Parents: Conan IV, duke of Brittany, and Margaret of Huntingdon
House: Penthièvre
Spouse(s): (1) Geoffrey, son of Henry II, king of England, and Eleanor, duchess of Aquitaine, then (2)Ranulf, earl of Chester, then (3) Guy of Thouars
Predecessor: Conan IV
Reign: 1171 – 1194
Summary: Inheriting the duchy of Brittany from her father in 1171 at the age of ten, Constance went on to lead a troubled life. At twenty, she was forced into marriage with Geoffrey Plantagenet, the fourth son of King Henry II of England. The couple had three children, two of which inherited Brittany after her. Geoffrey excluded his wife from managing Brittany while he lived, and when he was trampled to death in a tournament in 1186, she was only too eager to reclaim her authority. King Henry, though, sought to control his former daughter-in-law. He married her off again two years later to an English lord, who resumed her duties as lord suo uxoris. In 1191, King Richard I of England proclaimed Constance's son, Arthur, as his heir in a treaty signed by the king of France. Constance abdicated her throne in 1194 to support the claims of her son. Meanwhile, her married life was in disarray and her second husband eventually imprisoned her in England, sparking rebellions in Brittany. She was released in 1198. Constance immediately had her marriage annulled and soon after married a Breton nobleman. When Richard died in 1199, Arthur became the count of Anjou, Maine, and Poitou, but Richard's brother John took the English throne. Arthur swore loyalty to King Philip II of France prompting a short war with John. The young duke was captured at Mirabeau and vanished mysteriously three years later. Eleanor, Constance's eldest daughter, was also captured and imprisoned for the remainder of her life. Constance didn't live to see the fate of her children, though. She died at Nantes in 1201 and was buried in a nearby abbey. She probably died from complications related to the birth of twins at the age of 40.
Summary: Inheriting the duchy of Brittany from her father in 1171 at the age of ten, Constance went on to lead a troubled life. At twenty, she was forced into marriage with Geoffrey Plantagenet, the fourth son of King Henry II of England. The couple had three children, two of which inherited Brittany after her. Geoffrey excluded his wife from managing Brittany while he lived, and when he was trampled to death in a tournament in 1186, she was only too eager to reclaim her authority. King Henry, though, sought to control his former daughter-in-law. He married her off again two years later to an English lord, who resumed her duties as lord suo uxoris. In 1191, King Richard I of England proclaimed Constance's son, Arthur, as his heir in a treaty signed by the king of France. Constance abdicated her throne in 1194 to support the claims of her son. Meanwhile, her married life was in disarray and her second husband eventually imprisoned her in England, sparking rebellions in Brittany. She was released in 1198. Constance immediately had her marriage annulled and soon after married a Breton nobleman. When Richard died in 1199, Arthur became the count of Anjou, Maine, and Poitou, but Richard's brother John took the English throne. Arthur swore loyalty to King Philip II of France prompting a short war with John. The young duke was captured at Mirabeau and vanished mysteriously three years later. Eleanor, Constance's eldest daughter, was also captured and imprisoned for the remainder of her life. Constance didn't live to see the fate of her children, though. She died at Nantes in 1201 and was buried in a nearby abbey. She probably died from complications related to the birth of twins at the age of 40.
Date of Death: 5 September 1201
Successor: Arthur IOther Monarchs Who Died Today:
- Nijo, emperor of Japan (1165)
- Henry I, duke of Brabant (1235)
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