Jean Dardel
Encyclopedia
Jean Dardel was a Friar Minor of the French province of the Franciscan
order, chronicler of Armenia
in the fourteenth century, and adviser and confessor to King Leo V
(or VI) of Armenia. Nothing is known regarding him except what he himself tells us in his Chronique d'Arménie, a work unknown until the late 19th century.
, near Paris, and became a Franciscan about the middle of the 14th century. Not earlier than 1375 he went with other pilgrims to Jerusalem and Mount Sinai
. Arriving at Cairo he found the unhappy Leo, last King of Armenia (Cilicia
), who after a nine-months siege in the fortress of Gaban was made prisoner by the Emir of Aleppo
and brought to Jerusalem: and from there sent, together with his family, to Cairo (July, 1375).
In Cairo Dardel accepted the invitation of the imprisoned monarch to act as his adviser, confessor, and secretary. With Dardel was a companion named Brother Anthony da Monopoli. Dardel saw the king frequently and said Mass before him, a privilege easily obtained from the sultan
. He remained in Cairo till 1379, and, as he tells us, wrote some of the letters which the king sent to Europe seeking to procure his freedom. Eventually King Leo entrusted him with his royal seal and letters of credence, and sent him as ambassador to King Peter IV of Aragon
, and, failing success with him, to all the other kings of Christendom
to obtain his freedom. Dardel and his companion, Brother Anthony, set out from Cairo on 11 September 1379, and reached Barcelona
on 1 March 1380. After travelling over half of Europe he barely succeeded in inducing the King of Aragon to send an embassy with gifts to the sultan. Under the leadership of the pilgrim Gian-Alfonso di Loric, with some support from King John I of Castile
, the release of King Leo was thus secured, and he arrived in Venice on 12 December 1382. He set out for France, paid homage there to Clement VII (the antipope
), and then went on to Spain where the King of Castile
received him royally.
Clement VII appointed Dardel Bishop of Tortiboli
in the Kingdom of Naples
on 11 April 1383, as a reward for his labours on behalf of the Armenian king. He left a Chronique d'Arménie, for a long time unknown to Orientalists. It was discovered by Canon Ulysse Robert, who came across the manuscript in the Library of Dôle
in France, and it was published at the turn of the 20th century by the Institut des belles lettres of France in the second volume of the Recueil des Historiens des Croisades.
Franciscan
Most Franciscans are members of Roman Catholic religious orders founded by Saint Francis of Assisi. Besides Roman Catholic communities, there are also Old Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, ecumenical and Non-denominational Franciscan communities....
order, chronicler of Armenia
Armenia
Armenia , officially the Republic of Armenia , is a landlocked mountainous country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia...
in the fourteenth century, and adviser and confessor to King Leo V
Leo V of Armenia
Leo IV was the last Hethumid king of Cilicia, ruling from 1320 until his death. He was the son of Oshin of Armenia and Isabel of Korikos, and came to the throne on the death of his father. His name is sometimes spelled as Leo or Leon.He spent his minority under the regency of Oshin of Korikos...
(or VI) of Armenia. Nothing is known regarding him except what he himself tells us in his Chronique d'Arménie, a work unknown until the late 19th century.
Biography
Dardel was born in ÉtampesÉtampes
Étampes is a commune in the metropolitan area of Paris, France. It is located south-southwest from the center of Paris . Étampes is a sub-prefecture of the Essonne department....
, near Paris, and became a Franciscan about the middle of the 14th century. Not earlier than 1375 he went with other pilgrims to Jerusalem and Mount Sinai
Mount Sinai
Mount Sinai , also known as Mount Horeb, Mount Musa, Gabal Musa , Jabal Musa meaning "Moses' Mountain", is a mountain near Saint Catherine in the Sinai Peninsula of Egypt. A mountain called Mount Sinai is mentioned many times in the Book of Exodus in the Torah and the Bible as well as the Quran...
. Arriving at Cairo he found the unhappy Leo, last King of Armenia (Cilicia
Cilicia
In antiquity, Cilicia was the south coastal region of Asia Minor, south of the central Anatolian plateau. It existed as a political entity from Hittite times into the Byzantine empire...
), who after a nine-months siege in the fortress of Gaban was made prisoner by the Emir of Aleppo
Aleppo
Aleppo is the largest city in Syria and the capital of Aleppo Governorate, the most populous Syrian governorate. With an official population of 2,301,570 , expanding to over 2.5 million in the metropolitan area, it is also one of the largest cities in the Levant...
and brought to Jerusalem: and from there sent, together with his family, to Cairo (July, 1375).
In Cairo Dardel accepted the invitation of the imprisoned monarch to act as his adviser, confessor, and secretary. With Dardel was a companion named Brother Anthony da Monopoli. Dardel saw the king frequently and said Mass before him, a privilege easily obtained from the sultan
Sultan
Sultan is a title with several historical meanings. Originally, it was an Arabic language abstract noun meaning "strength", "authority", "rulership", and "dictatorship", derived from the masdar سلطة , meaning "authority" or "power". Later, it came to be used as the title of certain rulers who...
. He remained in Cairo till 1379, and, as he tells us, wrote some of the letters which the king sent to Europe seeking to procure his freedom. Eventually King Leo entrusted him with his royal seal and letters of credence, and sent him as ambassador to King Peter IV of Aragon
Peter IV of Aragon
Peter IV, , called el Cerimoniós or el del punyalet , was the King of Aragon, King of Sardinia and Corsica , King of Valencia , and Count of Barcelona Peter IV, (Balaguer, September 5, 1319 – Barcelona, January 6, 1387), called el Cerimoniós ("the Ceremonious") or el del punyalet ("the one...
, and, failing success with him, to all the other kings of Christendom
Christendom
Christendom, or the Christian world, has several meanings. In a cultural sense it refers to the worldwide community of Christians, adherents of Christianity...
to obtain his freedom. Dardel and his companion, Brother Anthony, set out from Cairo on 11 September 1379, and reached Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
on 1 March 1380. After travelling over half of Europe he barely succeeded in inducing the King of Aragon to send an embassy with gifts to the sultan. Under the leadership of the pilgrim Gian-Alfonso di Loric, with some support from King John I of Castile
John I of Castile
John I was the king of Crown of Castile, was the son of Henry II and of his wife Juana Manuel of Castile, daughter of Juan Manuel, Prince of Villena, head of a younger branch of the royal house of Castile...
, the release of King Leo was thus secured, and he arrived in Venice on 12 December 1382. He set out for France, paid homage there to Clement VII (the antipope
Antipope
An antipope is a person who opposes a legitimately elected or sitting Pope and makes a significantly accepted competing claim to be the Pope, the Bishop of Rome and leader of the Roman Catholic Church. At times between the 3rd and mid-15th century, antipopes were typically those supported by a...
), and then went on to Spain where the King of Castile
Crown of Castile
The Crown of Castile was a medieval and modern state in the Iberian Peninsula that formed in 1230 as a result of the third and definitive union of the crowns and parliaments of the kingdoms of Castile and León upon the accession of the then King Ferdinand III of Castile to the vacant Leonese throne...
received him royally.
Clement VII appointed Dardel Bishop of Tortiboli
Roman Catholic Diocese of Lucera–Troia
The diocese of Lucera-Troia is a Roman Catholic ecclesiastical territory in southern Italy, with its episcopal see in Lucera. It is heir to several other neighbouring former sees, not only the diocese of Troia which has a co-cathedral, but also the diocese of Farentino, diocese of Tortiboli and...
in the Kingdom of Naples
Kingdom of Naples
The Kingdom of Naples, comprising the southern part of the Italian peninsula, was the remainder of the old Kingdom of Sicily after secession of the island of Sicily as a result of the Sicilian Vespers rebellion of 1282. Known to contemporaries as the Kingdom of Sicily, it is dubbed Kingdom of...
on 11 April 1383, as a reward for his labours on behalf of the Armenian king. He left a Chronique d'Arménie, for a long time unknown to Orientalists. It was discovered by Canon Ulysse Robert, who came across the manuscript in the Library of Dôle
Dole
Dole may refer to:*The Grain supply to the city of Rome in ancient times.* Since the early 20th Century, a colloquial term referring to government public assistance programs; see Unemployment benefits. Originally it referred to any charitable gift of food, clothing or money. The dole has taken on...
in France, and it was published at the turn of the 20th century by the Institut des belles lettres of France in the second volume of the Recueil des Historiens des Croisades.