John VII of Harcourt

Jean VII d'Harcourt (1369-18 December 1452, Chatellerault) was a count of Aumale, viscount of Châtellerault, seigneur of Mézières, of Elbeuf, of Lillebone, of La Saussaye etc.

He was the son of John VI of Harcourt, count of Harcourt, and of Catherine de Bourbon, sister-in-law of Charles V. On 17 March 1389 he married Marie of Alencon (29 March1373-1417), princess of the blood, daughter of Peter II of Alençon and of Marie Chamaillart d'Anthenaise, viscountess of Beaumont, and they had three children - John VIII of Harcourt (count of Aumale, lieutenant and captain general of Normandy, killed at the battle of Harcourt),Marie d'Harcourt (1398-1476, wife of Antoine de Lorraine, comte of Vaudémont and of Guise, who is the origin of the Harcourt-Lorraine branch), and Jeanne of Harcourt (1399-1456).

He participated in the siege of Taillebourg, where he was made a knight by his uncle Louis II, Duke of Bourbon, and at the siege of Tunis and Harfleur. He distinguished himself at the Battle of Agincourt (1415), where he was taken prisoner.

In 1418, his castle at Harcourt was taken by the English. His titles of count of Aumale and count of Harcourt were usurped and given to the Earl of Warwick and the Duke of Clarence. His cousin - king Charles VI - therefore supported him and named him captain general of Normandy and gave him a gift of 1000 books. On his death in 1452, he was buried at the Franciscan convent at Châtellerault which he had founded. With him the oldest branch of Harcourt became extinct.

References

* Gilles-André de La Roque, "Histoire généalogique de la maison de Harcourt", 1662
* Dom Lenoir, "Preuves généalogiques et historiques de la Maison d'Harcourt", 1907
* Georges Martin, "Histoire et Généalogie de la Maison d'Harcourt", 1994
* "Dictionnaire de biographie française", 1989