Isabelle's family tree

In my infinite wisdom as a new SCA member I chose a name on a whim. I wanted something French and Celtic, and Fancy.  So I ended up on Wikipedia in it's earlier days and found the House of Montfort of Brittany in the time I was focusing on.  The family had unknown daughter that died as an infant, and decided I wanted to learn about how her life could have been. I poked around a bit, and saw Isabelle quite a common name in the tree so dubbed myself Isabelle Montfort de Bretagne, and after a small debate about de vs du in French names my name was accepted.  I was quite surprised years later when that that wiki page was updated and the daughter was actually named Isabelle.

Opps.

One of my goals is to understand her world. Not just the fashion, or even just the material culture, but the meaning behind the fabrics, how politics, status and trade impacted her life. The mindset of the key players in her life. Food, art, pageantry, education. Castles. Popular stories and authors.  

Isabelle Montfort de Bretagne was born in October 1388, in Bretagne, and died in Dec 1388 along with her 1 year old sister, Jeanne.  

Her Parents- 

Her father known as John IV of Montfort in English, Jean IV the conquer in French, or Yann IV in Breton. He was the Duke of Brittany, and the Earl of Richmond. He was also knighted into king Edward's Order of the garter.

John IV coat of arms (Wikipedia) 

His father was also John of Montfort, from an ancient and powerful Breton with bridal ties to Navarre, French, Scottish and English Royalty.  

John of Montfort's Father, Authur II, set up the first democratic estates in Brittany. Authur's first son John III had an extreme dislike for his step mother. He tried to have the marriage annulled and his half siblings discredited, naming his niece Joan as his heir. (In Breton tradition women were equally able to inherent.) However, towards the end of his life, he made peace with his half brother, writing a will stating John of Montfort was to inherent.  

John of Montfort had wrestled for control of the dutchy from Joan of Penthievre and Charles de Blois  they contested the will and sparked the war of Breton Succession. Charles had the French King's support, for the king wanted control of Brittany, for the advantages it would give to fight the English. John of Montfort had no choice but to seek aid from the English. 

After John de Montfort's death, the dutchy was still unsettled, his wife Joanna of Flanders, sought sanctuary with young John IV in the English court, while continuing to support efforts for her son to reign. Charles de Blois became the de facto Duke. The Bretons saw Charles as a French imposter, and much preferred the Montforts. 

In 1362 John IV returned to Brittany and petitioned Joan and Charles for peace, Yet Joan wouldn't yeld. In 1364 Charles de Blois was killed at the battle of Auray, Joan conceded. In 1365 John IV was able to unite Bretagne into an independent dutchy with a treaty recognizing male inheritance first of the Montfort line, the Penthievre's second.  But despite the fact the Montforts won with the English king's support, John IV pledged feality to France.

Isabelle's mother, Joan of Navarre, was the daughter of the king of Navarre and also a granddaughter of king Jean II of France. She was John's 3rd wife, married in 1386, long after John was done conquering, and seemed to have a relatively peaceful time. They'd host the English Kings often, while remaining relevant to the French court and culture.  

Joan as Queen of England (Wikipedia) 

They would have 9 children. 

Jeanne b 1387 - d 1388

Isabelle b 1388 - d 1388

Jean V duc de Bretagne- b 1389 - d 1442

Marie de Bretagne b 1391 - d 1446

Margaret de Bretagne b 1392 - d 1428

Arthur III duc de Bretagne b 1393 - d 1458

Gilles de Bretagne b 1394 - d 1412

Richard de Bretagne (Count de Benon, d'Eschampes, and de Mantes) b 1395 ‐ d 1438

Blanche de Bretagne b 1397 - d 1419

The Duke would pass away in 1399, leaving Joan as regent for John V, who was 10.  

Joan had met King Henry IV when he had been a guest of the Breton court during his banishment. It was reported to be a love match. In 1402 she left her son's in the care of Phillip II the Duke of Burgundy, and took her daughters to England where she married king Henry.  Isabelle would have been 14.

While Joan had a good relationship with her step family, especially her step son Henry V initially, It appears that the English court wasn't friendly to the Bretons, they thought her greedy and stingy and exiled much of her Breton court. 3 years after thier arrival in England, about 1405, John V demanded his sisters return to Bretagne.

Her siblings- 

John V- John the wise. His guardian until he came if age was Phillip II the bold of Burgundy. John would keep a life long alliance with Burgundy. John inherited Brittany in a time of peace, and was known for playing sides in the hundred year's war. He was a patron of arts and education. He built cathédrales and a school in Vannes.

A graphic depicting the lands owned and acquired by Jean V during his rein as Duke. It also shows the Rohan family lands.

He married Joan of France, the daughter of King Charles IV, the mad, of France in 1396.  Most likely arranged by his father and Charles as he was only 7, and she 5 years old. 

In 1420 John was abducted by his father's Penthievre rivals trying to claim the Dutchy. His wife Joan captured the countess and John was released and the Penthievre's were forced to sign a treaty giving up thier claims to Brittany.  When Henry V, his step brother, invaded France John supported the French King, but after missing the battle of Agincourt, the good will release of his brother Arthur, and some agresssion in Brittany by the mad French King he and the Burgundy duke supported Henry. He sent his son Gilles to be raised in Henry's household. Often trying to play a neutral and mediator between France and England, but diplomacy failed, after his death, Gilles was murdered, and at the Treaty of Tours his brother Authur severed all Breton ties with England.  

It's clear that as Head of the Household he took responsibility for his family seriously and there are many reports of his interactions with his family.  

Seal of John IV (Wikipedia)

Joan of Valois (Wikipedia)

Marriage of Duke John V and Joan of Valois (Wikipedia)

Marie- before his death, John IV aranged a marriage in 1396, to John I Duke of Alençon a great grandson of King Phillip II of France. She was married in 1398, at the age of 7, but Marie was reported to be with her mother in England until 1405. After her return to France they would have 5 children.  John I would die at Agincourt fighting Marie's stepbrother Henry V. 

Marie's son John II was captured by the English and he sold his fiefdom to his uncle John V for the ransom, and after his return tried regain his territory by force which led his Uncles John and Authur to siege Alençon and induce him to make peace.

Margaret- she married Alain IX viscount of Rohan in 1407 at 15 years old. The house of Rohan was a powerful Breton family that decended from the old Breton kings. This marriage created a powerful union to unite Bretagne. They had at least 6 children.  

Authur- also Authur de Richemont, after the English earldom of Richmond from his father, which the English never recognized. He was leading military commander during the 100 years war. He remained committed to the French. Fought alongside Joan of Arc, and became constable of France. He brokered peace between his Bother John and the French, and the Burgundians and the French. He became the Duke before his death when his nephew Phillip died. He married the widowed Margaret of Burgundy (Nevers), granddaughter of the Duke of Burgundy, in 1423. He had no legitimate children, but had one daughter naturalized daughter Jacqueline. 

Authur (Wikipedia)

Gilles- Lord of Chantocé and Ingrande. Not much is known of him. He died young at 18 years old. It appears that John V named his youngest son after this Brothers and gave him his tile and land of Chantocé. 

Richard- In his lifetime, he held many titles and positions. He was appointed captain-general of Guyenne and Poitou in 1419, became the count of Étampes through his marriage to Maragreite of Orléans, and lord of Palluau, Bourgomeaux, and Ligron, and count of Mantes. Maragreite was the granddaughter of king Charles V of France , a granddaughter of John II of France, and neice to the Duke de Berry, whom which she inherited the county of Estampes from her uncle. She was said to be pious. Richard commissioned the book of Heures for Maragreite in 1421, two years before thier marriage took place in 1423. It's renowned to be one of the most exquisite examples of fifteenth-century French illumination. They had seven children, and their son Francis II would become the Duke after Arthur's death. 

Richard (Wikipedia) 

Maragreite d'Orléans (Wikipedia)

Blanche- She married John IV Count of Armagnac, Fézensac, and Rodez. He was involved in the intrigues related to the Hundred Years' War and in conflicts against the King of France. He was the Grandson of Jean Duke de Berry, and great grandson of John II of France.  They had one daughter Bonne in 1416.

Henry IV of England- step sibling. His father Henry seized the English thrown in 1399, the same year Isabelle's father passed away. 4 years later he would marry Joan of Navarre. Henry IV would ascend to the English thrown in 1413. He reinvigorated the 100 years war in 1415 and became known as the warrior king. After Agincourt Henry had taken Authur as prisoner, and it damaged the relationship with his Step mother. In 1419 Joan's fortune was taken and she was imprisoned until 1422. He would sign a treaty making him heir to France and marry Catherine of Valois  in 1420 as a tactic to place himself on the French throne. 

Henry IV (Wikipedia) 

He died before he could do so, but his son, Henry IV, was eventually crowned king of both France and England. He couldn't hold the territory in France, and all but Calis had reverted back to the French by the end of his reign.

So what does this mean for Isabelle? 

Isabelle would have grown up in Brittany, most likely at Château de Suscinio the family seat. Her Breton heritage is full of powerful women who were educated and inherited the dutchy in their own right.  Her grandmother and mother being regents themselves. It appears her brother, John V, made sure his siblings were highly educated and culturally relevant. She would have spent her teenage years in England, returned to Bretagne (probably for a dynastic marriage), While her brothers had cultivated powerful connections with, the English and French kings, the dukes of Burgundy, Berry, and Orléans. 

Château de Suscinio. John IV and V had expanded the resident quarters. 

She would have had had access to education, music and art. She probably could read and write. She would have spoken French, Latin, English, Probably a bit of Breton and maybe a bit of Basque from Navarre. She would have been well traveled. She would have known about politics and factions of the time. She would have known how to run a large household, how fashion, food, and hospitality reflected status. She probably would have some basic stitching knowledge, but otherwise would have her clothes made for her out of the finest fabrics and latest fashions. She probably would have been married young for political alliance and not allowed to remain a widow for long. 

The extant Pourpoint of Charles de Blois would have been worn by her family's rival.  

It also means that when I'm looking at manuscripts or inventories, or other period documents, these are people who are related to the Montfort family through blood or marriage.  These are characters that would have been KNOWN to Isabelle.

The connection to the Berry Manuscripts and the Duke's inventory-

For Example let's take the inspiration image from the GNC gown I did. 

It's the April Folio from Les Très Riches Heures de Duc de Berry, 1416.  

It depicts the marriage of Charles, Duc d’Orleans and Bonne d’Armagnac at the Chateau de Dourdan.  

Now if we look up Bonne, we find her parents are Bertrand d'Armagnac and Bonne, the daughter of the Duke de Berry.  Below is a snip of thier children.  

Isabelle sister, Blanche, married Bonne's brother! His second wife, Isabelle of Navarre, was a cousin.

Isabelle's brother Richard Married Margaret the sister of Charles d'Orléans! 

Her nephew, John II Alençon, his first spouse was the daughter of Charles d'Orléans and his second wife Joan de Valois, The neice of John V wife, also related Duke de Berry also. His second wife was the daughter of John IV Armagnac with his second wife Isabelle, who happened to be a cousin of the family too! 

Setting aside the awkwardness of medieval views towards incest and child marriage, it's clear that these people are close. 

Looking at the contemporary people depicted in the Berry manuscripts, they could be relatives, or people who would be known.  Are Isabelle's siblings or potential friends in those Miniatures? Could be. Isabelle's family, or herself potentially could have had access to the items listed in the Duke's de Berry's trésorerie.  Maybe they saw the manuscripts in person, and it inspired them. 

The Inventory of the Duke de Berry and The Bookkeeping of Robinet D'ESTAMPES (not be confused with Richard count D'ESTAMPES) shows the Duke de Berry often exchanges manuscripts with Louis d'Orléans and his duchess. He also had the collected works of Christine de Pizan.  Woot! 

The connection with the Inventory of Château de Chailloue-  Château de Chailloue was a holding of the count of Alençon. Marie's spouse. This inventory was taken at 1416, right after the death of the count at Agincourt. These items detailed in this account belonged to Isabelle's sister.  The Château was defaced in the 100 years war, and eventually sold for John II's ransom. It was rebuilt in the 17th century.  

The Connection with Burgundy- 

One of the inventories I've read heavily and drew a lot of material culture from are the death inventories of Dijon from 1390-1408. 

Some of these inventories would have been from the exact time in which the Duc de Burgundy was gardian of the Montfort Boys when thier mother went to England. Because the Montfort's kept close ties, and even marriage with the Burgundians it would make sense that Isabelle would have been subjected to the Burgundian fashions when ordered back to Bretagne. 

Paul Limbourg started his career in Burgundy in 1402 as painter in the Court of Phillip II the Bold, the same year Phillip became gardian of the Montfort Boys.  (Famiglietti p21) Limbourgs painted the Manuscripts of Jean De Berry. He was close enough to the Duke of Berry that Jean captured a bride with great legal complications for Paul. 

Les Grandes Heures of Rohan, Per Wikipedia- "A theory suggests that The Rohan Hours was commissioned by the House of Rohan, as indicated by their arms shown on some of the pages (blazon: gules, in chief seven mascles d’or). The commission would have been made in 1431 to celebrate the marriage of Charles of Anjou, Count of Maine, to a daughter of Alain IX of Rohan, however that marriage never took place." I personally believe that due to the arms and title the book was originally intended for this marriage but was given to Charles for the Anjou bride instead. Or the artist Master Rohan was from the dynastic family. 

Les Heures de Maragreite d'Orléans was commissioned by her brother Richard, and depicts her sister in law. I've no doubt that it would have been inspired by the manuscripts in the Duke de Berry's collection.  

Christine De Pizan Was one of the first female writers, and was considered very feminist in her life.  She often wrote poetry and manuscripts for king Charles, the Duc de Burgundy and the Duc d’Orleans. Christine dedicated Le Livre des Trois Vertus see also digital copy to the dauphine Margaret of Burgundy (Nevers), the future wife of Authur, advising the young princess on what she had to learn.

And yes, most of this family history comes straight from Wikipedia.  I'm aware of the follies of this. But tracking down that much family trees just isn't high enough priority.