Individual Details
Geoffrey V Plantagenet Count d'Anjou
(23 Aug 1113 - 7 Sep 1151)
Son of Foulques V, count of Anjou and Eremburge, countess of Maine, Geoffrey V was born 24 August 1113. Geoffrey's father had married the daughter and heir of the count of Maine, so the two counties were united. The year 1127 was an important one for fourteen-year-old Geoffrey 'the Fair' as he was married to the widowed Empress Matilda, heir to the king of England. In 1128 a deputation from the Holy Land came to Paris to ask King Louis VII for a nobleman to marry Melisende, daughter and heir of King Baudouin II. Foulques V, a widower, was chosen and left Anjou and Maine to Geoffrey. He married Melisende in 1129 and then became king of Jerusalem in 1131.
Although Geoffrey and the much older Matilda disliked each other, they had three sons. He was confronted by unruly vassals including his own younger brother Helie, who was eventually captured and imprisoned at Tours. When released, Helie died of a disease contracted in prison.
King Henry I of England died in 1135 and his wife's cousin, Stephen de Blois, seized the crown. Geoffrey campaigned in Normandy on Matilda's behalf but even his fourth campaign in 1138 brought no success. In 1139 Matilda invaded England and in 1141 imprisoned Stephen, after which many castles in Normandy surrendered to Geoffrey. After the fall of Rouen in 1144 Geoffrey was invested as duke of Normandy.
From 1147 until 1149 he went on crusade with King Louis VII of France. In 1150 he passed the duchy of Normandy to his eldest son, Henry. Geoffrey died 7 September 1151 in château du Loir and was buried in the cathedral of Le Mans.
Source: Leo van de Pas
Although Geoffrey and the much older Matilda disliked each other, they had three sons. He was confronted by unruly vassals including his own younger brother Helie, who was eventually captured and imprisoned at Tours. When released, Helie died of a disease contracted in prison.
King Henry I of England died in 1135 and his wife's cousin, Stephen de Blois, seized the crown. Geoffrey campaigned in Normandy on Matilda's behalf but even his fourth campaign in 1138 brought no success. In 1139 Matilda invaded England and in 1141 imprisoned Stephen, after which many castles in Normandy surrendered to Geoffrey. After the fall of Rouen in 1144 Geoffrey was invested as duke of Normandy.
From 1147 until 1149 he went on crusade with King Louis VII of France. In 1150 he passed the duchy of Normandy to his eldest son, Henry. Geoffrey died 7 September 1151 in château du Loir and was buried in the cathedral of Le Mans.
Source: Leo van de Pas
Events
| Birth | 23 Aug 1113 | ||||
| Marriage | 3 Apr 1127 | Le Mans - Matilda Queen of England | |||
| Death | 7 Sep 1151 | Chateau-du-Loir | |||
| Burial | Le Mans |
Families
| Spouse | Matilda Queen of England (1102 - 1167) |
| Child | Henry II King of England (1133 - 1189) |
| Father | Count Foulques V "the Young" d'Anjou et Maine King of Jerusalem (1092 - 1143) |
| Mother | Countess Eremburge de Maine ( - 1126) |