Charles I, Duke of Brittany

Saint Charles de Chatillon
Duke of Britanny Patron of Europe
Died	Auray
Venerated in	Roman Catholicism
Beatified	1904 by Pie X
Canonized	1364 by Pope Urban V
Feast	29 September (General Roman Calendar)
Patronage	-Army soldiers -Agricultural workers

Charles of Blois Châtillon (1319 – 29 September 1364), "The Saint", claimed the title Duke of Brittany from 1341 to his death. Charles de Châtillon canonized as a Saint of the Roman Catholic church for his devotion to religion. This canonization was later annulled denying him the Church designation of Saint; he remains "the Blessed".

Charles Chattilon de Blois was the nephew of the new King of France Philip VI of Valois, chosen by the Peerage of France against the claims of Edward III, by virtue of the Salic law. He also inherited the rights to the Duchy of Brittany by the House of Penthièvre.

Charles Chattilon was born in Blois, son of Guy de Chatillon, 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 Penthièvre, heiress and niece of duke John III. Together, Charles and Joanna de Châtillon 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.

Family

By his marriage to Joanna, he had five children:

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

Death and legacy

Charles de Châtillon died in 1364 in the Battle of Auray, which determined the end of the Breton War of Succession with the victory of the Montforts.

Charles de Châtillon was canonized as a Saint of the Roman Catholic church for his devotion to religion. The canonization process was nullified by Pope Gregory XI at the request of Duke John IV of Brittany, Charles' final opponent in the Breton War of Succession and the recognized Duke of Brittany under the first Treaty of Guerande.

Subsequently, in 1904, Charles de Châtillon was beatified and therefore may be referred to as the Blessed Charles of Blois. His Roman Catholic Feast Day is 30 September.^{[lower-alpha 1]}

Image of S.Charles de Chattilon in the book Vie des Saints", Yann-Vari Perrot, publishing in 1912 (page 692)
The Saint Charles de Chattilon de Blois, battles gallery, Versailles castle, France
The Saint Charles de Chattilon in the glass window of the Church Saint-Pierre in Plounéour-Trez, France
The Saint Charles de Chattilon in the glass window of the Church Saint-Malo in Dinan, France
Statue of Blessed Knight Charles Chattilon de Blois in the Church of Notre-Dame de Bulat-Pestivien (Bretagne)
"The Knight Charles Chattilon de Blois, with is army, in the attack of Siege of Hennebont in 1342, an epic battle during the war of succession of Brittany
"The Knight Charles de Chattilon is taken prisoner". Jean Froissart, Chroniques (Vol. I), Koninklijke Bibliotheek in 1816
Battle of Auray, 1364
"ar of brittany succession" (1341–1364), Jean Froissart, Paris, 9th century
Battle of Auray in the glass window of the Church of Notre-Dame-de-Bonne-Nouvelle, Rennes
Battle of Auray 1364, "Chroniques"
Battle of Auray, Bibliothèque Nationale de France, Paris
First Siege of Vannes in 1342 by Charles de Blois Chattilon
Charles de Blois Chattilon, was taken prisoner after the battle of Roche Derrien in 1347

Notes

↑ See the Franciscan Description of the Blessed Charles of Blois

References

↑ Historical Note Vagabond by Bernard Cornwell 2002 pg 405

External links

Wikisource has the text of the 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica article Charles (Duke of Brittany).

Regnal titles
Charles I, Duke of Brittany Born: 1319 Died: 1364
Preceded by John III	Duke of Brittany jure uxoris 1341–1364 With: Joan disputed by John of Montfort and John IV	Succeeded by John IV
Preceded by Guy	Count of Penthièvre jure uxoris 1337–1364 With: Joan	Succeeded by Jean de Blois

Rulers of Brittany

Early monarchs

c. 578–907	Waroch Saint Judicaël Alain II Hir Morman Wihomarc Nominoe Erispoe Salomon Pascweten Gurvand Judicael Alan I Gourmaëlon

Viking Occupation

c. 907–938	Hroflr Rognvaldr Incon

House of Nantes

938–958	Alan II (938–952) Drogo (952–958) Hoël I (960–981) Guerech (981–988) Alan (III) (988–990)

House of Rennes

958–1072	Conan I (990–992)) Geoffrey I (992–1008) Alan III (1008–1040) Odo I (1008–1034) Conan II (1040–1066) Hawise (1066–1072) with Hoel II (1066–1072)

House of Cornouaille

1072–1156	Alan IV (1072–1112) Conan III (1112–1148) Bertha (1148–1156) with Odo II (1148–1156)

House of Penthièvre

1156–1196	Conan IV (1156–1166) Constance (1166–1201) with Geoffrey II (1181–1186), later Guy of Thouars (1199–1201)

House of Plantagenet

1196–1203	Arthur I (1196–1203)

House of Thouars

1203–1221	Alix (1203–1221) with Peter I (1213–1221)

House of Dreux

1221–1341	John I (1221–1286) John II (1286–1305) Arthur II (1305–1312) John III (1312–1341)

War of the Breton Succession

1341–1365	Joan (1341–1364) with Charles I (1341–1364) disputed by John of Montfort (1341–1345) and John IV (1345–1365)

Montfort of Brittany

1365–1514	John IV (1365–1399) John V (1399–1442) Francis I (1442–1450) Peter II (1450–1457) Arthur III (1457–1458) Francis II (1458–1488) Anne (1488–1514)

House of Valois

1514–1547	Claude (1514–1524) Francis III (1524–1536) Henry (1536–1547)

Courtesy title

1547–present	Louis de France (1704–1705) Louis de France (1707–1712) Francis de Bourbon (1973–1984)

Authority control	WorldCat Identities VIAF: 54258580 LCCN: nr97026991 GND: 119270048 SUDOC: 034599320 BNF: cb125338794 (data)

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