Nicolas Rolin facts for kids

The Virgin with Chancellor Rolin by Jan van Eyck, (Louvre).

Nicolas Rolin (1376–1462) was a very important person in the history of Burgundy and France. He became the top advisor, called a chancellor, to Philip the Good, who was the powerful Duke of Burgundy.

Early Life and Family

Nicolas Rolin was born in Autun, a town in France. His family was well-off, part of the "bourgeoisie" (which means they were wealthy citizens, not nobles).

When he was 22, in 1398, Nicolas got married for the first time. This was part of a big family event where his widowed mother also remarried. However, his first wife passed away within a few years.

Before 1407, he married Marie des Landes. This marriage helped him become part of the important families in Paris.

Becoming a Powerful Chancellor

In 1422, Philip the Good made Nicolas Rolin his chancellor. This was a very important job, and Rolin held it for over forty years! He was one of the main people who helped Philip the Good become so successful.

Rolin was also close to John the Fearless, another Duke of Burgundy, who was the godfather to Rolin's third son.

In 1421, Nicolas Rolin married Guigone de Salins. Together, they created the famous Hospices de Beaune, a hospital for the poor.

Shaping History: The Treaty of Arras

Nicolas Rolin played a big part in writing the Treaty of Arras in 1435. This treaty was very important because it made Charles VII of France agree that Burgundy was independent. This decision helped separate Burgundy from the English during the Hundred Years' War.

One of Rolin's sons, Jean Rolin, became a bishop of Chalon-sur-Saône in 1431, and later a bishop of Autun in 1436. Jean became a Cardinal in 1448, thanks to Pope Nicholas V. This showed the good relationship between Burgundy and the Pope.

Miniature by Rogier van der Weyden (1447-1448). It shows Philip the Good and his court, with Rolin on his right side.

Rolin's Legacy in Art and Buildings

The house where Nicolas Rolin was born is now a museum in Autun, called the Musée Rolin. He also owned a castle called the Château d'Oricourt.

In 1435, Rolin asked the famous artist Jan van Eyck to paint a special artwork called The Virgin with Child and Chancellor Rolin. This painting is now in the Louvre Museum in Paris.

Besides Jean Rolin, Nicolas had other children. His son Louis was killed in a battle in 1476. Another son, Antoine, held important positions in the court of Charles the Bold, who was Philip the Good's son.

After founding the Hospices de Beaune with his wife in 1443, Rolin also started a new group of nuns in 1452. They were called "Les sœurs hospitalières de Beaune" and helped care for people at the hospital. He also ordered a famous painting called The Last Judgement by the Flemish painter Rogier van der Weyden for the hospices.