Jean d'Espinay the Younger

Born in Brittany, he was the son of Richard, lord of Espinay and la Rivière, chamberlain to Francis II of Brittany, and his wife Béatrix of Montauban. He had two sisters and seven brothers, three of whom were also bishops - Robert, Jean senior and Guillaume, bishops of Nantes, Mirepoix (and later Nantes) and Léon respectively. Another brother, André, was a cardinal, whilst their sister François d'Espinay became abbess of Saint-Georges de Rennes in 1485.

He held the rural deanery of Châteaugiron and the parish of Thourie together for over a year, but was absolved of this irregularity. He was made a prior of the diocese of Nantes and later became abbot of Aiguevive in the Diocese of Tours. He was made Bishop of Valence in 1491, holding the role until his death.[1]