Jean de Joinville

Timeline

1. 1224–1248Joinville · County of ChampagneBorn into a noble family of Joinville in the County of Champagne, he lost his father young and was raised by his mother. He inherited the lordship and gradually rose to prominence at the French court, becoming a trusted vassal of Louis IX.
2. 1248–1254Egypt · EgyptHe joined Louis IX on the Seventh Crusade to Egypt, fighting alongside the king in key engagements such as the Battle of Mansurah. He once refused a monetary reward offered by the king to demonstrate his loyalty, and personally witnessed major events including the king's capture and ransom, gathering first-hand material for his later Life of Saint Louis.
3. 1261–1317Champagne · ChampagneAfter returning from the crusade he served for many years as regent of the County of Champagne and took part in French politics. He remained in the realm during Louis IX's Eighth Crusade in 1270. In his later years, at the request of Louis IX's daughter Isabella, he wrote the Life of Saint Louis around 1309, recounting the king's life from an eyewitness perspective; it became a classic document of medieval French historiography.