Biography of John "The Red" Capet I Duke Brittany 1218-1286

Paternal Family Tree: Capet

Maternal Family Tree: Adela Valois Countess Blois and Vermandois

In or before 1217 [his father] Peter of Dreux aka Mauclerc Duke Brittany (age 29) and [his mother] Alix Thouars Duchess of Brittany (age 15) were married. He by marriage Duke Brittany 1221 Dreux, Earl Richmond. She the daughter of [his grandfather] Guy Thouars and [his grandmother] Constance Penthièvre Duchess Brittany. He the son of [his grandfather] Robert Capet II Count Dreux (age 62) and [his grandmother] Yolande Coucy Countess Dreux (age 52). They were fourth cousins. She a great x 3 granddaughter of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England.

In 1218 John "The Red" Capet I Duke Brittany was born to Peter of Dreux aka Mauclerc Duke Brittany (age 31) and Alix Thouars Duchess of Brittany (age 16).

In 1221 John "The Red" Capet I Duke Brittany (age 3) was created I Duke Brittany 1221 Dreux.

In 1221 [his mother] Alix Thouars Duchess of Brittany (age 19) died. Earl Richmond extinct. It isn't clear why her son didn't inherit the title? Her husband had been created Earl Richmond in his own right in 1218 so possible her son didn't inherit the first, contested, creation since he would succeed to the second creation.

Before February 1232 [his father] Peter of Dreux aka Mauclerc Duke Brittany (age 45) and Nicole Unknown were married. He the son of [his grandfather] Robert Capet II Count Dreux and [his grandmother] Yolande Coucy Countess Dreux.

In 1236 John "The Red" Capet I Duke Brittany (age 18) and Blanche "Navarre" Blois Duchess Brittany (age 10) were married. She the daughter of Theobald IV King Navarre (age 34) and Agnes of Beaujeu Countess Savoy. He the son of Peter of Dreux aka Mauclerc Duke Brittany (age 49) and Alix Thouars Duchess of Brittany. They were third cousin once removed. He a great x 4 grandson of King Henry I "Beauclerc" England. She a great x 4 granddaughter of King William "Conqueror" I of England.

Chronica Majora. April 1236. In the spring of the same year, many of the nobles rose in insurrection, to make war against the kingdom of France, for it excited their indignation that France, the kingdom of kingdoms, was governed by a woman's counsel. Men of rank and renown, and who had been trained to arms from their early youth, joined in the insurrection; the [his father-in-law] king of Navarre (age 34), that is, the count of Champagne; the count de la Marche (age 53), the count of Brittany (age 18), and a great many other nobles, allied themselves together by treaty and oath.

Chronica Majora. 1237. At this time the pope summoned the count of Brittany (age 19) to his counsel, to the astonishment of many, who wondered that he should call on a man notorious for such manifold acts of treachery to manage his arduous business. But he had chosem and selected the said count before all others, as a man most skilful in warfare, bold in fight, of illustrious family, and one who had gained experience by frequent conflicts both by sea and land, to intrust to him the guidance and command of the Christian army, and to consign to him the money to be expended in the necessary preparations for the march of the crusaders.

In 1239 [his son] John Capet II Duke Brittany was born to John "The Red" Capet I Duke Brittany (age 21) and [his wife] Blanche "Navarre" Blois Duchess Brittany (age 13).

In 1241 [his son] Peter Capet was born to John "The Red" Capet I Duke Brittany (age 23) and [his wife] Blanche "Navarre" Blois Duchess Brittany (age 15).

In 1243 [his daughter] Alix Capet Countess Saint Pol was born to John "The Red" Capet I Duke Brittany (age 25) and [his wife] Blanche "Navarre" Blois Duchess Brittany (age 17).

In 1245 [his son] Theobald Capet was born to John "The Red" Capet I Duke Brittany (age 27) and [his wife] Blanche "Navarre" Blois Duchess Brittany (age 19).

In 1246 [his son] Theobald Capet (age 1) died.

All About History Books

The Chronicle of Walter of Guisborough, a canon regular of the Augustinian Guisborough Priory, Yorkshire, formerly known as The Chronicle of Walter of Hemingburgh, describes the period from 1066 to 1346. Before 1274 the Chronicle is based on other works. Thereafter, the Chronicle is original, and a remarkable source for the events of the time. This book provides a translation of the Chronicle from that date. The Latin source for our translation is the 1849 work edited by Hans Claude Hamilton. Hamilton, in his preface, says: "In the present work we behold perhaps one of the finest samples of our early chronicles, both as regards the value of the events recorded, and the correctness with which they are detailed; Nor will the pleasing style of composition be lightly passed over by those capable of seeing reflected from it the tokens of a vigorous and cultivated mind, and a favourable specimen of the learning and taste of the age in which it was framed." Available at Amazon in eBook and Paperback.

In 1247 [his son] Theobald Capet was born to John "The Red" Capet I Duke Brittany (age 29) and [his wife] Blanche "Navarre" Blois Duchess Brittany (age 21).

In 1247 [his son] Theobald Capet died.

In 1248 [his daughter] Eleanor Capet died.

In 1248 [his daughter] Eleanor Capet was born to John "The Red" Capet I Duke Brittany (age 30) and [his wife] Blanche "Navarre" Blois Duchess Brittany (age 22).

In 1249 [his son] Nicholas Capet was born to John "The Red" Capet I Duke Brittany (age 31) and [his wife] Blanche "Navarre" Blois Duchess Brittany (age 23).

On 26th May 1250 [his father] Peter of Dreux aka Mauclerc Duke Brittany (age 63) died.

In 1251 [his son] Nicholas Capet (age 2) died.

In 1251 [his son] Robert Capet was born to John "The Red" Capet I Duke Brittany (age 33) and [his wife] Blanche "Navarre" Blois Duchess Brittany (age 25).

On 8th July 1253 [his father-in-law] Theobald IV King Navarre (age 52) died. His son [his brother-in-law] Theobald (age 13) succeeded V Count Champagne, II King Navarre.

On 6th April 1255 [his brother-in-law] Theobald "Young" II King Navarre (age 15) and Isabella Capet (age 14) were married. She the daughter of King Louis IX of France (age 40) and Margaret Provence Queen Consort France (age 34). He the son of [his father-in-law] Theobald IV King Navarre and Margaret Bourbon Queen Consort Navarre (age 38). They were half third cousins. He a great x 4 grandson of King William "Conqueror" I of England. She a great x 2 granddaughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England.

In 1259 [his son] Robert Capet (age 8) died.

On 22nd January 1260 [his son] John Capet II Duke Brittany (age 21) and [his daughter-in-law] Beatrice Plantagenet (age 17) were married. She the daughter of King Henry III of England (age 52) and Eleanor of Provence Queen Consort England (age 37). He the son of John "The Red" Capet I Duke Brittany (age 42) and [his wife] Blanche "Navarre" Blois Duchess Brittany (age 34). They were half second cousin twice removed. He a great x 5 grandson of King William "Conqueror" I of England.

All About History Books

The Chronicle of Geoffrey le Baker of Swinbroke. Baker was a secular clerk from Swinbroke, now Swinbrook, an Oxfordshire village two miles east of Burford. His Chronicle describes the events of the period 1303-1356: Gaveston, Bannockburn, Boroughbridge, the murder of King Edward II, the Scottish Wars, Sluys, Crécy, the Black Death, Winchelsea and Poitiers. To quote Herbert Bruce 'it possesses a vigorous and characteristic style, and its value for particular events between 1303 and 1356 has been recognised by its editor and by subsequent writers'. The book provides remarkable detail about the events it describes. Baker's text has been augmented with hundreds of notes, including extracts from other contemporary chronicles, such as the Annales Londonienses, Annales Paulini, Murimuth, Lanercost, Avesbury, Guisborough and Froissart to enrich the reader's understanding. The translation takes as its source the 'Chronicon Galfridi le Baker de Swynebroke' published in 1889, edited by Edward Maunde Thompson. Available at Amazon in eBook and Paperback.

In 1268 John "The Red" Capet I Duke Brittany (age 50) was restored 2nd Earl Richmond.

In 1268 [his son] Peter Capet (age 27) died.

In 1269 [his brother-in-law] Henry I King Navarre (age 25) and Blanche Capet Queen Navarre (age 21) were married. She the daughter of Robert Capet Count of Artois and Matilda Reginar Countess Saint Pol (age 45). He the son of [his father-in-law] Theobald IV King Navarre and Margaret Bourbon Queen Consort Navarre. They were half third cousins. He a great x 4 grandson of King William "Conqueror" I of England. She a great x 2 granddaughter of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England.

On 04 or 5th December 1270 [his brother-in-law] Theobald "Young" II King Navarre (age 30) died at Trapani returning from the Eighth Crusade. His brother [his brother-in-law] Henry (age 26) succeeded I King Navarre, III Count Champagne. Blanche Capet Queen Navarre (age 22) by marriage Queen Navarre, Countess Champagne.

Before 9th May 1271 King Edward I of England (age 31) and Eleanor of Castile Queen Consort England (age 30) sailed from Palermo [Map] and travelled to Acre [Map] arriving on 9th May 1271. They were later joined by Edmund "Crouchback" Plantagenet 1st Earl of Leicester 1st Earl Lancaster (age 26), John "The Red" Capet I Duke Brittany (age 53) and Teobaldo Visconti Archdeacon of Liège (age 41) (who would become Pope a month later).

On 22nd July 1274 [his brother-in-law] Henry I King Navarre (age 30) died. His daughter Joan (age 1) succeeded I Queen Navarre.

On 12th August 1283 [his wife] Blanche "Navarre" Blois Duchess Brittany (age 57) died.

On 8th October 1286 John "The Red" Capet I Duke Brittany (age 68) died. His son [his son] John (age 47) succeeded 2nd Duke Brittany 1221 Dreux, 3rd Earl Richmond.