A kick-butt pirate wanted to turn tail on the French and work for them instead? During the Middle Ages, France and England were constantly fighting each other over territories like Brittany. Well, Lord Olivier III of Clisson sided with the King Philip the Fortunate of France at first, signing on as a badass knight and leading a cavalry attack against the English invaders, but King Edward of England used the power of persuasion and probably a fuckton of gold to convince Olivier that yeah, maybe he should side with England instead. Upon laying eyes on three wooden behemoths that would make Poseidon shit himself, Clisson … Gemeinsam hatten sie in den nächsten 9 Jahren fünf Kinder. My mom never told me how her best friend died. At the ripe old age of fucking twelve she was married off to a 19 year old French nobleman named Geoffrey, and went off to live in his awesome manor. Strap in for the tale of Jeanne de Clisson, the gentile noble lady-turned-warrior pirate and traitor. De Clisson tied the knot with Olivier de Clisson, the man who would give her the surname by which she is known to this day. Just goes to show: What Jeanne wants, Jeanne eventually gets. Interestingly, de Clisson didn’t kick off her pirate career until she was already in her early 40s. Now that de Clisson was single and ready to mingle (read: desperately in need of a guardian and cash), she made another quick trip down the aisle. Let’s just…, Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End, Walt Disney Pictures, The Truth Always Comes Out: Dark Family Secrets Exposed, Entrancing Facts About Madame de Pompadour, France's Most Powerful Mistress, These People Got Revenge In The Most Ingenious Ways, These Unsettling Experiences Sent Us Running The Other Way, Tragic Facts About Peg Entwistle, Hollywood's First Victim, Dr. Feelgood, JFK, And The Magic "Vitamins" That Fuelled Hollywood. The two of them retired to Brittany for the rest of de Clisson’s life. Apparently, she meekly approached the castle’s gates in tears, expecting that the owners would recognize her as Olivier de Clisson’s grieving widow and admit her entry. Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. Jeanne de Clisson Jeanne Avenges the Death of her Husband Olivier Jeanne-Louise de Belleville was born into an affluent French family in1300 and was the descendent of a British family that lived in Brittany. Although most pirates were men, there are some notable historical examples demonstrating that women could be every bit as ferocious and bloodthirsty as their male counterparts. After all the de Blois’ family’s machinations, they succeeded in getting Guy de Penthièvre to agree to marry their daughter Marie. Then, as a final flourish, de Clisson would personally behead any nobles with her wicked ax—a fitting revenge for her husband’s grim demise. When she got there, she had her kids come out and see their father’s head mounted on the walls of the city. Born a wealthy lady of high rank, Jeanne took to the seas against the French after the execution of her much loved second husband Olivier. They took the head of her lover, so now she was going to rain down so many fucking decapitated heads that they’d with they’d never heard of an executioner’s axe. Her husband died … But before the new couple could walk down the aisle, de Penthièvre mysteriously passed away. After Olivier de Clisson met his maker, the executioners decided to add insult to injury. Our editors are instructed to fact check thoroughly, including finding at least three references for each fact. The Hundred Years War — a series of conflicts in … The hard journey took five long days and nights, and sadly, not everyone made it to the other side. Jeanne de Clisson: The Lioness of Brittany When her husband was unjustly executed, this French noblewoman-turned-pirate became the terror of France. Ed was super into the fact that Jeanne didn’t attack English ships, so he actually ended up granting her land, titles, and money to thank her for her help clearing the Channel of the enemy. The local de Blois family wanted Penthièvre to marry their daughter Marie, and they would do anything to make it happen. What a legend. Not Jeanne! I don’t know what music was playing while this happened, but I bet it was fucking epic. Her forces destroyed everyone at the castle, but left a sole survivor to spread the word: Jeanne de Clisson was coming, and you didn’t want to get in her way. Amid all the wildness, Jeanne managed to escape and row over to safety in England. Before de Clisson left the bloodshed at Touffou, she had one final order. It was the first of many losses that would turn Jeanne into the Middle Ages version of Uma Thurman from Kill Bill. When King Philip VI attacked Jeanne’s forces and she had to row to England for safety, she wasn’t alone: She had her children in the boat with her. The French backed one claimant, Charles de Blois, while the English supported John of Montfort. But it was … After being pushed to the edge, Jeanne was officially out for blood. Though she died in Hennebont, it’s long been said that de Clisson’s ghost made the trip back to Clisson Castle, where she still walks the halls to this day. It didn’t matter how much Olivier insisted that he was loyal to the French, Charles de Blois and King Philip VI didn’t believe him. Married to John de Montfort – de Clisson’s ex … In 1342, during the Hundred Years War, Jeanne’s husband was military commander of a town that was captured by the English, and he was taken prisoner. Jeanne de Clisson was the hot girl on the Middle Ages dating market. Back in the 14th century, the average person had a very short lifespan, which meant that people started adulting at an appallingly young age. At this part in her life, de Clisson hadn’t turned into an avenging angel just yet, but already, people who betrayed her seemed to suffer unpleasant fates. The de Clissons were confident that he’d be fine, but after de Blois’ shocking defeat, they learned the horrible truth: Geoffrey lost his life in the battle. Olivier IV de Clisson (1264–1343) was married to Jeanne when he was beheaded on orders from King Philippe VI the Fortunate (I suppose Olivier wasn’t as fortunate as the king). She packed up her things and enjoyed her twilight years in, of all places, Brittany. Some historians think that Guy de Penthièvre wasn’t just a helpless suitor getting pushed around by a rich girl’s family. How do we know this? A painting by Elsa Millet depicting Jeanne de Clisson, also known as Jeanne de Belleville. While historians don’t know much about this marriage, we can infer that it was not a happy union. The de Clisson clan got involved in the dispute, with utterly horrific consequences. But best of all, Joanna of Flanders, known as Jeanne la Flamme (“the flame”), was ALSO A FEMALE PIRATE in this war. Olivier’s captors had a plan: They’d contact Olivier’s boss, Charles de Blois, and demand that he pay a ransom to get his soldier back. During their time together, de Clisson and her hubby de Châteaubriant had two children, with Jeanne giving birth to a son at 14 and a daughter when she was just 16. Estimates range anywhere from five months to two years. At Factinate, we’re dedicated to getting things right. It was a massive defeat for de Clisson’s chosen side, but the worst was yet to come. She proceeded to harry French ships--militaristic and merchant--on behalf of the English crown for 13 years before settling down into another happy … Then she came. Thanks in part to Jeanne’s contributions during multiple battles, England now controlled the territory. Game of Thrones’ Cersei has nothing on this vengeful woman. A Frenchwoman name Jeanne de Clisson became a pirate in the 1300s to... revenge her husband's death, who was beheaded for treason. Jeanne swore vengeance against the King. In 1356, after losing three husbands, de Clisson found love once again. For most women in the Middle Ages, an illegitimate baby would be the peak of their bad girl phase. She knew that the only way she could save her other son, Olivier, and her daughter Jeanne, was by reaching England. De Clisson was also born into an aristocratic family. It has been argued frequently that such a figure as de Clisson couldn’t possibly have existed. Like de Clisson, Bentley had served valiantly on the side of the English during the Hundred Years’ War. Every great warrior needs an intimidating nickname, and Jeanne de Clisson’s moniker is mighty indeed. Thanks for your help! Once upon a time in the magical land of Brittany in Northern France, a beautiful young noblewoman was forced to marry a wealthy man at the age of twelve. After all, at the trial, Olivier’s naysayers didn’t produce any evidence to prove that he was guilty. Jeanne de Clisson was born in the French town of Belleville-sur-Vie in 1300. Here’s a wild bonus fact. The Lord and Lady Clisson were obviously pretty happy in their Brittany villa, because they had five kids, didn’t end up having to butcher anyone with an axe, and don’t really do anything historically noteworthy between 1326 and 1343. Shrouded in mythology, Jeanne de Clisson was one of the bloodiest privateers of the 14th century. After pulling some strings with the Pope in 1330, de Clisson’s second marriage was suddenly and scandalously annulled. Doch der Erbfolgekrieg zerriss die Familie de Clisson. She personally whacked the commander and any noblemen on board, chopping off their heads and throwing the bodies overboard. Sources: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, Ruthless Facts About Ching Shih, China’s Cunning Pirate Queen, These Mega Embarrassing Moments Still Made Us Burst Out Laughing, These Jerks Had No Idea Who They Were Messing With, Tragic Facts About Catherine of Aragon, Henry VIII’s First Wife, These People Shared The Worst Moments Of Their Lives…And They’re Utterly Brutal, Absolute Legends: The Wildest Pranks Ever Pulled. Jeanne war 30 Jahre alt, ihre Kinder Geoffrey 16 und Louise 14. It wasn’t long before the Black Fleet’s reign of destruction caught the eye of King Edward of England. You have been left alive, she said, to tell your King that La Tigresse Bretonne has claimed another of his ships. While we’ll never know if de Clisson’s third husband really was a traitor, she was firmly convinced that his death was an act of murder by Charles de Blois and the King of France. Scandal! Do not forget this. Despite everything that Jeanne had overcome, there was still a world of despair in store for our gal. She got away with it, too, seeing her husband's honor posthumously restored, and died happily of natural causes. Because of this, it’s fair to wonder why Jeanne took Olivier’s death so personally. Jeanne de Clisson, you see here. It didn’t take long for them to team up. Philip and a small group of nobles went For the Watch on Olivier’s ass, declared him a traitor to the crown, hung him, then cut off his head and hung it from the walls of Nantes. Want to tell us to write facts on a topic? She remarried Guy de Penthièvre less than two years after her first husband kicked the bucket. Though they’re much rarer than male swashbucklers, some women sailed the high seas, but no one did it with quite as much style as Jeanne de Clisson. ( amandakespohl) Who was Jeanne de Clisson? The men were pitiful to see – stripped of their weapons, armor, and uniform insignia, and bleeding from cuts and bruises across their bodies, their eyes held the gaze of men who have witnessed untold horrors without even beginning to know how the hell to process their reality. Looking for more kick-butt women in history? The French king’s forces immediately ambushed and arrested their own ex-soldier and quickly put Olivier on trial for treason. A swashbuckling, merciless pirate bent on revenge, and a woman to boot? Jeanne de Clisson (1300–1359), also known as Jeanne de Belleville and the Lioness of Brittany, was a Breton former noblewoman who became a privateer to avenge her husband after he was executed for treason by the French king. We all know how most pirate stories end (with our hero swinging from the end of a noose), but fucking Jeanne de Clisson doesn’t go down that way. Jeanne de Clisson was born into an affluent French family in 1300 and spent most of her life as a noblewoman. Her family sided with Charles de Blois and his cause, even though it meant causing some major family drama. There had been black ships on the horizon. After many years at sea, Jeanne de Clisson was ready to bid adieu to the pirate’s life. Instead, his family might have been in on breaking up Guy and Jeanne, apparently because Jeanne dared to want in on her new hubby’s fancy title. She repaid his debt by ferrying supplies, men, and arrows from England to France to help support the English during the Battle of Crecy. After Jeanne had destroyed one too many of Philip VI’s ships, the French king struck back in a big way. If de Clisson didn’t go into full-time vengeance-hunting, she could have made a pretty penny in the world of personal branding. A storm hit during the battle, leading to chaos on both sides. Her crew would kill any other survivors, but they would always leave two men alive to tell King Philip the Fortunate what had happened. Their endless battles lasted so long that they became known as the brutal “Hundred Years War.” As we’ll see, de Clisson did not back down from the fight. Jeanne de Clisson wasn’t just mad at Charles de Blois. He sent his best men to defeat Jeanne, but even they weren’t up to the task. In a world of arranged marriages, they were actually in love. Catherine of Aragon was King Henry VIII’s first wife and longest-lasting Queen of England. Jeanne’s pirates would board their victim’s ships and slaughter nearly everyone inside. But they didn't have awesome nicknames like Jeanne de Clisson, the Lioness of Brittany. The entire time that Jeanne de Clisson was fighting off the French king, she was working the age-old working mom routine. May 11, 2019 - When her husband was unjustly executed, this French noblewoman-turned-pirate became the terror of France. De Clisson sacrificed her happiness to support her young children and unfortunately, that gamble didn’t pay off. Following the death of his father, Jeanne’s son Olivier turned to the sword. The English soldiers asked de Blois for such a surprisingly low price that de Blois immediately felt suspicious. De Clisson’s second marriage didn’t work out, and that’s putting it lightly. Once they opened the gates, though, Jeanne whipped her forces into gear and stormed the castle. I knew that she was going to take it badly, but I had no idea about the insane lengths she would go to just to get revenge and mess with my life. With her husband gone, de Clisson couldn’t exactly count on anyone to look after her kids. Before heading below decks to check the hold for treasure and plunder, the Pirate Queen looked both survivors in the eye with a cold, hateful stare. Jeanne de Clisson’s husband was killed following a sham trial in 1343; however, this betrayal by the French nobility led Jeanne to take extraordinary action. Crimson sails, red as blood, propelled the terrifying through the water with inescapable speed. © Copyright 2021 by Factinate.com. Soon after Olivier’s triumphant return, the de Clisson patriarch received an invitation to a tournament outside of Brittany. They had five children, Isabeau, Maurice, Olivier V, Guillaume, and Jeanne. When Jeanne approached the English and their Breton allies, they were thrilled. Article by megan k At the age of twelve, Jeanne was married to Geoffrey de Chateaubriant, the nineteen-year-old heir … After a prisoner exchange, he returned back home to his wife and children. The notorious Black Fleet got its haunting name from their pitch black wood, but also, presumably, from the dark fate it offered anyone foolish enough to cross their captain, the cutthroat Jeanne de Clisson. She was the one of the de Belleville family, who had ruled in the area for hundreds of years. With their money, Jeanne could begin phase two of her plan: All out carnage. Her life was so insane that the dicey timing of her daughter’s birth barely makes a footnote in the history textbook. Jeanne de Clisson sold all of her land, jewels, and worldly possessions, and used the money to buy three massive warships. The best revenge might be living well, but that doesn't mean we can always turn the other cheek. In total, de Clisson’s time as a vengeful lady-pirate would last 13 long, bloody years. She spent most of her life as a noblewoman and was married to a wealthy man, Geoffrey de Chateaubriand at the age of 12 and had two children named Louise and Geoffrey. She picked out the leader, her men pushed him down to the deck, and she lopped off the man’s head like she was prepping a fucking pineapple for a badass pirate pina colada. 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