Jean Froissart was a French chronicler. He was born in 1333 at Valenciennes and died in about 1405. He received a liberal education, and took orders in the church, but his inclination was more for poetry and gallantry. At the age of eighteen he went to England, where, having already the reputation of being a gay poet and narrator of chivalric deeds, be was received with great favour, Philippa of Hainault, wife of Edward IIL declaring herself his patroness.
After returning to the Continent and travelling for some time, he again visited England, and in 1361-1366 he was a secretary to the queen. He also visited Scotland, and was entertained by King David Bruce, and William, earl of Douglas. In 1366 he left England and again travelled. After the death of Queen Philippa, Jean Froissart became cure of Lestines in Hainault, and was patronized by Wenceslans, duke of Brabant, who was himself a poet, and of whose verses, united with some of his own, Froissart formed a sort of romance called Meliador.
On the death of Wenceslaus he entered the service of Guy, count of Blois, who gave him the canonry of Chimay, and induced him to take in hand the history of his own time. After twelve years of a quiet life he again began his travels, chiefly for the purpose of collecting further matter for his Chronicle, and he again visited England after a lapse of forty years.
Little is known of the closing part of his life, which is said to have terminated at Chimay. His Chronicle, which reaches down to 1400, gives a siugularly vivid and interesting picture of his times, and also presents his own character in a pleasing-light. The best edition of his Chronicle is that of Buchon, which also contains his collected Poesies (published in Paris, 1835-1836, in three volumes). Research Jean Froissart
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