Jean Grusset dict Richardot, knight (1540 – 3 September 1609) was a statesman and diplomat from the Franche-Comté, who held high political office during the Dutch Revolt and played an important role in restoring Habsburg rule in the Southern Netherlands.
Jean Richardot belonged to the network of families from the Franche-Comté that rose to important posts in the administration of the Habsburg Netherlands under the patronage of Antoine Perrenot de Granvelle.
After his humanities at the Collège Granvelle in Besançon, Jean studied law at the universities of Leuven, where he established strong ties with one of his professors, Peter Peckius.
From then on Richardot would be the highest ranking and most influential subject of the Habsburg Netherlands serving the Governor-General and subsequently the sovereign Archdukes Albert and Isabella.
As a well known supporter of a general pacification in the Netherlands, he was often depicted by those in favor of continuing the war against the United Provinces and their English and French allies as lacking in loyalty to the Spanish crown.
Two years later, Richardot had to admit defeat when talks held at Boulogne broke up over issues of precedence, thereby wasting the chance to bring an end to the war between Elizabeth I and Philip III.
When the succession of James I of England opened a new window of opportunity, Richardot, Verreycken and Charles princely count of Arenberg participated between May and August 1604 in the conference at Somerset House that elaborated the Treaty of London.
In an effort to conclude a peace treaty with the Dutch Republic, Ambrogio Spinola and Richardot acted as the chief negotiators in the Habsburg delegation at the conference of The Hague from February to August 1608.
To make matters worse, the Prince of Condé chose that moment to flee to Brussels with his wife, Charlotte Marguerite de Montmorency, thereby hoping to put her out of reach of the French king's amorous attentions.
Hoping to avert a war, Richardot travelled to the French Court in August 1609 with instructions to assure Henry IV of Albert's neutrality in both affairs.