[October 25] Antoine, duke of Brabant

Parents: Philip II, duke of Burgundy, and Margaret III, countess of Flanders
Born: August 1384
House: Capet-Valois
Spouse(s): (1) Jeanne, daughter of Waleran III, count of Ligny, and Maud of Kent, then (2) Elisabeth, duchess of Luxembourg, daughter of John, duke of Görlitz, and Richardis Catherine of Sweden
Predecessor: Jeanne

Reign: 1406 – 1415
Brief: Although second in birth to his brother John, future duke of Burgundy, Antoine received the duchy of Brabant from his aunt who died without children in 1406. Little is known about his life prior to the battle of Agincourt. When he arrived at the battle, he worse improvised armor and a surcoat made from a flag. He arrived late, but quickly entered the fray During the battle, he fought well but was captured by a group of English archers. Being dressed so poorly, he was executed as a common knight later that day among a group of nobles that included the counts of Alençon, and Nevers, and the duke of Lorraine. King Henry V of England did not know that he had such valuable nobles in his possession and he was strapped for men and money, leaving him little option but to execute prisoners. The battle was a complete loss for France and intensified the Hundred Years' War. 

Date of Death: 25 October 1415
Successor: John IV

Other Monarchs Who Died Today:

• Marcellinus, pope of Rome (304)
• Boniface V, pope of Rome (625)
• Magnus I, king of Norway (1047)
• Stephen, king of England (1154)
• Charles, count of Dreux (1415)
• John I, count of Alençon (1415)
• Frederick, duke of Lorraine (1415)
• Philip II, count of Nevers (1415)
• João II, king of Portugal (1495)
• George II, king of Great Britain (1760)
• Abbas Mirza, shah of Persia (1833)
• Alexander I, king of Greece (1920)

[May 3] John I, duke of Brabant

Surname: The Victorious
Parents: Henry III, duke of Brabant, and Adelaide of Burgundy

Date of Birth: circa 1252

House: Reginar
Spouse: Margaret, daughter of Louis IX, king of France, and Margaret of Provence, then Margaret, daughter of Guy, count of Flanders, and Matilda of Béthune

Predecessor: Henry IV

Reign: 1267 – 1294

Summary: A close relative of the French kings, John was not originally destined to become the ruler of Brabant & Lothier in north-eastern France. His brother, Henry IV, became mentally ill and the populace deposed him in favor of John. John's sister, Maria, was married to King Philip III of France and so he was double related and indebted to his French overlord.

John I was a warrior and in 1283 he purchased the rights to Limburg, a duchy that would enlarge his hereditary lands to nearly the size of the old Duchy of Lower Lorraine. At the Battle of Woeringen, John courageously marched into the Rhineland. He was outnumbered but defeated a loose confederacy of Rhineland countries as well as the Archbishopric of Cologne. The battle was thought to be one of the largest field battles fought in the Middle Ages, with nearly 10,000 soldiers fighting and 1,100 casualties on the side of the confederacy. For his success, he was recognized as the legitimate duke of Limburg in 1288. John's fame was universal. He was raised as the very example of a chivalric knight and good prince. He loved jousting and ballads from his time still survive to this day. Among his other acts, John was known to indulge in women and produced numerous illegitimate children. He was married to the daughter of the king of France but she died in 1272. He later married the daughter of the Count of Flanders and through her he produced his legitimate offspring. He had at least five surviving illegitimate children through various mistresses. John I died in 1294 during a marriage celebration. His tomb was destroyed during the Protestant Reformation.

Date of Death: 3 May 1294

Successor: John II

Other Monarch Deaths:

Béla IV, king of Hungary (1270)

Mehmed II, sultan of the Ottoman Empire (1481)

Benedict IV, pope of Rome (1758)

[April 17] John IV, duke of Brabant

Parents: Antoine, duke of Brabant, and Jeanne de St. Pol

Date of Birth: 11 June 1403

House: Capet-Valois

Spouse: Jacqueline, countess of Hainaut, Holland, and Zeeland

Predecessor: Antoine

Reign: 1415 – 1427

Date of Death: 17 April 1427

Successor: Philip I

Other Monarchs Who Died Today:

Alexander, patriarch of Alexandria (326)

Harald III, king of Denmark (1080)

George, duke of Saxony (1539)

Joseph I, Holy Roman Emperor (1711)