Louis II of Chalon-Arlay

Louis II of Chalon-Arlay (c. 1388 – 3 December 1463), nicknamed the Good, was Lord of Arlay and Arguel Prince of Orange. He was he son of John III of Chalon-Arlay and his wife, Mary of Baux-Orange, and the father of William VII of Chalon.

Louis was very ambitious. He tried to establish his authority in the Dauphiné, but failed. He did manage to extend his territory eastwards, to Neuchâtel and Lausanne. During his attempts to extend his territory, he would sometimes express loyalty towards the King of France, and at other times toward the German Emperor or the Duke of Burgundy. In the end, nobody really trusted him.

Louis was also active in the Netherlands: in 1425, he led an army sent by Philip the Good to support Duke John IV of Brabant in a war against his wife Jacqueline.

Louis also called himself Count of Geneva, claiming it was part of the inheritance he had received from his mother. However, he was never able to realize this claim. The county of Geneva was held by Antipope Felix V. After Felix's death, Louis fought a long battle against the Counts of Savoy for control of Geneva. The struggle ended when the Emperor decided in favour of the House of Savoy.

In his last will and testament, Louis stipulated that his children from his second marriage would take precedence over his children from his first marriage when in the division of the inheritance. After his death, this caused a prolonged struggle between his children and their descendants.

Louis married twice:

1. Johanna (d. 1445), the daughter of Count Henry II of Montbéliard an Marie of Châtillon. With her he had one son:
   1. William VII (d. 1475), his successor as Prince of Orange
2. Eléonore (1423–1456), a daughter of Count John IV of Armagnac and his second wife, Isabella of Navarre. With her, he had two more sons:
   1. Louis (1448–1476), Lord of Chateau-Guyon and Knight of the Order of the Golden Fleece
   2. Hugh de Chalon (-1490), Lord of Château-Guyon, who married Louise of Savoy, a daughter of Duke Amadeus IX of Savoy and Yolande of Valois.

Louis II died at his castle at Nozeroy on 3 December 1463. He was succeeded as Prince of Orange by his son William VII.

Ancestors