John Chandos
Encyclopedia
Sir John Chandos, Viscount
of Saint-Sauveur
in the Cotentin
, Constable
of Aquitaine
, Seneschal
of Poitou
, KG
(died 31 December 1369) was a medieval English
knight
who hailed from Radbourne Hall
, Derbyshire
. Chandos was a close friend of Edward, the Black Prince
and a founding member and 19th Knight of the Order of the Garter
in 1348. Chandos was a gentleman
by birth, but unlike most commanders of the day he held no title of nobility
.
of Radbourne, Derbyshire
, which had been held by his family from the time of the Norman Conquest. Inevitably, he trained in the arts of war and distinguished himself as a young knight
.
. As Edward's Chief of Staff, he designed the strategy that won victory at the Battle of Poitiers
in 1356.
On 29 September 1364, Chandos led the forces of Duke John de Montfort
to victory at the Battle of Auray
, winning the Breton War of Succession
and enabling de Montfort to become John V, Duke of Brittany.
In reward for his service, Chandos was created the lieutenant of France, the vice-chamberlain of England and was given the viscounty of Saint-Sauveur
in the Cotentin
. During the Hundred Years' War
, he became constable
of Aquitaine
and seneschal
of Poitou
. Later, however, after disagreeing with Edward over how the Guyennois should be taxed, he retired to his property in Normandy
.
In 1369, the French launched a successful counterattack, regaining much territory and forcing Edward to recall Chandos.
He was mortally wounded after a night skirmish at Lussac-les-Châteaux
in Poitou
. He became entangled in his robes after slipping on frost, and was stabbed in the face by a squire, James de St. Martin. He died at the castle of Morthemer on 31 December.
His passing was mourned on both sides; In his book, "A Brief History of The Hundred Years' War" Desmond Seward states that Charles V of France
("Charles the Wise") is reported to have said that "had Chandos lived, he would have found a way of making a lasting peace", but Froissart
is more circumspect claiming "Not but that I have heard him at the time regretted by renowned knights in France; for they said it was a great pity he was slain, and that, if he could have been taken prisoner, he was so wise and full of devices, he would have found some means of establishing a peace between France and England".
Sir John Chandos is the founder of the Canto family in Portugal, which is believed to have later spread through Madeira and Azores (:pt:Canto (apelido)).
was known as Chandos Herald
, and he wrote a significant poem entitled, The Life of the Black Prince. The poem details many of the Prince's exploits in the Hundred Years' War
, including the Castilian civil war
, the battle of Crecy
, and the battle of Poitiers
(though these last two only briefly).
" (1892).
John Chandos appears as a character in the video game Bladestorm: The Hundred Year War, in which he is seen as the right-hand guardian of Edward, the Black Prince
. He also appears in the Dragon Knight
series of writer Gordon R. Dickson
as a protagonist of Baron Sir James Eckert.
Viscount
A viscount or viscountess is a member of the European nobility whose comital title ranks usually, as in the British peerage, above a baron, below an earl or a count .-Etymology:...
of Saint-Sauveur
Saint-Sauveur-le-Vicomte
Saint-Sauveur-le-Vicomte is a commune in the Manche department in Normandy in north-western France.It is situated in the Cotentin Peninsula near Valognes in the Manche département.Population : 2,242 .-History:...
in the Cotentin
Cotentin Peninsula
The Cotentin Peninsula, also known as the Cherbourg Peninsula, is a peninsula in Normandy, forming part of the north-western coast of France. It juts out north-westwards into the English Channel, towards Great Britain...
, Constable
Constable
A constable is a person holding a particular office, most commonly in law enforcement. The office of constable can vary significantly in different jurisdictions.-Etymology:...
of Aquitaine
Aquitaine
Aquitaine , archaic Guyenne/Guienne , is one of the 27 regions of France, in the south-western part of metropolitan France, along the Atlantic Ocean and the Pyrenees mountain range on the border with Spain. It comprises the 5 departments of Dordogne, :Lot et Garonne, :Pyrénées-Atlantiques, Landes...
, Seneschal
Seneschal
A seneschal was an officer in the houses of important nobles in the Middle Ages. In the French administrative system of the Middle Ages, the sénéchal was also a royal officer in charge of justice and control of the administration in southern provinces, equivalent to the northern French bailli...
of Poitou
Count of Poitiers
Among the people who have borne the title of Count of Poitiers are:*Guerin **Hatton **Renaud...
, KG
Order of the Garter
The Most Noble Order of the Garter, founded in 1348, is the highest order of chivalry, or knighthood, existing in England. The order is dedicated to the image and arms of St...
(died 31 December 1369) was a medieval English
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
knight
Knight
A knight was a member of a class of lower nobility in the High Middle Ages.By the Late Middle Ages, the rank had become associated with the ideals of chivalry, a code of conduct for the perfect courtly Christian warrior....
who hailed from Radbourne Hall
Radbourne Hall
Radbourne Hall is an 18th century country house, the home of the Chandos-Pole family, situated at Radbourne, Derbyshire. It is a Grade I listed building....
, Derbyshire
Derbyshire
Derbyshire is a county in the East Midlands of England. A substantial portion of the Peak District National Park lies within Derbyshire. The northern part of Derbyshire overlaps with the Pennines, a famous chain of hills and mountains. The county contains within its boundary of approx...
. Chandos was a close friend of Edward, the Black Prince
Edward, the Black Prince
Edward of Woodstock, Prince of Wales, Duke of Cornwall, Prince of Aquitaine, KG was the eldest son of King Edward III of England and his wife Philippa of Hainault as well as father to King Richard II of England....
and a founding member and 19th Knight of the Order of the Garter
Order of the Garter
The Most Noble Order of the Garter, founded in 1348, is the highest order of chivalry, or knighthood, existing in England. The order is dedicated to the image and arms of St...
in 1348. Chandos was a gentleman
Gentleman
The term gentleman , in its original and strict signification, denoted a well-educated man of good family and distinction, analogous to the Latin generosus...
by birth, but unlike most commanders of the day he held no title of nobility
Nobility
Nobility is a social class which possesses more acknowledged privileges or eminence than members of most other classes in a society, membership therein typically being hereditary. The privileges associated with nobility may constitute substantial advantages over or relative to non-nobles, or may be...
.
Origins
Chandos was the son and heir of the lord of the manorLord of the Manor
The Lordship of a Manor is recognised today in England and Wales as a form of property and one of three elements of a manor that may exist separately or be combined and may be held in moieties...
of Radbourne, Derbyshire
Radbourne, Derbyshire
Radbourne is a small village and civil parish in the English county of Derbyshire, a few miles west of Derby. Of interest is St Andrew's church and Radbourne Hall...
, which had been held by his family from the time of the Norman Conquest. Inevitably, he trained in the arts of war and distinguished himself as a young knight
Knight
A knight was a member of a class of lower nobility in the High Middle Ages.By the Late Middle Ages, the rank had become associated with the ideals of chivalry, a code of conduct for the perfect courtly Christian warrior....
.
Military career
Chandos was one of the commanders who led the sixteen-year old Edward's troops to victory at the Battle of CrécyBattle of Crécy
The Battle of Crécy took place on 26 August 1346 near Crécy in northern France, and was one of the most important battles of the Hundred Years' War...
. As Edward's Chief of Staff, he designed the strategy that won victory at the Battle of Poitiers
Battle of Poitiers (1356)
The Battle of Poitiers was fought between the Kingdoms of England and France on 19 September 1356 near Poitiers, resulting in the second of the three great English victories of the Hundred Years' War: Crécy, Poitiers, and Agincourt....
in 1356.
John IV, Duke of Brittany
John IV of Montfort , was duke of Brittany, from 1341 to his death. He was son of Duke Arthur II and Yolande de Dreux, countess of Montfort, his second wife.In 1322 he succeeded his mother as count of Montfort, and in 1329, he married Joanna of Flanders at Chartres...
to victory at the Battle of Auray
Battle of Auray
The Battle of Auray took place on 29 September 1364 at the French town of Auray. This battle was the decisive confrontation of the Breton War of Succession, a part of the Hundred Years' War....
, winning the Breton War of Succession
Breton War of Succession
The Breton War of Succession was a conflict between the Houses of Blois and Montfort for control of the Duchy of Brittany. It was fought between 1341 and 1364. It formed an integral part of the early Hundred Years War due to the involvement of the French and English governments in the conflict; the...
and enabling de Montfort to become John V, Duke of Brittany.
In reward for his service, Chandos was created the lieutenant of France, the vice-chamberlain of England and was given the viscounty of Saint-Sauveur
Saint-Sauveur-le-Vicomte
Saint-Sauveur-le-Vicomte is a commune in the Manche department in Normandy in north-western France.It is situated in the Cotentin Peninsula near Valognes in the Manche département.Population : 2,242 .-History:...
in the Cotentin
Cotentin Peninsula
The Cotentin Peninsula, also known as the Cherbourg Peninsula, is a peninsula in Normandy, forming part of the north-western coast of France. It juts out north-westwards into the English Channel, towards Great Britain...
. During the Hundred Years' War
Hundred Years' War
The Hundred Years' War was a series of separate wars waged from 1337 to 1453 by the House of Valois and the House of Plantagenet, also known as the House of Anjou, for the French throne, which had become vacant upon the extinction of the senior Capetian line of French kings...
, he became constable
Constable
A constable is a person holding a particular office, most commonly in law enforcement. The office of constable can vary significantly in different jurisdictions.-Etymology:...
of Aquitaine
Aquitaine
Aquitaine , archaic Guyenne/Guienne , is one of the 27 regions of France, in the south-western part of metropolitan France, along the Atlantic Ocean and the Pyrenees mountain range on the border with Spain. It comprises the 5 departments of Dordogne, :Lot et Garonne, :Pyrénées-Atlantiques, Landes...
and seneschal
Seneschal
A seneschal was an officer in the houses of important nobles in the Middle Ages. In the French administrative system of the Middle Ages, the sénéchal was also a royal officer in charge of justice and control of the administration in southern provinces, equivalent to the northern French bailli...
of Poitou
Poitou
Poitou was a province of west-central France whose capital city was Poitiers.The region of Poitou was called Thifalia in the sixth century....
. Later, however, after disagreeing with Edward over how the Guyennois should be taxed, he retired to his property in Normandy
Normandy
Normandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...
.
In 1369, the French launched a successful counterattack, regaining much territory and forcing Edward to recall Chandos.
He was mortally wounded after a night skirmish at Lussac-les-Châteaux
Lussac-les-Châteaux
Lussac-les-Châteaux is a commune in the Vienne department in the Poitou-Charentes region in western France.- Prehistory :The importance of the prehistoric art at Lussac is evidenced by the presence of numerous archaeological artefacts in the Museum of National Antiquities at...
in Poitou
Poitou
Poitou was a province of west-central France whose capital city was Poitiers.The region of Poitou was called Thifalia in the sixth century....
. He became entangled in his robes after slipping on frost, and was stabbed in the face by a squire, James de St. Martin. He died at the castle of Morthemer on 31 December.
His passing was mourned on both sides; In his book, "A Brief History of The Hundred Years' War" Desmond Seward states that Charles V of France
Charles V of France
Charles V , called the Wise, was King of France from 1364 to his death in 1380 and a member of the House of Valois...
("Charles the Wise") is reported to have said that "had Chandos lived, he would have found a way of making a lasting peace", but Froissart
Jean Froissart
Jean Froissart , often referred to in English as John Froissart, was one of the most important chroniclers of medieval France. For centuries, Froissart's Chronicles have been recognized as the chief expression of the chivalric revival of the 14th century Kingdom of England and France...
is more circumspect claiming "Not but that I have heard him at the time regretted by renowned knights in France; for they said it was a great pity he was slain, and that, if he could have been taken prisoner, he was so wise and full of devices, he would have found some means of establishing a peace between France and England".
Sir John Chandos is the founder of the Canto family in Portugal, which is believed to have later spread through Madeira and Azores (:pt:Canto (apelido)).
Chandos Herald
John Chandos' heraldHerald
A herald, or, more correctly, a herald of arms, is an officer of arms, ranking between pursuivant and king of arms. The title is often applied erroneously to all officers of arms....
was known as Chandos Herald
Chandos Herald
Chandos Herald is the name used to refer to the author of a poem about the life of The Black Prince. He is so-called because he was the herald of the English warlord John Chandos, the Black Prince's closest friend....
, and he wrote a significant poem entitled, The Life of the Black Prince. The poem details many of the Prince's exploits in the Hundred Years' War
Hundred Years' War
The Hundred Years' War was a series of separate wars waged from 1337 to 1453 by the House of Valois and the House of Plantagenet, also known as the House of Anjou, for the French throne, which had become vacant upon the extinction of the senior Capetian line of French kings...
, including the Castilian civil war
Castilian Civil War
The Castilian Civil War lasted three years from 1366 to 1369. It became part of the larger conflict then raging between the Kingdom of England and the Kingdom of France: the Hundred Years' War...
, the battle of Crecy
Battle of Crécy
The Battle of Crécy took place on 26 August 1346 near Crécy in northern France, and was one of the most important battles of the Hundred Years' War...
, and the battle of Poitiers
Battle of Poitiers (1356)
The Battle of Poitiers was fought between the Kingdoms of England and France on 19 September 1356 near Poitiers, resulting in the second of the three great English victories of the Hundred Years' War: Crécy, Poitiers, and Agincourt....
(though these last two only briefly).
Cultural influence
John Chandos is one of the characters in Arthur Conan Doyle's historical novel "The White CompanyThe White Company
The White Company is a historical adventure by Arthur Conan Doyle set during the Hundred Years' War. The story is set in England, France, and Spain, in the years 1366 and 1367, against the background of the campaign of Edward, the Black Prince to restore Peter of Castile to the throne of the...
" (1892).
John Chandos appears as a character in the video game Bladestorm: The Hundred Year War, in which he is seen as the right-hand guardian of Edward, the Black Prince
Edward, the Black Prince
Edward of Woodstock, Prince of Wales, Duke of Cornwall, Prince of Aquitaine, KG was the eldest son of King Edward III of England and his wife Philippa of Hainault as well as father to King Richard II of England....
. He also appears in the Dragon Knight
Dragon Knight
The Dragon Knight is a series of fantasy novels by Gordon R. Dickson . The first book informed the 1982 animated movie The Flight of Dragons by Rankin/Bass, but was previously published as a short story, St. Dragon and the George...
series of writer Gordon R. Dickson
Gordon R. Dickson
Gordon Rupert Dickson was an American science fiction author.- Biography :Dickson was born in Edmonton, Alberta, in 1923. After the death of his father, he moved with his mother to Minneapolis, Minnesota, in 1937...
as a protagonist of Baron Sir James Eckert.