Bernard VII, Count of Armagnac
Encyclopedia
Bernard VII, Count of Armagnac (1360 – 12 June 1418) was the Count of Charolais, Count of Armagnac
, and Constable of France
. He was the son of John II
and Jeanne de Périgord. He succeeded in Armagnac at the death of his brother, John III
, in 1391. After prolonged fighting, he also became Count of Comminges in 1412.
When his brother, who claimed the Kingdom of Majorca
, invaded northern Catalonia
late in 1389 in an attempt to seize the kingdom's continental possessions (the County of Roussillon
), Bernard commanded part of his forces.
Bernard's first wife was Bonne of Berry
, the daughter of Duke Jean de Berry and widow of Count Amédée VII of Savoy. He first gained influence at the French court when Louis, Duke of Orléans
married Valentina Visconti
, the daughter of Giangaleazzo Visconti, Duke of Milan. Béatrice d'Armagnac, Bernard's sister married Carlo Visconti, Valentina's brother.
After Louis's assassination
in 1407, Armagnac remained attached to the cause of Orléans. He married his daughter Bonne d'Armagnac
to the young Charles, Duke of Orléans in 1410. Bernard d'Armagnac became the nominal head of the faction which opposed John the Fearless, Duke of Burgundy
, and the faction came to be called the "Armagnacs" as a consequence. (See: Armagnac (party)
)
He became constable of France in 1415 and was the head of the Dauphin's government until the Burgundians triumphed in 1418. He died in the insurrection which delivered Paris to the Burgundians on 12 June 1418.
Count of Armagnac
The following is a list of rulers of the county of Armagnac:-House of Armagnac:*William Count of Fézensac and Armagnac ?– 960*Bernard the Suspicious, First count privative of Armagnac 960– ?*Gerald I Trancaléon ? –1020*Bernard I Tumapaler 1020–1061...
, and Constable of France
Constable of France
The Constable of France , as the First Officer of the Crown, was one of the original five Great Officers of the Crown of France and Commander in Chief of the army. He, theoretically, as Lieutenant-general of the King, outranked all the nobles and was second-in-command only to the King...
. He was the son of John II
John II of Armagnac
John II, the Hunchback, , Count of Armagnac, of Fézensac, Rodez and Count of Charolais , Viscount Lomagne and Auvillars, he was the son of John I, Count of Armagnac, of Fezensac and Rodez, Viscount Lomagne and Auvillars and Beatrix de Clermont, great-granddaughter of Louis IX of France.During the...
and Jeanne de Périgord. He succeeded in Armagnac at the death of his brother, John III
John III of Armagnac
John III of Armagnac was a count of Armagnac, of Fézensac and Rodez from 1384 to 1391. He was the son of John II of Armagnac, and Jeanne of Périgord....
, in 1391. After prolonged fighting, he also became Count of Comminges in 1412.
When his brother, who claimed the Kingdom of Majorca
Kingdom of Majorca
The Kingdom of Majorca was founded by James I of Aragon, also known as James The Conqueror. After the death of his first-born son Alfonso, a will was written in 1262 which created the kingdom in order to cede it to his son James...
, invaded northern Catalonia
Catalonia
Catalonia is an autonomous community in northeastern Spain, with the official status of a "nationality" of Spain. Catalonia comprises four provinces: Barcelona, Girona, Lleida, and Tarragona. Its capital and largest city is Barcelona. Catalonia covers an area of 32,114 km² and has an...
late in 1389 in an attempt to seize the kingdom's continental possessions (the County of Roussillon
County of Roussillon
The County of Roussillon was one of the Catalan counties in the Marca Hispanica during the Middle Ages. The rulers of the county were the Counts of Roussillon, whose interests lay both north and south of the Pyrenees.-Visigothic county:...
), Bernard commanded part of his forces.
Bernard's first wife was Bonne of Berry
Bonne of Berry
Bonne of Berry was the daughter of John, Duke of Berry and Joanna of Armagnac. Through her father, she was a granddaughter of John II of France.-First marriage:...
, the daughter of Duke Jean de Berry and widow of Count Amédée VII of Savoy. He first gained influence at the French court when Louis, Duke of Orléans
Louis of Valois, Duke of Orléans
Louis I was Duke of Orléans from 1392 to his death. He was also Count of Valois, Duke of Touraine , Count of Blois , Angoulême , Périgord, Dreux, and Soissons....
married Valentina Visconti
Valentina Visconti
Not to be confused with Valentina Visconti, Queen of CyprusValentina Visconti was the wife of Louis de Valois, Duke of Orléans, a younger brother of Charles VI of France....
, the daughter of Giangaleazzo Visconti, Duke of Milan. Béatrice d'Armagnac, Bernard's sister married Carlo Visconti, Valentina's brother.
After Louis's assassination
Assassination of Louis I, Duke of Orléans
The assassination of Louis I, Duke of Orléans took place on November 23, 1407 in Paris.-Background:Under the reign of Charles V, French generals like Bertrand du Guesclin had steadily regained ground previously lost to the English in the Hundred Years' War. At the same time England was suffering...
in 1407, Armagnac remained attached to the cause of Orléans. He married his daughter Bonne d'Armagnac
Bonne d'Armagnac
Bonne of Armagnac was the daughter of Bernard VII, Count of Armagnac and constable of France, and of Bonne of Berry.-Marriage:...
to the young Charles, Duke of Orléans in 1410. Bernard d'Armagnac became the nominal head of the faction which opposed John the Fearless, Duke of Burgundy
Duke of Burgundy
Duke of Burgundy was a title borne by the rulers of the Duchy of Burgundy, a small portion of traditional lands of Burgundians west of river Saône which in 843 was allotted to Charles the Bald's kingdom of West Franks...
, and the faction came to be called the "Armagnacs" as a consequence. (See: Armagnac (party)
Armagnac (party)
The Armagnac party was prominent in French politics and warfare during the Hundred Years' War. It was allied with the supporters of Charles, Duke of Orléans against John the Fearless after Charles' father Louis of Orléans was killed at the orders of the Duke of Burgundy in 1407...
)
He became constable of France in 1415 and was the head of the Dauphin's government until the Burgundians triumphed in 1418. He died in the insurrection which delivered Paris to the Burgundians on 12 June 1418.
Marriage and children
Married Bonne of Berry, daughter of Duke Jean de Berry;- John IV of ArmagnacJohn IV of ArmagnacJohn IV was a Count of Armagnac, Fézensac, and Rodez from 1418 to 1450. He was the son of Bernard VII of Armagnac, Count d' Armagnac, of Fézensac, Pardiac, and Rodez; and the brother of Bernard of Armagnac, Count of Pardiac, of La Marche and Duke of Nemours...
- Anne of ArmagnacAnne of ArmagnacAnne of Armagnac, Dame d'Albret, Countess of Dreux was a French noblewoman and a member of the powerful Gascon Armagnac family which played a prominent role in French politics during the Hundred Years War and were the principal adversaries of the Burgundians throughout the Armagnac-Burgundian...
, married 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...
. - Bonne of Armagnac, married Charles, Duke of Orléans.
External links
- Ancestors of Bernard VII -Family tree from the Foundation for Medieval Genealogy
- The Households of the Counts of Armagnac in the Late Middle Ages - abstract of a paper analyzing the household expenses of Count Bernard VII, from the Société Internationale des Médiévistes.