Born: 1300 (Belleville-sur-Vie, Vendée)
Died: 1359
Jeanne de Clisson (1300–1359), also known as Jeanne de Belleville and the Lioness of Brittany, was a French / Breton former noblewoman who became a privateer to avenge her husband after he was executed for treason by the French king. She crossed the English Channel targeting French ships and often slaughtering their crew. It was her practice to leave at least one sailor alive to carry her message of vengeance to the King of France.
Jeanne Louise de Belleville, de Clisson, Dame de Montaigu, was born in 1300 in Belleville-sur-Vie in the Vendée, a daughter of nobleman Maurice IV Montaigu of Belleville and Palluau (1263–1304) and Létice de Parthenay of Parthenay (1276–) in the Gâtine Vendéenne on the French side of the border with Brittany. As a seigneur family in the Bas-Poitou area, the de Montaigu family would have had direct or indirect business with wine making, salt farming, and the merchant movements of these goods to and from markets as far as the Iberian Peninsula up towards England. This would have included contacts with merchant shipping along the river Vie and along the coast of Poitou and Brittany with an island stronghold at Yeu.
After her father passed away when she was four years old, there are no known records of her mother remarrying. It also appears that she was born from her father’s second marriage, as some records suggest he was previously married to Sibille of Chateaubriant, which produced a son, Maurice V Montaigu. When Maurice V died in 1320(), Jeanne inherited the seigneury of Montagu and that of Belleville as he had no heirs.
In 1312, Jeanne married her first husband, Geoffrey de Châteaubriant VIII (died 1326), a Breton nobleman who was already a widower. They had two children together: Geoffrey IX (1314–1347), who inherited his father’s estates as Baron, and Louise (1316–1383), who married Guy XII de Laval and subsequently inherited her brother’s estate as Baroness.
In 1328, Jeanne married Guy de Penthièvre of the House of Penthièvre, who was the widower of Joan of Avaugour and the second son of the Duke of Brittany. Jeanne may have done this to protect her underage children. However, the union was short-lived as relatives of the Ducal family, particularly from the de Blois faction, raised a complaint with the bishops of Vannes and Rennes to protect their heritage. This resulted in an investigation on February 10, 1330, and the marriage was eventually annulled by Pope John XXII. Guy then married Marie de Blois, who was also a niece of Phillip VI of France. Unexpectedly, Guy passed away shortly after.
Devastated by her husband’s execution for treason, Jeanne sold all her possessions and used the funds to purchase three warships. She had the ships painted black and rechristened them with names that vowed revenge: My Revenge, The Black Fleet, and Death to the King and France. Jeanne embarked on a relentless campaign against French vessels, particularly those allied with King Philip VI. Her ships were equipped with red sails to symbolize her thirst for blood.
Jeanne’s raiding strategy was brutal and effective. She targeted ships in the English Channel, slaying the crews and leaving a single survivor to deliver her message of vengeance to the French king. The survivor would have his ears cut off as a reminder of the atrocity committed by the French king against Jeanne’s husband. The sight of black-painted warships struck fear into the hearts of French sailors, as they knew that Jeanne was coming for them. Her actions earned her the nickname The Lioness of Brittany.
Throughout her piracy career, Jeanne de Clisson operated independently, switching allegiances between the English and the Flemish, who were enemies of the French Crown. Her acts of defiance against the French king captured the imagination of the people and spread fear among the nobility. Jeanne became a symbol of resistance, inspiring others to rise against the oppressive regime.
Jeanne’s ultimate goal was to see her husband’s death avenged. She sought opportunities to confront the French king directly, but it never came to fruition. Instead, she continued her pirate activities, inflicting devastation upon the French fleet. Despite her brutal actions, Jeanne was regarded as a noble woman of courage and resolution.
Jeanne de Clisson’s legacy continued even after her death in 1359. Her son Geoffrey IX, who inherited her estates, became a loyal supporter of the English Crown during the Hundred Years’ War. Through her actions, Jeanne left an indelible mark on history, not only as a fearsome pirate but also as a symbol of resistance against oppression.