John of Brittany, Earl of Richmond

John of Brittany
Earl of Richmond
Arms of John of Brittany
Tenure	1306–1334
Predecessor	John II, Duke of Brittany
Successor	John III, Duke of Brittany
Other titles	Count of Treguier
Other names	Jean de Bretagne
Years active	1294–1327[1]
Born	c. 1266
Died	17 January 1334 Duchy of Brittany
Buried	Church of the Franciscans, Nantes
Nationality	English, French, Breton[a]
Locality	Yorkshire[2]
Wars and battles	First War of Scottish Independence • Battle of Falkirk (1298) • Siege of Caerlaverock (1300) • Battle of Old Byland (1322) (POW)
Offices	Guardian of Scotland Lord Ordainer
Parents	John II, Duke of Brittany Beatrice of England

John of Brittany (French: Jean de Bretagne; c. 1266 – 17 January 1334), 4th Earl of Richmond, was an English nobleman and a member of the Ducal house of Brittany, the House of Dreux. He entered royal service in England under his uncle Edward I, and also served Edward II. On 15 October 1306 he received his father's title of Earl of Richmond.^[3] He was named Guardian of Scotland in the midst of England's conflicts with Scotland and in 1311 Lord Ordainer during the baronial rebellion against Edward II.

John of Brittany served England as a soldier and as a diplomat but was otherwise politically inactive in comparison to other earls of his time.^[b] He was a capable diplomat, valued by both Edward I and Edward II for his negotiating skills. John was never married, and upon his death his title and estates fell to his nephew, John III, Duke of Brittany. Although he was generally loyal to his first cousin Edward II during the times of baronial rebellion, he eventually supported the coup of Isabella and Mortimer. After Edward II abdicated in favour of his son Edward III of England, John retired to his estates in France and died in his native Brittany in 1334 with no known issue.

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