Guy of Thouars facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Guy of Thouars
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| Died | 13 April 1213 Chemillé |
| Noble family | Thouars |
| Spouse(s) | Constance, Duchess of Brittany Eustachie of Chemillé |
| Father | Geoffroy IV of Thouars |
| Mother | Aénor de Lusignan |
Guy of Thouars (died April 13, 1213) was an important noble from a region called Occitania in France. He became the third husband of Constance, Duchess of Brittany. They married in Angers, a city in the County of Anjou, between August and October 1199.
This marriage happened after Constance's son, Arthur of Brittany, arrived in Angers. Arthur was recognized as the count of three areas: Anjou, Maine, and Touraine. Because Guy married Constance, he was considered a duke of Brittany "jure uxoris" (which means "by right of his wife") from 1199 to 1201.
Between 1196 and her death in 1201, Duchess Constance ruled Brittany. She ruled alongside her young son, Arthur I. Sadly, Constance died while giving birth to twin daughters.
In 1202, Duke Arthur I was captured by his uncle, John, King of England. Arthur disappeared in 1203. His older sister, Eleanor, Fair Maid of Brittany, was also captured and imprisoned by King John. Because of this, Arthur was succeeded by his baby half-sister, Alix of Thouars. Guy then became the Regent of Brittany for his young daughter Alix. He ruled for her from 1203 to 1206.
Guy of Thouars as Regent of Brittany
As regent for Duchess Alix, Guy of Thouars was a vassal (a loyal supporter) of King Philip II of France. In 1204, Guy led an attack on the Norman island fortress of Mont Saint-Michel. The abbey there would not surrender. So, Guy's forces set fire to the nearby village and killed many people.
However, Guy had to retreat because the abbey's walls were too strong. The fire he started spread to the abbey buildings, and their roofs caught fire. King Philip II later paid the abbot, Jordan, to help rebuild the damaged abbey.
In 1206, King Philip II decided to take over the regency of Brittany himself. This made many of the Breton nobles unhappy.
Guy of Thouars died in 1213 in Chemillé, which was in the county of Maine. He was buried next to Constance at Villeneuve Abbey. This abbey is now in the area of Les Sorinières, near Nantes. Villeneuve Abbey was founded in 1201 by Constance, the Duchess of Brittany.
Guy's Family
Guy married Constance of Brittany in 1199. They had two or three daughters:
- Alix of Thouars: She became the Duchess of Brittany and Countess of Richmond in her own right in 1203, after her half-brother Arthur.
- Catherine of Thouars: She was known as the Lady of Aubigné. She married Andrew III, Baron of Vitré in 1212.
- Margaret of Thouars.
Guy married a second time to Eustachie of Chemillé in 1203. They had two sons:
- Peter: He was the Lord of Chemillé (1204-1254/55). He married Eleanor of Porhoët.
- Thomas of Chémillé: He died around January 1246.
Guy in Books
Guy of Thouars appears as a character in some novels. He is a secondary character in Le Poids d’une couronne (légende bretonne) (1867-1868) by Gabrielle d’Étampes. He is also in A King’s Ransom (2014) by Sharon Kay Penman. He is mentioned in the novel Dans l’Ombre du Passé (2020) by Léa Chaillou.
See also
- Dukes of Brittany family tree
- Viscounts of Thouars
