John, Count of Chalon

John (1190 – September 30, 1267), called the Old ("l'Antique"), was a French nobleman, the Count of Auxonne and Chalon-sur-Saône in his own right and regent of the County of Burgundy in right of his son, Hugh III.

He was the son of Stephen III of Auxonne and Beatrice, Countess of Chalon.

On June 5, 1237, he exchanged his inherited patrimony of Auxonne and Chalon with Hugh IV, Duke of Burgundy for the following territories: Salins (which was at the time the second city of the County of Burgundy), Belvoir, Vuillafans, Ornans, Montfaucon, Arlay, the castle of Clées in Vaud, Chaussin, and Orgelet. He thus became one of the most powerful nobles in the county.

Although he gave charters to the towns in his territory, he also welcomed the Dominican friars as inquisitors.

The possession of Salins, with its salt production, gave John the fortune necessary to extend his territories. To protect the trade routes, he built the following fortresses: Le Pin, Montmahoux, Saint-Anne, Arguel, and Nozeroy, where he normally resided.

To avoid the customs imposed by the Count of Pontarlier, he bought the forests in the region around Pontarlier and Jougne, which he logged, creating new roads. He founded the towns of Châtelblanc, Chaux-Neuve, and Rochejean, the last of which contains his name.

Family

He had three wives and 16 children.

He married Mahaud (or Mahaut) of Burgundy, the daughter of Hugh III, Duke of Burgundy and Alix of Lorraine. She died March 26, 1242. They had the following children:
*Elisabeth of Burgundy (1210-1277). In 1248, she married Henry I de Vergy.
*Blanche de Chalon (died 1306). In 1260, she married Guichard V de Beaujeu, and Béraud IX de Mercoeur in 1268.
*Hugh III, Count of Burgundy (1220-1267), who became Count of Burgundy by his marriage to Adélaïde Ire de Bourgogne.
*Marguerite (died 1262) married Henry de Brienne.

He remarried to Isabeau (or Isabel) of Courtenay, the daughter of Robert I of Courtenay. They had the following children:
*Jean I de Chalon-Auxerre (1243-1309), seigneur de Rochefort. He became Count of Auxerre by his marriage to Alix de Bourgogne-Auxerre.
*Etienne de Bourgogne (died 1302), Seigneur de Rouvres.
*Pierre de Bourgogne le Bouvier (died 1273) Seigneur de Châtel-Belin. In 1258, he married Beatrice, the daughter of Amadeus IV of Savoy.

Upon Isabeau's death September 22, 1257, he remarried to Laurette de Commercy, the daughter of Simon II, Seigneur de Commercy and Mathilde, Countess of Saarbrücken. They had the following children:
*John I of Chalon-Arlay (1259-1316), seigneur d'Arlay. In 1272, he married Marguerite de Bourgogne, daughter of Hugh IV, Duke of Burgundy.
*Hugues de Chalon (died 1312), prince-bishop of Liège (1295-1301), and Archbishop of Besançon .
*Marguerite de Bourgogne (died 1328), who married Hugues de Bourgogne.
*Agnès de Bourgogne (died 1350). In 1285, she married Amedeus II, Count of Geneva.