biography
| name: |
John, Duke of Burgundy
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known as the Fearless
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| sex:
| male
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| lived:
| (1371–1419)
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| biography:
| Duke of Burgundy from 1404, born at Dijon, E France, the son of Philip the Bold. He married Margaret of Bavaria (1385). He went on crusade with Emperor Sigismund against the Turks, was captured at Nicopolis, and had to be ransomed by the towns of Flanders. On his succession he regarded his interests in The Netherlands as of less importance than his French ones, where he was co-regent for Charles VI of France with Louis of Orleans, whom he had assassinated in 1407. He strengthened his position by supporting John of Bavaria against Liège, and helped his brother Anthony in Brabant and Luxemburg. He humoured the Flemish towns, whose money he needed for his French policies, restoring the privileges of Bruges (the ‘calfskin’) and authorizing Flemish as the language in the Council of Flanders. He was assassinated in 1419. |
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