of France to the assistance of Sigismund of Hungary in his war against Bajazet.

Followed by a numerous body of nobles, he entered on the contest, and was defeated and taken prisoner by the Turks at the battle of Nicopolis.

His army was totally destroyed, and himself only restored to liberty on the payment of an immense ransom.
John the Fearless succeeded in 1404 to the inheritance of all his father's dominions, with the exception of Brabant, of which his younger brother, Anthony of Burgundy, became duke.

John, whose ambitious and ferocious character became every day more strongly developed, now aspired to the government of France during the insanity of his cousin Charles VI.

He occupied himself little with the affairs of the Netherlands, from which he only desired to draw supplies of men.