Geoffroy V of Anjou

Geoffroy V of Anjou known as Beautiful the or Plantagenêt (August 24th 1113 - September 7th 1151, Mans), was Count d' Anjou and of Maine (1129-1151), and later Count de Mortain (1141-1151) and Duc of Normandy (1144-1150).

It is called Plantagenêt because of the bit of Genêt which it had the practice to carry to its hat. He was the son of Foulque V († 1143), count of Anjou and King de Jérusalem, and of Erembourge of Maine († 1126), heiress of Maine. He became the founder of the dynasty Plantagenêt of the English kings by his son Henri II of England.

Marriage and access to the capacity

The June 17th 1128, it Marie at the 15 years age with Mathilde Emperesse, girl of Henri Ier of England and widow of Henri V of the Holy roman Empire, Germanic Roman Emperor. This union represents a pledge of peace between the Anjou and the Normandy, which had been in conflict with many recoveries during the 11th century. Mathilde Emperesse was eleven years old, and their marriage was not very happy. She turns over near her father little time after their union. In 1131, it is reconciled with him, and their first Henri child is born on March 5th, 1133.

The year which followed its marriage, his/her father is had a presentiment of to marry Mélisende of Jerusalem, girl of the King de Jérusalem Baudouin II. He thus turns over out of Holy Land - where he became the king - leaving all its possessions to Geoffroy.

Conquest of Normandy

When the king Henri Ier of England died in 1135, the cousin of Mathilde, Etienne of Blois, seized the throne of England and at the same time the duchy of Normandy. While his wife turned her attention towards England, Geoffroy concentrated his on the conquest of Normandy. At the end of ten years of war and seat, thanks to the construction of a network of alliances, Normandy fell between its hands. The merits of this strategy are discussed by the historians. While the forces angevines could have been decisive if they had been sent in England, it seems also that the possession of Normandy played a part, undoubtedly decisive, in the possible success of their Henri son to obtain the English crown.

Geoffroy repressed also three revolts of baron S in Anjou, against the Vicomte of Thouars Aimery VI in 1129, 1135 and 1145 - 1151. The threat of rebellion slows down its advance in Normandy, and seems to be a reason of its non-intervention on the other side of the channel.

In the last years of its life, it consolidated its control on Normandy by reforming the administration of the duchy and in 1150, it associated Henri with his government.

Its body was buried in the cathedral of the Mans.

Family and descent

The June 17th 1128 with the Mans, it married Mathilde Emperesse (1102 - 1167), widow of the Germanic Roman Emperor Henri V of the Holy roman Empire, and girl of Henri I {{er}} of England and Mathilde of Scotland.

They had three fils :

Henri (1133 - 1189), future Count d' Anjou, of the Maine and the Poitou, Duke of Aquitanian Normandy and , King d' Angleterre ;
Geoffroy Plantagenêt (1134 - 1158), future Count d' Anjou, of the Maine and of Nantes. Without descendance ;
Guillaume Plantagenêt (1136 - 1164), Count of Poitou. Without descent.

It had also at least three illegitimate children, Hamelin of Anjou wire of Adelaide d' Angers :

Hamelin of Anjou and later of Warenne (about 1129 - May 7th, 1202), 5th Count de Surrey, perhaps Viscount of Touraine ;
Emme, married Dafydd ab Owain Gwynedd, prince de Galles of North in 1174 ;
Marie, became nun then abbess of Shaftesbury, it was perhaps the poetess Marie de France.

Armorial bearings

Its armorial bearings are, in the absence of being oldest, the first with being mentioned in a medieval writing. It is known as that king Henri Ier of England suspended with his neck one ecu carrying of the lion cubs. An enamel plate being with the cathedral of Mans shows this ecu, unfortunately represented profile, so that one is unaware of the number of lion cubs (currently one hesitates between 6,7 or 8). This plate gives the colors of the ecu however.

The description of the blazon opposite (subject to the number of lion cubs) est : of azure to the six gold lion cubs, posed 3,2 and 1 .

See too

Empire Plantagenêt

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