Geoffrey II, Duke of Brittany Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Geoffrey II

Duke of Brittany
Reign	July 1181 – 19 August 1186
Predecessor	Constance
Successor	Constance

Born	23 September 1158
Died	19 August 1186 (aged 27) Paris, Kingdom of France
Burial	Notre Dame de Paris
Spouse	Constance, Duchess of Brittany
Issue Detail	Eleanor, Fair Maid of Brittany Arthur I, Duke of Brittany
House	Plantagenet / Angevin
Father	Henry II, King of England
Mother	Eleanor, Duchess of Aquitaine

Geoffrey II (born September 23, 1158 – died August 19, 1186) was an important figure in medieval history. He was the Duke of Brittany and the 3rd Earl of Richmond. He became duke through his marriage to Constance, Duchess of Brittany. Geoffrey was the fourth son of Henry II of England and Eleanor, Duchess of Aquitaine. His life was full of political struggles and family conflicts.

Geoffrey's Life and Role
Family Life
Geoffrey's Death
- Two Accounts of Death
Succession After Geoffrey
Portrayals in Media
- In Literature
- In Theatre and Television
Genealogical Table
See also

Geoffrey's Life and Role

Becoming Duke of Brittany

In the 1160s, Geoffrey's father, King Henry II, wanted more control over Brittany. Brittany was a region in France. Henry II had been fighting with Conan IV, Duke of Brittany. Some local nobles in Brittany rebelled against Conan. So, Conan asked Henry II for help.

In 1164, Henry took control of lands near the border of Brittany and Normandy. In 1166, he invaded Brittany to punish the rebellious nobles. Henry then forced Conan to step down as duke. Conan had to give Brittany to his five-year-old daughter, Constance. She was then promised in marriage to Henry's son, Geoffrey. This was unusual because Conan might have had sons who could have taken over. Geoffrey and Constance finally married in July 1181.

Conflicts and Alliances

Tensions between Henry II and Louis VII of France led to war in 1167. The war started over a small argument about collecting money for the Crusader states in the Middle East. Louis VII teamed up with people from Wales, Scotland, and Brittany. They attacked Normandy, a region controlled by Henry II.

Henry fought back by attacking Chaumont-sur-Epte, where Louis kept his main weapons. Henry burned the town. This forced Louis to leave his allies and make a peace deal. Henry was then free to deal with the rebellious nobles in Brittany. Many people there were still upset about Henry taking control of the duchy.

Rebellions Against His Father

Geoffrey was fifteen years old when he joined his first rebellion against his father, King Henry II. He later made peace with Henry in 1174. This happened during a truce, or peace agreement, at Gisors.

Geoffrey was also a key figure in a second rebellion in 1183. He fought against his brother, Richard, to support another brother, Henry the Young King.

Geoffrey was a good friend of Philip, who was Louis VII's son. Geoffrey and Philip often worked together against King Henry II. Geoffrey spent a lot of time at Philip's court in Paris. Philip even made him his seneschal, which was a high-ranking official. Some evidence suggests that Geoffrey was planning another rebellion with Philip's help in 1186. Because he joined so many rebellions against his father, Geoffrey earned a reputation for being disloyal.

A writer named Gerald of Wales described Geoffrey as someone who was very persuasive. He said Geoffrey could break strong alliances and cause trouble between kingdoms with his words. He also called him a "hypocrite" and a "deceiver."

Geoffrey was also known for taking money from monasteries and churches. He used these funds for his military campaigns. This lack of respect for religion made the Church unhappy. As a result, many writers at the time, who were often churchmen, wrote negatively about him.

Family Life

Geoffrey and Constance had three children. One of them was born after Geoffrey's death:

Eleanor, Fair Maid of Brittany (born 1184 – died 1241)
Maud/Matilda of Brittany (born 1185 – died before May 1189)
Arthur I, Duke of Brittany (born 1187 – died 1203?)

Geoffrey's Death

Geoffrey died on August 19, 1186, in Paris. He was only 27 years old. Some records suggest he might have died on August 21, 1186. There are two main stories about how he died.

Two Accounts of Death

The most common story says that Geoffrey died after being trampled by horses in a jousting tournament. A jousting tournament was a medieval sport where knights on horseback fought with lances. At his funeral, it is said that Philip II was so sad that he tried to jump into Geoffrey's coffin. This version comes from the writings of Roger of Hoveden and Gerald of Wales.

The second story comes from a French royal clerk named Rigord. This version says Geoffrey died suddenly from severe chest pain. This happened right after he gave a speech to Philip, where he boasted about planning to destroy Normandy. This story might have been invented by the writer. It could have been a way to suggest that Geoffrey's sudden illness was a punishment from God. This would be for being disloyal to his father and for his lack of respect for religion.

Another idea is that the tournament story was made up by Philip. This would prevent Henry II from finding out about Geoffrey's plot. By saying Geoffrey was in Paris for a social event like a tournament, Philip could hide the real reason for their meeting.

Marie of France, Countess of Champagne, who was Geoffrey's half-sister and friend, was at his funeral. She arranged for special prayers to be said for his soul.

Geoffrey was buried in the main part of Notre-Dame de Paris Cathedral. However, his tombstone was destroyed in the 1700s, before the French Revolution. His body was later dug up in 1797 and measured to be about 5 feet 6.5 inches tall.

Succession After Geoffrey

After Geoffrey's death, King Henry II arranged for Constance, Geoffrey's widow, to marry Ranulf de Blondeville, 6th Earl of Chester. Ranulf briefly became Duke of Brittany through this marriage. However, their marriage was later ended.

Portrayals in Media

In Literature

Geoffrey II of Brittany is an important character in several books and plays:

The play The Lion in Winter (1966) by James Goldman. His portrayal here is similar to how Gerald of Wales described him.
The novel Devil's Brood (2008) by Sharon Kay Penman.
The tragedies The Troublesome Reign of King John (anonymous, around 1589) and King John (1593–1596) by William Shakespeare.
The play King John by Richard Valpy.
The poem Le petit Arthur de Bretagne à la tour de Rouen (1822) by Marceline Desbordes-Valmore.
The drama Arthur de Bretagne (1885) by Louis Tiercelin.
The novels Lionheart (2011) and A King's Ransom (2014) by Sharon Kay Penman.
The second book of the trilogy Le Château des Poulfenc (2009) by Brigitte Coppin.

In Theatre and Television

Geoffrey has been played by different actors:

John Castle in the movie The Lion in Winter (1968).
John Light in the 2003 made-for-TV remake of The Lion in Winter.
Austin Somervell (as a boy) and Martin Neil (as an adult) in the BBC TV drama series The Devil's Crown (1978).