 September 1364
PredecessorJohn III
SuccessorJohn V
Bornc. 1319
Died29 September 1364 (aged 44-45)
SpouseJoanna, Duchess of Brittany
IssueJohn I of Blois-Châtillon
Prince Guy
Prince Henry
Princess Marie, Lady of Guise
Princess Marguerite, Countess of Angoulême
HouseHouse of Blois
FatherGuy I of Blois-Châtillon
MotherMargaret of Valois

Charles of Blois (1319 – 29 September 1364), claimed the title Duke of Brittany, from 1341 to his death.

Charles was born in Blois, the son of Guy I of Blois-Châtillon, count of Blois, by Margaret of Valois, a sister of king Philip VI of France. He was a devout man, who took piety to the extreme of mortifying his own flesh. It is said that he placed pebbles in his shoes, wore ropes tight with knots near his flesh and confessed every night in fear of sleeping in a state of sin. He was nevertheless an accomplished military leader, who inspired loyalty by his religious fervour.

On 4 June 1337 in Paris, he married Joanna of Dreux, heiress and niece of duke John III. Together, Charles and Joanna fought the House of Montfort in the Breton War of Succession (1341–1364), with the support of the crown of France. Despite his piety, Charles did not hesitate in ordering the massacre of 2000 civilians after the siege of Quimper. After initial successes, Charles was taken prisoner by the English in 1347. Thomas Dagworth was the official captor of Charles of Blois.[1] He was released nine years afterwards against a ransom of about half a million ecús, and resumed the war against the Montforts.

Charles died in 1364 in the Battle of Auray which determined the end of the Breton War of Succession with the victory of the Montforts. He was canonized as saint for his devotion to religion, but the process was made null by Pope Gregory XI by request of Duke John V of Brittany. Subsequently, in 1904, he was beatified.

By his marriage to Joanna, he had five children:

  • [John I of Blois-Châtillon (1340–1404) - also known as Jean de Blois
  • Guy
  • Henry (d. 1400)
  • Marie (1345–1404), Lady of Guise, married in 1360 Louis I of Naples
  • Marguerite, married in 1351 Charles de la Cerda (d. 1354)

See also

References

  1. ^ Historical Note Vagabond by Bernard Cornwell 2002 pg 405
Charles, Duke of Brittany
Born: 1319 Died: 1364
Regnal titles
Preceded by Duke of Brittany jure uxoris
with Joanna
disputed with John IV and John V

1341–1364
Succeeded by
John V
undisputed from 1364 under the
Treaty of Guerande
Preceded by
Guy
Count of Penthièvre jure uxoris
with Joanna

1337–1364
Succeeded by
Jean de Blois
later surrendered to the Duke of Brittany in 1420

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