Blessed Charles of Blois
Blessed Charles of Blois (born c. 1319 AD in Blois, Loire Valley, France; died September 29, 1364 AD at the Battle of Auray, Brittany, France) was a French Catholic prince and Duke of Brittany who was renowned for his extreme personal austerity and humility despite his royal rank, and who died in battle defending his claim to the Duchy of Brittany in the War of Breton Succession. A grandson of King Philip VI of France and nephew of Saint Louis of Toulouse, he was also a nephew of King Philip V of France through his father, and was nephew of Saint Elizabeth of Portugal through his mother. Known for wearing a hair shirt under his armor, performing secret penances, and treating his servants with remarkable courtesy, he was venerated as a holy man long before the formal process of beatification. He was beatified by Pope Leo XIII in 1904. His feast day is September 29.
Stored in Cargo: Blessed Charles of Blois
| Blessed Charles of Blois | |
|---|---|
| Feast Day | September 29 |
| Profession | Duke of Brittany (disputed); French Catholic prince; warrior; penitent; Dominican Tertiary (probable); husband of Joan of Penthièvre; father of several children |
| Rel. Affiliation | Catholic Church; French Catholic tradition; Breton Catholic tradition; medieval French nobility; Dominican Third Order (probable); 14th-century blesseds |
| Patronage | Brittany; France; Blois; Auray; Catholic princes and rulers; those who combine military duty with personal piety; Dominican tertiaries |
| Attributes | Princely armor with hair shirt beneath; cross; Breton coat of arms; Dominican Third Order habit; September 29 feast; the Gulf of Morbihan |
| Birthplace | Blois, Loire Valley, France |
| Death Place | Auray, Brittany, France (at the Battle of Auray) |
| Cause of Death | Death in battle; killed at the Battle of Auray on September 29, 1364, during the War of Breton Succession; he was approximately 45 years old; the War of Breton Succession (1341–1365) was a conflict between two claimants to the Duchy of Brittany: Charles of Blois (supported by France) and John of Montfort (supported by England); the English-backed Montfort faction won the Battle of Auray, and Charles was killed in the fighting; despite his death in a political-military conflict, he was venerated for his personal holiness — his extreme asceticism, his humility, his daily Mass attendance, and his devotion to the poor; he was beatified by Pope Leo XIII in 1904 |
| Primary Shrine | Brittany, France — local shrines; September 29 feast; Leo XIII beatification 1904 |
| Liturgical Class | Not in universal Roman calendar; September 29 feast in Brittany and in France |
| Historic Class | Not in 1962 calendar |
Biography
Charles of Blois was born around 1319 in Blois, son of Guy I of Blois and Margaret of Valois. Through his mother he was a nephew of King Philip VI of France; his mother was also closely related to Saint Elizabeth of Portugal. His uncle was Saint Louis of Toulouse.
In 1341 he became embroiled in the War of Breton Succession, claiming the Duchy of Brittany through his wife Joan of Penthièvre (niece of the last undisputed Duke of Brittany). His rival was John of Montfort, supported by the English. Charles was backed by the French crown.
Despite his political and military role, Charles was remarkable for his extreme personal asceticism: he wore a hair shirt under his armor, prayed the canonical hours, heard Mass daily, washed the feet of the poor, and gave away food meant for his own table. His contemporaries venerated him as a saint while he lived.
He was captured at the Battle of La Roche-Derrien in 1347 and held prisoner in England for nine years (1347–1356) before being ransomed. He continued the war upon his return.
He was killed in battle at Auray on September 29, 1364, the feast of Saint Michael — the decisive defeat of the Blois cause.
He was beatified by Pope Leo XIII in 1904. His feast day is September 29.
Significant locations
Legend
Birth location: Blois, Loire Valley, France
Death location: Auray, Brittany, France (at the Battle of Auray)
Notable location:
Notable location:
Notable location:
Notable location:
Notable location:
Dynamic content
Parishes
No parishes dedicated to Charles of Blois have been added to the database yet.
Media
| Media | Length | AuthorCreator |
|---|---|---|
| Blessed Charles of Blois | 5–15 minutes | Daily Lives of Franciscan Saints |
| Sep 25 - Bl. Charles of Blois - Franciscan Saint of the Day | 5–15 minutes | Franciscan Media |
| Sep 25 - Bl. Charles of Blois - Franciscan Saint of the Day | 5–15 minutes | Franciscan Saint of the Day |
| Blessed Charles of Blois | 5–15 minutes | Radio Immaculata |
Shrines
Dynamic shrines
No results
No shrines where this saint is the primary saint.
Feast day
September 29
Veneration
Blessed Charles of Blois (c. 1319–1364) was a French Catholic prince and Duke of Brittany (disputed) who combined rigorous personal austerity — hair shirt under his armor, secret penances, daily Mass, washing the feet of the poor — with his political and military role in the War of Breton Succession, dying in battle at Auray on September 29, 1364; beatified Leo XIII, 1904. Feast September 29.
Prayers
Authored
There are prayers authored by this saint in prayers list yet.
Intercessory
There are no prayers asking for this saint's intercession in prayers list yet.