Who Did What Now – Episode 172: Jeanne de Clisson – Lioness of Brittany

Host: Katie Charlwood
Date: December 16, 2025

Main Episode Theme

In this electrifying installment of Who Did What Now, Katie Charlwood takes listeners on a whirlwind tour through the remarkable life of Jeanne de Clisson, the Lioness of Brittany. A tale rife with betrayal, vengeance, and piracy, the episode unpacks how a 14th-century noblewoman transformed her anguish into a legendary vendetta against the French crown—earning a fearsome reputation as a pirate queen and enduring folklore status far beyond her era.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Setting the Scene: Medieval Nobility and Women’s Agency

• Background: Jeanne de Clisson (née Jeanne Louise de Belleville, Dame de Montagu) was born in 1300 in Belleville-sur-Vie, Brittany, into an influential noble family.
• Education of Noble Women: "Women this high up the ladder were more likely to be literate, taught religious instruction, Latin, languages, instruments, embroidery—everything for being a respectable noble’s wife" (17:10).

2. Early Life, Family, and Marriages

• Jeanne’s Family Ties: Multiple marriages and blended families were common, mainly due to high mortality. Jeanne was twice widowed before her politically fateful marriage to Olivier de Clisson.
• Arranged Marriage at 12: "It's no surprise then that when Jean reached the ripe old age of 12, she married her first husband, the 19 year old Breton noble and widower" (24:10).
• Securing Children’s Inheritance: Jeanne fiercely protected her children’s rights and property throughout complex marital arrangements (33:05).

3. Political Upheaval: The War of Breton Succession

• Brittany’s Strategic Value: Situated between England and France, Brittany is a chessboard for their dynastic ambitions during the Hundred Years’ War.
• The Succession Crisis: Rival heirs, disputed inheritance laws (Salic vs. semi-Salic), and divided loyalties plunge the region into chaos.
  • “Brittany was an absolute Jackson Pollock. Previous Duke Arthur II marries twice, has three sons first, then another son by his second wife, also called John. Of course.” (40:55)
• Pawns and Players: Nobles are forced to choose sides—Jeanne and her husband Olivier initially defend French interests but become entangled in shifting allegiances.

4. A Fatal Betrayal: Execution of Olivier de Clisson

• Suspicious Circumstances: After being ransomed suspiciously cheaply, Olivier is accused without solid evidence and executed—an unusual disgrace for a nobleman.
• Katie’s Take: "Back then, this was just—no, this was out of propriety. Not something that was socially acceptable, even for the king, really, you know?” (01:02:21)
• Wife’s Ordeal: Jeanne is forced to witness her husband’s head displayed atop a lance in Nantes:

  “It was here, in this moment, that Jean de Crisson, the 43 year old widow, decided, fuck this for a game of soldiers and swore revenge…” (01:04:07)

5. Revenge and Transformation into Pirate Queen

• From Loss to Vengeance: Jeanne sells her estates and raises a private force of 400, attacking French positions, starting with the castles of Toufou and Chateau Thibault.
• Legendary Imagery:

  “She purchases three converted merchant ships, painted black, fitted with crimson sails... If that's true, this is drama. This is a deliberate fear tactic.” (01:08:10)

  • The flagship is (allegedly) named Ma Revanche (“My Revenge”), making her intentions unmistakable.
• Tactics and Ruthlessness: Jeanne’s Black Fleet attacked French shipping not for loot but to massacre French noblemen—she spared virtually no prisoners.

6. Privateering, Loss, and Withdrawal

• Support from England: She collaborates with the English—sometimes toeing the line between piracy and privateering—and assists in supplying the English war effort.
• Personal Tragedy at Sea: After several years, her flagship sinks; Jeanne and her sons are stranded at sea, and her young son dies from exposure (01:15:50).
• Transition: She sends her surviving son to safety in England and eventually retires from piracy, later remarrying.

7. Legacy and Death

• Quiet Later Life: Jeanne settles with her fourth husband, William Bentley, and dies in Brittany in 1359. Her reputation, however, only grows:

  “After her death, her legend grew. La Tigresse de Bretagne, the Lioness of Brittany—because there is nothing more dangerous than a woman scorned.” (01:19:11)

• Reflection: Katie notes the double standard when it comes to mythologizing women’s feats versus men’s, and celebrates Jeanne as a rare, vivid example of female agency in medieval warfare and politics.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Gender and Myth:

  “A lot of her life is now just mythologised. But when you don’t have enough facts to prove something either way, I think we just go with whatever’s coolest. I mean, if we do it for men all the time, why not women?” —Katie, (11:55)

• Vengeance Sparked:

  “It was here... Jean de Crisson, the 43 year old widow, decided, fuck this for a game of soldiers and swore revenge against Philip the Six of France and of course, Charles Dubois.” —Katie, (01:04:07)

• On Ships and Symbolism:

  “There are many reports of the red sails existing... If that's true, this is drama. Like, this is a deliberate, not only a fear tactic, but... having the finances to dye your sails red, that is money.” —Katie, (01:08:40)

• On Female Agency:

  “She takes Olivier to court because he promised her certain financial contributions... She wanted to make sure she got it... locking it in just in case. It feels like that was done specifically to ensure security.” —Katie, (33:29)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Sources and Introduction: 06:08 — 11:55
• Early Life and Noble Background: 14:00 — 20:00
• Succession & Marriages, Political Context: 24:10 — 41:45
• Breton Succession War & Olivier’s Execution: 51:30 — 01:04:07
• Rise of the Lioness, Revenge and Piracy: 01:04:08 — 01:15:50
• Survival At Sea, Withdrawal, Later Life: 01:15:51 — 01:19:11
• Legacy and Reflective Close: 01:19:12 — 01:22:00

Episode Tone and Style

Katie’s narration is as ever irreverent, witty, and conversational—packed with asides, sidebars, and personal interjections, e.g.,

"I am a wee bit hoarse. A little horse. A miniature horse, like Little Sebastian." (03:05)

She continually pokes fun at medieval naming conventions, bureaucracy, and the patriarchy, unafraid of colorful language (“fuck this for a game of soldiers”) and delighting in the drama and contradictions of medieval power struggles.

Summary Takeaways

• Jeanne de Clisson’s life proves truth is stranger than fiction—her transformation from noblewoman to pirate queen was driven by profound loss and injustice.
• Her fearlessness, resourcefulness, and relentless pursuit of vengeance against the French crown earned her a genuine place in both history and legend.
• Katie underlines the importance of reclaiming lost stories of powerful women, reminding us:

  “There is nothing more dangerous than a woman scorned.” (01:19:11)

Further Reading & Recommendations

• Watch: Cutthroat Island (because "woman, pirate—go to town!") (01:22:20)
• Listen: CG5 (host’s concert experience inspiration)
• Read: The Murder of Roger Ackroyd ("not about pirates but one of my favourites")

For more on piracy month and the lineup of fierce women, stay tuned—and follow Katie Charlwood on all the socials for more history, recommendations, and her upcoming show in Belfast.