Jean de Wavrin facts for kids
Jean de Wavrin (around 1400 – around 1474) was a famous French writer and historian from the Middle Ages. He was also a soldier and a politician. Jean de Wavrin came from a noble family in Artois, a region in France.
He saw the famous Battle of Agincourt from the French side. Later, he fought for the English and Burgundian armies during the last parts of the Hundred Years' War. As a historian, he created the first complete history of England. It was a very long book, but it sometimes included his own opinions.
Who Was Jean de Wavrin?
Jean de Wavrin was born as the son of Robert de Wavrin and Michielle de Croix. His father was an important official called a "seneschal" in Flanders. He also advised the Duke of Burgundy.
In 1437, Jean de Wavrin was officially recognized by Philip the Good, the Duke of Burgundy. Five years later, he became a knight. He fought for the Burgundian army in battles like the Battle of Verneuil.
Jean de Wavrin held a high position in Duke Philip the Good's court. In 1463, he was sent as an ambassador to Rome. He visited England for the first time in 1467. There, he watched a famous tournament between two knights.
Jean de Wavrin's Big Book
Jean de Wavrin wrote a huge book called Recueil des croniques et anchiennes istories de la Grant Bretaigne. This means "Account of the chronicles and old histories of Great Britain." It was a collection of stories about English history from the very beginning up to 1471.
For his book, he used information from other famous writers like Froissart. However, the parts of his book covering the years 1444 to 1471 are unique. These sections are very valuable, even though they might not always be completely accurate about events in England.
His book also included a story about the Crusade of Varna. He wrote about the surprising marriage of Edward IV to Elizabeth Woodville. He also described how the King's advisors were shocked by this marriage. They told the King that Elizabeth was "no wife for a prince such as himself."
Different Versions of the Book
The first version of Jean de Wavrin's book was finished around 1445. It had four volumes and ended with the death of Henry IV of England in 1413. This version used a lot of material from other books. It also covered events in France and Burgundy.
A second version of the book was created later. This one had six volumes and continued the story up to 1469. This version included more of Jean de Wavrin's own original writings.
His book was never printed during his lifetime. It only existed as handwritten copies called manuscripts. One complete copy is in the BnF library in Paris. Another nearly complete copy is spread across different libraries.
One very special, illustrated copy was made for Edward IV of England. This beautiful book is now in the British Library. It was made around 1475 in Bruges. An artist known as the Master of the London Wavrin created the amazing pictures in it.
