Jean de Rovroy

Jean de Rovroy (died 10 July 1461) was a French theologian and priest. He defended the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception at the Council of Basel in 1433–1436. Three of his writings on this theme survive, all in Latin, but he is best known for his translation into French of the Latin Strategemata of Frontinus for King Charles VII of France.

Life Jean's surname is spelled many different ways in the sources. It may refer to one of the places known as Rouvroy, but it is impossible to know which one. In 1388, Jean was a student at the College of Navarre in Paris. He would have been around fifteen years old at the time, born about 1373. In 1403, he signed a petition addressed to King Charles VI on behalf of the masters of arts of Paris. In 1404, he was a secretary of Louis I, Duke of Orléans. The assassination of Louis in 1407 sent him back to school. He read the Sentences in 1408 and by 1413 was a bachelor of theology. He opposed Jean Petit's defence of tyrannicide. He had obtained his masters in theology by 1416. In October 1416, he was named master of the on the condition that he take holy orders, being then only a subdeacon. In 1439, the council pronounced in favour of the doctrine. London, British Library, Add. 12028

Four of these manuscripts (Arsenal 2693, Fr. 1234, Fr. 1235, Add. 12028) contain aucuns notables extraitz du livre de Vegece, that is, translated extracts from the first three books of Vegetius's De re militari.

Theological writings Jean also wrote three theological works in Latin around the time of the council of Basel. His sermon for 8 December 1435, , is preserved without his name in a single manuscript. The basic ideas in the sermon are developed further in the treatise , written for the commission at Basel. It argues for the Immaculate Conception from the Church Fathers, the Bible, reason and, especially, miracles. He read an edited down version of this treatise before the council on 21 April 1436. This work, , was published in 1664.