Albret
Encyclopedia
Labrit
Labrit is a commune in the Landes department in Aquitaine in south-western France.-See also:*Communes of the Landes department*Parc naturel régional des Landes de Gascogne...
), situated in the Landes, gave its name to one of the most powerful feudal families of France in the Middle Ages
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
. Its members distinguished themselves in the local wars of that epoch; and during the 14th century they espoused the English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
cause for some time, afterwards transferring their support to the side of France.
Arnaud Amanieu, lord of Albret, helped to take Guienne from the English. His son Charles became constable of France, and was killed at the battle of Agincourt
Battle of Agincourt
The Battle of Agincourt was a major English victory against a numerically superior French army in the Hundred Years' War. The battle occurred on Friday, 25 October 1415 , near modern-day Azincourt, in northern France...
in 1415. Alain the Great
Alain I of Albret
Alain I of Albret , called "The Great", was a powerful French aristocrat. He was 16th Lord of Albret, Viscount of Tartas, the 2nd Count of Graves, and the Count of Castres. He was the son of Catherine de Rohan and Jean I of Albret...
, lord of Albret (d. 1522), wished to marry Anne of Brittany
Anne of Brittany
Anne, Duchess of Brittany , also known as Anna of Brittany , was a Breton ruler, who was to become queen to two successive French kings. She was born in Nantes, Brittany, and was the daughter of Francis II, Duke of Brittany and Margaret of Foix. Her maternal grandparents were Queen Eleanor of...
, and to that end fought against Charles VIII
Charles VIII of France
Charles VIII, called the Affable, , was King of France from 1483 to his death in 1498. Charles was a member of the House of Valois...
; but his hopes being defeated by the betrothal of Anne to Maximilian of Austria, he surrendered Nantes
Nantes
Nantes is a city in western France, located on the Loire River, from the Atlantic coast. The city is the 6th largest in France, while its metropolitan area ranks 8th with over 800,000 inhabitants....
to the French in 1486.
At that time the house of Albret had attained considerable territorial importance, due in great part to the liberal grants which it had obtained from successive kings of France. John of Albret
John III of Navarre
John III , also known as Jean d'Albret, was jure uxoris, King consort of the Queen regnant Catherine of Navarre.He was a son of Alain I of Albret, Lord of Albret, and his wife, Frances of Châtillon-Limoges.-King of Navarre:...
, son of Alain, became king of Navarre by his marriage with Catherine of Foix
Catherine of Navarre
Catherine was Queen of Navarre , duchess of Gandia, Montblanc, and Peñafiel, countess of Foix, Bigorre, and Ribagorza, and viscountess of Béarn.- Biography :...
. Their son Henry II
Henry II of Navarre
Henry II was the eldest son of John III of Navarre and Catherine I of Navarre, sister and heiress of Francis Phoebus, King of Navarre; he was born at Sangüesa.-King of Navarre:...
, king of Navarre, was created duke of Albret and peer of France in 1550 before he was born in 1553. By his wife Margaret d'Angoulême, sister of Francis I
Francis I of France
Francis I was King of France from 1515 until his death. During his reign, huge cultural changes took place in France and he has been called France's original Renaissance monarch...
, he had a daughter, Jeanne d'Albret, queen of Navarre, who married Anthony de Bourbon, duke of Vendôme, and became the mother of Henry IV
Henry IV of France
Henry IV , Henri-Quatre, was King of France from 1589 to 1610 and King of Navarre from 1572 to 1610. He was the first monarch of the Bourbon branch of the Capetian dynasty in France....
, king of France.
The dukedom of Albret
Duke of Albret
Duke of Albret was a title in the French nobility.It was created in 1550 for the King of Navarre, Henry II. He died in 1555 and was succeeded by his daughter, Queen Joan III. The duchy was made into a peerage for her in 1556...
, united to the crown of France by the accession of this prince, was granted to the family of La Tour d'Auvergne (see duc de Bouillon
Frédéric Maurice de La Tour d'Auvergne, duc de Bouillon
Frédéric Maurice de La Tour d'Auvergne, duc de Bouillon was prince of the independent principality of Sedan, and general in the French royal army....
) in 1651, in exchange for Sedan and Raucourt.
To a younger branch of this house belonged Jean d'Albret, seigneur of Orval, count of Dreux and of Rethel
Counts and dukes of Rethel
This is a list of counts and dukes of Rethel. The first counts of Rethel ruled independently, before the county passed first to the Counts of Nevers, then to the Counts of Flanders, and finally to the Dukes of Burgundy. In 1405 the County became part of the Peerage of France, and in 1581 it was...
, governor of Champagne
Champagne, France
Champagne is a historic province in the northeast of France, now best known for the sparkling white wine that bears its name.Formerly ruled by the counts of Champagne, its western edge is about 100 miles east of Paris. The cities of Troyes, Reims, and Épernay are the commercial centers of the area...
(d. 1524), who was employed by Francis I
Francis I of France
Francis I was King of France from 1515 until his death. During his reign, huge cultural changes took place in France and he has been called France's original Renaissance monarch...
in many diplomatic negotiations, more particularly in his intrigues to get himself elected emperor in 1519.
- Amanieu I 1050-1060
- Amanieu II 1060-?
- Bernard Ezi I ?-?
- Amanieu III 1100-1130
- Bernard Ezi II 1130-?
- Amanieu IV ?-1174
- Amanieu V 1174-1209
- Amanieu VIAmanieu VIAmanieu VI was the Lord of Albret from 1207 to 1255.He was originally an ally of the English against the French in the Anglo-French War , but in December 1253 he made peace with Louis IX of France. He received a royal pardon. Then, in August 1254, Henry III of England declared peace between him and...
1209-1255 - Amanieu VII 1255-1270
- Bernard Ezi III 1270-1281
- Mathe of Albret, princess 1281-1295
- Isabelle of Albret, princess 1295-1298
- Amanieu VIIIAmanieu VIIIAmanieu VIII was the Lord of Albret from 1298 until his death.He was an ally of the English and sat on the King's Council during the reigns of Edward I and Edward II of England...
1298-1324 - Bernard Ezi IVBernard Ezi IVBernard Ezi IV was the Lord of Albret from 1324 to 1358 and the son of Amanieu VIII.In 1330, Edward III of England sent men to Gascony to negotiate with the nobles. Bernard tried to negotiate a marriage between his eldest son and heir Arnaud Amanieu and a daughter of Edmund of Woodstock, 1st Earl...
1324-1358 - Arnaud Amanieu IArnaud Amanieu, Lord of AlbretArnaud Amanieu was the Lord of Albret from 1358. Arnaud Amanieu was the son of Bernard Ezi IV and Mathe of Armagnac.In 1330, Edward III of England sent men to Gascony to negotiate with the nobles...
1358-1401 - Charles I of Albret 1401-1415
- Charles II of AlbretCharles II of AlbretCharles II d'Albret was a French magnate, administrator, and soldier.He was the son of Charles d'Albret and Marie de Sully. His father died in 1415 at the Battle of Agincourt, leaving the younger Charles as lord of Albret and titular Count of Dreux, titular count since after Agincourt the lands of...
1415-1471 - Jean I of Albret (associated, + before 1471) also known as Jean I, viscount of Tartas
- Alain I of AlbretAlain I of AlbretAlain I of Albret , called "The Great", was a powerful French aristocrat. He was 16th Lord of Albret, Viscount of Tartas, the 2nd Count of Graves, and the Count of Castres. He was the son of Catherine de Rohan and Jean I of Albret...
le Grand, 1471–1522 - Jean II of AlbretJohn III of NavarreJohn III , also known as Jean d'Albret, was jure uxoris, King consort of the Queen regnant Catherine of Navarre.He was a son of Alain I of Albret, Lord of Albret, and his wife, Frances of Châtillon-Limoges.-King of Navarre:...
(associated, + 1512) - Henry I of AlbretHenry II of NavarreHenry II was the eldest son of John III of Navarre and Catherine I of Navarre, sister and heiress of Francis Phoebus, King of Navarre; he was born at Sangüesa.-King of Navarre:...
1522-1555 King of Navarre as Henry II - Jeanne d'Albret 1555-1572 Queen of Navarre as Jeanne III of Navarre.
- Henry IV of FranceHenry IV of FranceHenry IV , Henri-Quatre, was King of France from 1589 to 1610 and King of Navarre from 1572 to 1610. He was the first monarch of the Bourbon branch of the Capetian dynasty in France....
1572- 1610 (son of Jeanne III)