Marot was born
Jehan Desmaretz at
Mathieu, near
Caen in 1463. He received a neglected education, and thus did not learn latin, but made up for it by studying history, fable and poetry from authors. His verses were enjoyed by
Michelle de Saubonne, wife of the Lord of
Le château du Parc-Soubise situated in
Mouchamps. For this she presented him to
Anne of Brittany, Queen of France, and in 1506 he obtained the post of
escripvain (
poet laureate-cum-
historiographer). He became her secretary in 1506 and her official poet. Jean became the official poet of three French kings
Louis XII and
Francis I of France. By
Anne of Brittany's order, he followed Louis 12th on his expeditions to Genoa and Venice against Julius II, with the express mission of celebrating them. This was done in two poems entitled
Voyage de Gênes and
Voyage de Venise, in which the use of the supernatural coexists with historical accuracy. The first poem recounts the capture of Genoa by the armies of Louis 12th in 1506 and the second the victory of the royal troops over the Venetians at
Agnadello in 1509. When Louis XII died, Marot entered the service of
Francis I of France and composed a poem in which the Nobility, the Church and Labour, i.e. the three orders, plead one after the other the cause of king, who had just aroused discontent by implementing new taxes. He died in Paris around 1526. His son
Clément Marot, the child of his second wife, was then appointed in his place, as
valet de chambre to the king
Francis I of France, and likewise became a noted poet. ==References==