The directory «Plots»

Jean de Vienne (1341–1396)

Jean de Vienne was a French knight, general and admiral during the Hundred Years' War. As a young nobleman, he started his military career at the young age of 9, and was made a knight at 21. Aged 24, he was made Captain-General for the Franche-Comté.

In 1373, Charles V made him Amiral de France. He reorganized the Navy, started an important program of construction, created a coast guard, navigation police, organized watches along the coasts, and attributed licenses for building and selling of ships. Jean de Vienne was one of the first to understand that naval operation only could do harm to England, and he conducted several expeditions to Rye and Wight.

Between 1381 and 1385, he fought against the Dutch, notably during the battle of Rosbec. In 1385, he landed in Scotland with 180 ships to invade England, After Charles VI succeeded his father Charles V to the Throne of France, the Navy tended to decay, since Charles VI did not share his father's concern for naval affairs. Probably disappointed, Jean de Vienne joined the crusade of King Sigismund of Hungary against the Turks. He was killed during the battle of Nicopolis, in Bulgaria.

France, 1942, Jean de Vienne