Her black ships with red sails made sailors' hearts flutter with horror.
Jeanne de Clisson's "Black Fleet" brutally dealt with everyone who flew under the French flag. Only two or three sailors were left alive so that King Philip VI could find out about the next attack.
Jeanne de Clisson was born in the French city of Belleville-sur-Vie in 1300. She was one of the Belleville family who ruled the region for hundreds of years.
At the age of 12, Jeanne first married nineteen-year-old Geoffrey de Chateaubriand. In this marriage, two children were born, but already in 1326 Geoffrey died, leaving Joan a widow.
After 4 years, she married again, to Oliver de Clisson, who was close in age and spirit. Zhanna was happy with her new husband, to whom she gave birth to five children.
By 1341, there was an active rivalry between England and France for Brittany. After the death of Duke John, who did not leave a direct heir, the confrontation intensified. Everyone wanted to see their governor as ruler of Brittany.
Oliver Clisson sided with the nephew of the King of France Charles de Blois. But after many years of faithful service, Clisson, by order of the king, was executed without trial or investigation. Charles de Blois did not even try to intercede for his companion.
And Jeanne vowed to avenge her lover.
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Radical changes
Gathering a small militia from her husband's supporters, Jeanne began to attack the French fortresses.
But she soon realized it was too risky.
Having sold all her personal property, Jeanne bought three of the most modern high-speed ships and, together with her sons, took up piracy.
From 1343 to 1356, her ships were considered a real disaster on the Normandy coast. Any ship flying the French flag was in dire danger.
For unheard-of courage and cruelty, Jeanne was nicknamed the Lioness of Brittany and the Bloody Lioness. She was not averse to personally working with an ax. Especially, beheading French nobles, whom she considered guilty of the death of her husband.
But Jeanne's "exploits" were not limited to piracy - her ships were engaged in supplies for the English army, and sometimes her team raided coastal villages.
Despite the fact that Philip VI died in 1350, De Clisson continued to fight against the French for another six years.
Tying up with piracy, she returned “to the ground” and married the English Sir Walter Brentley. As a token of gratitude for their help, the British granted Jeanne land in Brittany. Together with her husband, she settled near the sea, where she quietly and peacefully died in 1359.
And although her personality is very ambiguous, of course, Jeanne was one of the most daring and extraordinary women of that time.