Arthur II, Duke of Brittany
Encyclopedia
Arthur II of the House of Dreux, was Duke of Brittany
from 1305 to his death. He was the first son of John II
and Beatrice
, daughter of Henry III of England
and Eleanor of Provence
.
After he inherited the ducal throne, he gave his brother John
their father's English earldom of Richmond.
As duke, Arthur was independent of the French crown. He divided his duchy into eight "battles": Leon, Kernev, Landreger, Penteur, Gwened, Naoned, Roazhon, and Sant Malou. In 1309, he convoked the first estates general (the ancestor of the Breton parliament) in Brittany. It was the first time in French history that the third estate was represented.
Arthur died at Château de L'Isle and was interred in a marble tomb of the cordeliers
of Vannes
. The tomb was vandalised during the French Revolution
, but repaired and is on display today.
and his first wife Yolande of Dreux. They were parents of three children:
Mary died in 1291. In May, 1292, Arthur was re-married to another Yolande of Dreux, who was Countess of Montfort, daughter of Robert IV
, Count of Dreux and Beatrice de Montfort. She had been briefly Queen of Scotland by her first marriage. They were parents of seven children:
|-
Duke of Brittany
The Duchy of Brittany was a medieval tribal and feudal state covering the northwestern peninsula of Europe,bordered by the Alantic Ocean on the west and the English Channel to the north with less definitive borders of the Loire River to the south and Normandy to the east...
from 1305 to his death. He was the first son of John II
John II, Duke of Brittany
John II was Duke of Brittany and Earl of Richmond, from 1286 to his death. He was son of Duke John I and Blanche of Navarre...
and Beatrice
Beatrice of England
Beatrice of England , also known as Beatrice de Dreux, was a Princess of England as the daughter of King Henry III of England and Eleanor of Provence...
, daughter of Henry III of England
Henry III of England
Henry III was the son and successor of John as King of England, reigning for 56 years from 1216 until his death. His contemporaries knew him as Henry of Winchester. He was the first child king in England since the reign of Æthelred the Unready...
and Eleanor of Provence
Eleanor of Provence
Eleanor of Provence was Queen consort of England as the spouse of King Henry III of England from 1236 until his death in 1272....
.
After he inherited the ducal throne, he gave his brother John
John of Brittany, Earl of Richmond
John of Brittany or Jean de Bretagne 3rd Earl of Richmond, was an English nobleman of Breton origin. He entered royal service under Edward I, and fought in the Scottish Wars. On 15 October 1306 he received his father's title of Earl of Richmond...
their father's English earldom of Richmond.
As duke, Arthur was independent of the French crown. He divided his duchy into eight "battles": Leon, Kernev, Landreger, Penteur, Gwened, Naoned, Roazhon, and Sant Malou. In 1309, he convoked the first estates general (the ancestor of the Breton parliament) in Brittany. It was the first time in French history that the third estate was represented.
Arthur died at Château de L'Isle and was interred in a marble tomb of the cordeliers
Cordeliers
The Cordeliers, also known as the Club of the Cordeliers, Cordeliers Club, or Club des Cordeliers and formally as the Society of the Friends of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen , was a populist club during the French Revolution.-History:The club had its origins in the Cordeliers district, a...
of Vannes
Vannes
Vannes is a commune in the Morbihan department in Brittany in north-western France. It was founded over 2000 years ago.-Geography:Vannes is located on the Gulf of Morbihan at the mouth of two rivers, the Marle and the Vincin. It is around 100 km northwest of Nantes and 450 km south west...
. The tomb was vandalised during the French Revolution
French Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
, but repaired and is on display today.
Marriages and children
In 1275, Arthur married Marie, Viscountess of Limoges, daughter of Guy VI, Viscount of Limoges and Margaret, Lady of Molinot. Her maternal grandparents were Hugh IV, Duke of BurgundyHugh IV, Duke of Burgundy
Hugh IV of Burgundy was duke of Burgundy between 1218 and 1271. Hugh was the only son of duke Odo III and Alice of Vergy...
and his first wife Yolande of Dreux. They were parents of three children:
- John III, Duke of BrittanyJohn III, Duke of BrittanyJohn III the Good was duke of Brittany, from 1312 to his death. He was son of Duke Arthur II and Mary of Limoges, his first wife...
(8 March 1286 – 30 April 1341). - Guy of Brittany, Count of Penthièvre (1287–1331). Father of Joanna of Penthièvre.
- Peter of Brittany, Seigneur of Dol-Combourg and Sant-Maloù(1289–1312).
Mary died in 1291. In May, 1292, Arthur was re-married to another Yolande of Dreux, who was Countess of Montfort, daughter of Robert IV
Robert IV of Dreux
Robert IV of Dreux , Count of Dreux, Braine and Montfort-l'Amaury, was the son of John I of Dreux and Marie of Bourbon.Robert fought with Philip III of France in 1272 in his expedition to the Languedoc and was present at the capture of Foix....
, Count of Dreux and Beatrice de Montfort. She had been briefly Queen of Scotland by her first marriage. They were parents of seven children:
- Joan of Brittany (1294–1363). Married Robert, Lord de Cassell.
- John IV, Duke of BrittanyJohn IV, Duke of BrittanyJohn IV of Montfort , was duke of Brittany, from 1341 to his death. He was son of Duke Arthur II and Yolande de Dreux, countess of Montfort, his second wife.In 1322 he succeeded his mother as count of Montfort, and in 1329, he married Joanna of Flanders at Chartres...
(1295 – 16 September 1345). - Beatrice of Brittany (1295–1384). Married Guy X, Lord of Laval.
- Joan of Brittany (1296–1364). Married Robert, Count of Marle.
- Alice of Brittany (1297–1377). Married Bouchard VI, Count of Vendôme.
- Blanche of Brittany (born c. 1300). Considered to have died young.
- Marie of Brittany (1302–1371). A nun.
Ancestry
See also
- Dukes of Brittany family treeDukes of Brittany family treeThis is a family tree of the Dukes of Brittany from the 9th century, to the annexation of Brittany by France in 1532.See also: Brittany - List of family trees...
|-