John VII, Count of Harcourt

Who was John VII, Count of Harcourt?

Jean VII d'Harcourt was a French nobleman. He was Count of Aumale, Viscount of Châtellerault, and 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 King Charles V. On 17 March 1390 he married Marie of Alençon, 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

Marie d'Harcourt

Jeanne of Harcourt

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, 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.