Jean Froissart

Jean Froissart (born 1333?, Valenciennes, Brabant—died c. 1400, Chimay, Hainaut) was a medieval poet and court historian whose Chronicles of the 14th century remain the most important and detailed document of feudal times in Europe and the best contemporary exposition of chivalric and courtly ideals.

(Read Sir Walter Scott’s 1824 Britannica essay on chivalry.)

As a scholar, Froissart lived among the nobility of several European courts. In England he served Queen Philippa of Hainaut, King Edward III, and his sons the Black Prince and the Duke of Clarence. He became the chaplain of Guy II de Chatillon, comte de Blois, under whose auspices he was ordained canon of Chimay. He travelled to Scotland, Italy, France, and the Iberian Peninsula.

The main subject of Froissart’s Chronicles was the “honourable adventures and feats of arms” of the Hundred Years’ War. He used his privileged position to question central figures and observe key events. The firsthand narrative covers weddings, funerals, and great battles from 1325 to 1400. Book I was based on the work of the Flemish writer Jean le Bel and later rewritten. Book II concerns the events in Flanders and the Peace of Tournai. Book III concerns Spain and Portugal. Book IV is based on the Battle of Poitiers and a final visit to England, where he was shocked by the weakness of the royal government.

Froissart cites exact dialogues and all available facts, allowing readers to draw their own conclusions. The splendour and pageantry are emphasized, however, according to the courtly traditions of his patrons, while the victims and causes of suffering are overlooked. A didactic moral tone urges readers to aspire to the ideals of chivalry. While the Chronicles contain historical errors and lapses of judgment, they are the best information available to modern readers interested in the 14th century.

Froissart’s allegorical poetry celebrates courtly love. L’Horloge amoureux compares the heart to a clock, and Méliador is a chivalrous romance. His ballades and rondeaux expose the poet’s personal feelings. Despite his fame during his lifetime, Froissart apparently died in obscurity.