September 7, 1151 death of Geoffrey Plantagenet, Count of Anjou. Of course most famous for his marriage to Empress Mathilda and father of Henry II.
He was born August 24, 1113. He was the son of Fulk V, Count of Anjou who was also king of Jerusalem through his second marriage. His mother was Fulk's first wife Ermengarde, Countess of Maine. His parents had four children together before his mother died in 1126.
-Elias: claimed his mother's title of count of Maine as Elias II though in rebellion against his older brother. He married Philippa a daughter of Count Rotrou III of Perche. He was imprisoned by his brother and died. His only daughter Beatrix married John I, Count of Alençon with whom she had six children.
-Matilda: married William Adelin who was the heir of Henry I. He died a year later when he drowned when sailing aboard the White ship. She remained at her father in law's court for a few years before returning home and eventually took the veil.
-Sibyllla: Her first marriage to William Clito, a nephew of Henry I was annulled. She accompanied her father to Jerusalem where she met and married Thierry, Count of Flanders with whom she had six children. When she accompanied her husband on a third pilgrimage she refused to return with him and joined a convent in Bethany where she died.
His father had become involved in the crusades for a number of years. After the death of his wife in 1126 he headed back to Jerusalem. There he entered negotiations with Baldwin II who wished to marry his heir Melisende to a powerful lord to help cement her reign. Having negotiated that he would reign with his wife as king, he handed over control of Anjou to his son and left for Jerusalem. He had two sons with his second wife and died in 1143 in a hunting accident in Acre.
Geoffrey's half brothers:
-Baldwin: succeeded his parents as Baldwin III. He married Theodora Komnene but they had no children. He was poisoned.
-Amalric: succeeded his brother as king. Married Agnes of Courtenay who was mother of Baldwin IV and Sibylla. His second marriage to Maria Komnene produced Isabella I of Jerusalem.
He was reported to be a jovial red head with prowess on the battle field. He came to the attention of Henry I who sought him as a husband to his daughter Matilda. Consent to the marriage was given June 10, 1128 and Geoffrey was knighted in preparation for the wedding, in Rouen.
The couple were married in 1128. Geoffrey was 15 and his bride was 26. She was a widow, having been married to Henry V, Holy Roman Emperor in 1114 at age 12. Henry died in 1125. She had no children from her previous marriage. She was a proud woman, and far more proud of being Dowager empress then of being simply Countess of Anjou.
Though the marriage was stormy, it was still reportedly happy enough. She bore her husband three sons who would outlive him. There were long separations during their marriage.
His father officially left Anjou, after the negotiations were complete with Baldwin II for his marriage, in 1129. Geoffrey officially was Count of Anjou.
When his father in law died in 1135 Geoffrey supported his wife's claim to Normandy. But like England, Normandy soon chose Stephen of Blois as ruler. While Matilda was in England with troops her husband helped to summon for her, Geoffrey saw to her French territories. He helped to secure Normandy west and south of the Seine river. In the summer of 1144 he assumed the title of Duke of Normandy having crossed over into Rouen in June. In 1149 he and his wife would cede the title to their eldest son, which was ratified by Louis VII in the following year.
The problems with his brother Elias were a huge issue for him. It was one of the reasons he couldn't join his wife or send her more troops to England. And had slowed his progress in Normandy. His brother died in 1151.
He died in 1151 quite suddenly. He had arrived home at his estate in Anjou and fell ill with a fever. He made bequests of his estate and soon died. He was buried at Le Mans Cathedral.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Le_Mans_Cathedral
Matilda would outlive him by 16 years, dying in 1167.
His three sons with Matilda:
-Henry: duke of Normandy in 1149 and succeeded as King of England in 1154. Married Eleanor of Aquitaine. They had seven children to reach adulthood including Richard the Lionheart, King John and Geoffrey's name sake, Geoffrey, Duke of Brittany.
-Geoffrey: was made Count of Nantes. died at 24 unmarried seven years after his father died.
-William: viscount of Dieppe. Also died unmarried. He died at 27 in 1164.
Geoffrey also had three recorded bastards with an unnamed mistress.
-Hamelin: his half brother Henry arranged his marriage to the widowed Isabel de Warenne, 4th Countess of Surrey (and he took her surname). They had a son and four daughters.
-Emma: was married to Dafydd ab Owain Gwynedd, son of Owain the Great of Wales. She bore him four children.
-Mary: who was an abbess.