 Erard II joined the Third Crusade and died in the Holy Land in 1191 . His oldest son , Walter III , succeeded him in Brienne . John was first mentioned in an <unk> ( or 1194 ) charter issued by his brother , indicating that he was a prominent figure in Walter 's court . According to a version of Ernoul 's chronicle , John participated in a war against Peter II of <unk> . Although the Tales of the Minstrel of Reims claimed that he was called " John <unk> " , according to contemporary charters John held <unk> , <unk> , <unk> and two other villages in the County of Champagne around 1200 . In <unk> , Theobald III granted him additional estates in <unk> , <unk> and elsewhere . After Theobald 's death his widow Blanche of <unk> persuaded John to sell his estate at <unk> , saying that it was her dowry . 
