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The French Count Who Married His Sister
The penultimate scion of the House of Armagnac is not a well known historical figure. Jean V, Count of Armagnac, ruled over a a small province in the foothills of the Pyrenees. Members of the family had intermarried with the House of Capet and its various branches. Indeed, Jean’s mother was born Princess Isabella of Navarre, the daughter of King Charles III of Navarre and his Castilian born wife, Queen Eleanor. Jean’s sister, Marie, would become the great-grandmother of King Henri IV of France. The House of Armagnac was certainly well connected.
Jean V succeeded his father as Count of Armagnac when he was around thirty years old. Also around this time, Jean embarked on an incestuous affair with his younger sister, Isabelle, the so called Lady of the Four Valleys. Isabelle was ten years younger than her brother and was said to be extremely beautiful. Indeed, King Henry VI of England had inquired about marrying Isabelle.
It is not known if the relationship between brother and sister was mutual, or if Jean forced his younger sister into engaging with him. It is known that two sons were born from this union when rumor began to spread about the sinful relationship. Found out, Jean and Isabelle promised that their union was over. However, some months later, Jean…
