Marie Of BERRY

Family/Spouse: Louis III Of CATILLON. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Family/Spouse: John I Duke Of BOURBON. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Family/Spouse: Philip Of ARTOIS. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

John of Valois, the Magnificent, (November 30, 1340 ? March 15, 1416) was Duke of Berry and Auvergne and Count of Poitiers and Montpensier. He was the third son of King John II of France and Bonne of Luxemburg; his brothers were Charles V, King of France, Louis I of Anjou, King of Naples and Philip II, Duke of Burgundy.

Upon the death of his older brother Charles V in 1380, his son and heir, Charles VI was a minor, so Berry and his brothers, along with the king's maternal uncle the Duke of Bourbon acted as regents. Following the death of Louis of Anjou in 1384, Berry and his brother Burgundy were the dominant figures in the kingdom. The king ended the regency and took power into his own hands in 1388, giving the governance of the kingdom largely to his father's former ministers, who were political enemies of the king's powerful uncles. Berry and Burgundy bided their time, and were soon able to retake power, in 1392, when the King had his first attack of insanity, an affliction which would remain with him throughout his life. The two royal dukes continued to rule until 1402, when the king, in one of his moments of lucidity, took power from them and gave it to his brother Louis, Duke of Orleans.

French Monarchy
Capetian Dynasty
(Valois branch)

Philip VI
Children
John II
John II
Children
Charles V
Louis I of Anjou
John, Duke of Berry
Philip II, Duke of Burgundy
Charles V
Children
Charles VI
Louis, Duke of OrlÈans
Charles VI
Children
Isabella of Valois
Catherine of Valois
Charles VII
Charles VII
Children
Louis XI
Louis XI
Children
Charles VIII
Charles VIII

In his later years, John became more of a consensual figure in France. After the death of Philip of Burgundy in 1404, he was the last survivor of the sons of King John, and generally tried to play the role of a peacemaker between the factions of his nephews Orleans and John, Duke of Burgundy. After the murder of Orleans at the orders of the Duke of Burgundy, Berry generally took the Orleanist or Armagnac side in the civil war that erupted, but was always a moderate figure, attempting to reconcile the two sides and promote internal peace. It was largely due to his urging that Charles VI and his sons were not present at the Battle of Agincourt in 1415. Remembering his father's fate as a captive after the Battle of Poitiers 59 years before, Berry feared the fate of France should the king and his heirs be taken captive, and successfully prevented their participation. He died a few months after the battle, which proved as disastrous as he had feared.

John of Berry was also a notable patron who among other works commissioned the most famous Book of Hours, the TrËs Riches Heures. His spending on his art collection severely taxed his estates, and he was deeply in debt when he died in 1416.

John married Joanna Of ARMAGNAC. Joanna was born in 1346; died in 1387. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]