Richard, Count of Étampes

Richard of Montfort
Count of Vertus and Étampes
Spouse Marguerite d'Orléans
Issue
Francis II, Duke of Brittany
Catherine, Princess of Orange
House House of Dreux-Montfort
Father John V, Duke of Brittany
Mother Joan of Navarre
Born c. 1396
Died 2 June 1438 (aged 41–42)
Château de Clisson
Burial Nantes Cathedral
Religion Roman Catholicism

Richard, Count of Montfort, Vertus and Étampes (c. 1396 – 2 June 1438) was the 8th child and youngest son of John V, Duke of Brittany, and his third wife, Joan of Navarre. Not much is known of his life, except that he was the father of Francis II, Duke of Brittany. In his lifetime he held many titles and positions; he was appointed captain-general of Guyenne and Poitou in 1419, became comte d'Etampes and seigneur de Palluau et de Châteaumur de Thouarcé, de Bourgomeaux-l'Evêque et de Ligron on 8 May 1423, and Count of Mantes in October 1425.

Contents

Life and Family

Pedigree and Descent

His father was a great-great-great grandson of Peter I, Duke of Brittany, who in turn was a great-grandson of Louis VI of France. This made Richard a member of the House of Capet. He was also a great-great-great grandson of Henry III of England, through his great-great-grandmother, Beatrice of England, signifying the political and matrimonial alliances between the Kings of England and the Ducal House of Brittany.

Marriage and Issue

In 1423 he married Marguerite d'Orléans, daughter of Louis, duc d'Orléans, brother of Charles VI of France and Valentina Visconti, a daughter of Giangaleazzo Visconti, Duke of Milan and his first wife, Isabella of Valois

Margaret was his second cousin, as they shared the same great-grandfather, King John the Good. The bride received the county of Vertus as dowry, thus Richard became count in the right of his wife. She and Richard had seven children, of whom two, Francis and Catherine, would have progeny. Richard also had a natural daughter by a mistress.

Other Relations

Richard had many varying and complex relationships with French and English Royalty.

His mother Joan would later remarry Henry IV of England, and become Queen of England. Richard's stepbrother and Henry IV's son and successor, Henry V of England, would later claim the throne of France and re-initiate the Hundred Years' War and marry Richard's wife's paternal cousin, Catherine of Valois. His step-nephew, King Henry VI of England, succeeded his grandfather and Richard's wife's uncle, Charles VI to the French throne, as a rival to Dauphin Charles. Coincidently, Henry's wife, Margaret of Anjou, was the step-daughter of Jeanne de Laval, who was a granddaughter of Richard's brother, John VI, Duke of Brittany. Richard was also distantly related to the Courtenays, who were also descended from Louis VI, through his youngest son, Peter of Courtenay.

Succession to the County of Étampes

Richard became comte de Vertus-en-Champagne et de Bénon on his marriage in 1423. He also became baron de Clisson, seigneur de Courtenay, de Piffonds, de Houdan et de l'Epine-Gaudin in 1423, and châtelain de Renac et de Bois-Raoul near Redon in 1424. He also became Count of Étampes in the right of his wife, who inherited the rights to the county from her father and was formally granted it by King Charles VII of France. However, their claim was disputed by Philip the Good, Duke of Burgundy, presumably to avenge his father's death by disrupting Charles's reign, who was most probably responsible for the late duke's assassination in 1419. Philip occupied the duchy and held it personally till 1434, after which he gave it to his cousin, John II, Count of Nevers. Nevertheless, the County was returned to Richard in September, 1435.

Duchy of Brittany

Richard died on 2 June 1438. His oldest brother succeeded his father as John VI, Duke of Brittany. Eventually, another of Richard's brothers, Arthur, succeeded as duke and died childless. Had Richard lived he would have succeeded, but Richard's son Francis became the next duke of Brittany as Francis II.

His daughter Catherine married Prince William II of Orange in 1438.

Ancestry

External links