John III, Duke of Brittany
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John III of Dreux (in French Jean III de Dreux) (March 8, 1286 – April 30, 1341), known as the Good, was duke of Brittany, from 1312 to his death. He was son of Duke Arthur II and Mary of Limoges, his first wife.
In 1297, John was married to his first wife Isabelle of Valois, eldest daughter of Charles of Valois and his first wife Marguerite of Anjou and Maine. Her maternal grandparents were Charles II of Naples and Maria Arpad of Hungary. At the time of their marriage John was eleven years old and his bride only five.
Isabelle died childless in 1309. In 1310, John married his second wife Isabella of Castile, daughter of Sancho IV of Castile and his wife María de Molina. John was twenty-four years old and Isabella twenty-seven.
Isabella died childless in 1328. In 1329, John married his third wife Joan of Savoy, only child of Edward, Count of Savoy and Blanche of Burgundy. Her maternal grandparents were Robert II, Duke of Burgundy and Agnes of France, Duchess of Burgundy. John was forty-three years old and Joan about nineteen.
He predeceased his third wifes by three years and remained childless. His death triggered the Breton War of Succession (1341–1364), which opposed the House of Blois and the rights of his niece Joanna of Dreux, to the House of Montfort, a cadet branch of the ducal family of Brittany, led by John of Montfort and his homonymous son. This civil war was an incident of the Hundred Years' War.
[edit] See also
| Preceded by Arthur II |
Duke of Brittany 1312–1341 |
Succeeded by (disputed between: John IV and Joanna with Charles) |
| Preceded by John of Brittany |
Earl of Richmond 1334-1341 |
Succeeded by John de Montfort |
