John the Blind grants privileges to La Roche-en-Ardenne

John the Blind grants privileges to La Roche-en-Ardenne

John I, King of Bohemia and Poland, Count of Luxembourg, also known as John the Blind (1296-1346), played an important role in the history of the town of La Roche-en-Ardenne. In 1317, he honored the castle of La Roche with his presence and confirmed the franchises already granted to the town. More than a decade later, in 1331, he renewed these franchises, granting the town of La Roche the right to surround itself with walls. The burghers of La Roche were responsible for building the walls, maintaining them and defending them with a corps of twelve crossbowmen. John the Blind, for his part, supplied them with crossbows and bolts, crossbow arrows used to pierce chain mail.