John II of Luxembourg, Count of Ligny
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Guise
Guise is a commune in the Aisne department in Picardy in northern France.-Population:-Sights:The ruins of the medieval castle of Guise, seat of the Dukes of Guise, are located in the commune.-Miscellaneous:...
) was a French nobleman and soldier, a younger son of John of Luxembourg, Lord of Beauvoir and Marguerite of Enghien
Marguerite of Enghien
Marguerite d'Enghien, suo jure Countess of Brienne and of Conversano, suo jure Heiress of Enghien, and Lady of Beauvois , was a wealthy noblewoman from the County of Hainaut in her own right, having inherited the counties of Brienne and of Conversano, and the Lordship of Enghien from her father...
.
His older brother Pierre received his mother's fiefs, including the County of Brienne
County of Brienne
The County of Brienne was a medieval county in France centered on Brienne-le-Château.-Counts of Brienne:* Engelbert III* Engelbert IV* Walter I * Erard I * Walter II...
, while John received Beauvoir
Beauvoir
Beauvoir can refer to any of the following:Buildings*Beauvoir , post-American Civil War home of Confederate States of America President Jefferson DavisPeople*Jean Beauvoir, American musician....
. He took the side of the English 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...
, and carried out a number of chevauchée
Chevauchée
A chevauchée was a raiding method of medieval warfare for weakening the enemy, focusing mainly on wreaking havoc, burning and pillaging enemy territory, in order to reduce the productivity of a region; as opposed to siege warfare or wars of conquest...
s on behalf of the Regent Bedford. In 1425, he seized the seigneurie of Guise, which he had disputed with René of Anjou
René I of Naples
René of Anjou , also known as René I of Naples and Good King René , was Duke of Anjou, Count of Provence , Count of Piedmont, Duke of Bar , Duke of Lorraine , King of Naples , titular King of Jerusalem...
.
He joined Philip III, Duke of Burgundy
Philip III, Duke of Burgundy
Philip the Good KG , also Philip III, Duke of Burgundy was Duke of Burgundy from 1419 until his death. He was a member of a cadet line of the Valois dynasty . During his reign Burgundy reached the height of its prosperity and prestige and became a leading center of the arts...
in the Siege of Compiègne
Siege of Compiègne
The Siege of Compiègne was Joan of Arc's final military action. Her career as a leader ended with her capture during a skirmish outside the town on 23 May 1430...
in 1430. While the siege was ultimately unsuccessful, a soldier in his company (the Bastard of Vendôme) captured Joan of Arc
Joan of Arc
Saint Joan of Arc, nicknamed "The Maid of Orléans" , is a national heroine of France and a Roman Catholic saint. A peasant girl born in eastern France who claimed divine guidance, she led the French army to several important victories during the Hundred Years' War, which paved the way for the...
, whom he sent to Beauvoir as a prisoner. Shortly thereafter, his great-aunt Jeanne of Luxembourg
Jeanne of Luxembourg
Joan, Countess of Saint-Pol and Ligny , called the Demoiselle de Luxembourg, was the daughter of Guy of Luxembourg, Count of Ligny and Mahaut of Châtillon, Countess of Saint-Pol....
, who was then living with him, died and left him the County of Ligny. Under pressure from England and Burgundy, John ultimately sold Joan to the English for 10,000 livres.
At his death, he left Ligny and Guise to his nephew Louis.