Amaury IV of Craon

Amaury IV of Craon (16 August 1326 – 30 May 1373), Lord of Craon, Chantocé, Ingrandes, Briollé, Châteauneuf-sur-Sarthe, Précigné and Sablé , Sainte-Maure, Nouâtre, Pressigny and Marcillac, Châteauneuf-sur-Charente and Jarnac, was a French noble, who was part of the Hundred Years' War. Biography Born on 16 August 1326, Croan was the son of Maurice VII de Craon and Marguerite de Mello. The Croan family held the hereditary office of Seneschal of Anjou and Maine. He married in 1345 Péronelle, Viscountess of Thouars and Countess of Dreux, with whom he had no issue. He is known to have had two illegitimate children, Pierre, and Jeannette who married Thibaut de La Devillière. Created royal lieutenant in 1347 by King Philip IV, Amaury was sent to Brittany with a small force and took La Roche-Derrien from the English in three days. In 1356, after being besieged at Romorantin in late August during the Chevauchée of the Black Prince, and ransomed, Amaury was taken prisoner at the Battle of Poitiers on the 19 September. Craon became one of the main captains of King John II of France and becomes Captain for Touraine, Anjou, Maine and Lower Normandy. Amaury is later influenced by the Poitou lords who are favourable to King Edward III of England and eventually joins them at the head of the Anglo-Poitevin coalition, facing Bertrand du Guesclin who is attempting to regain Poitou on behalf of King Charles V of France.