Constance, Duchess of Brittany
Encyclopedia
Constance of Penthièvre (Breton
: Konstanza Penture, or Konstanza Breizh) (12 June 1161 – 5 September 1201) was hereditary Duchess of Brittany
between 1171 and 1196. Constance was the only child of Conan IV, Duke of Brittany
and Earl of Richmond
, by his wife Margaret of Huntingdon, a sister of King Malcolm IV
and William I
of Scotland.
, the fourth son of Henry II of England
and Eleanor of Aquitaine
. With Geoffrey she had three children: Eleanor, Fair Maid of Brittany
(1184–1241), Matilda/Maud of Brittany (1185 – bef 1189) and Arthur
(1186–1203), the last born after Geoffrey's death. As de jure uxoris
Duke, Geoffrey excluded Constance from exercising authority in government. In 1186, in a riding accident in Paris, Geoffrey was trampled to death during a tournament
. Constance thereafter became the effective ruler of Brittany.
However, Henry II of England arranged for Constance to marry Ranulf de Blondeville, 6th Earl of Chester, on 3 February 1188. In 1191 King Richard I of England
officially proclaimed his nephew, Constance's son Arthur of Brittany, as his heir in a treaty signed with Philip II of France
. To promote her son's position and inheritance, Constance abdicated in his favor in 1194.
Constance's marriage with Ranulf deteriorated, with Ranulf imprisoning Constance in 1196. With Constance imprisoned in England, rebellions were sparked across Brittany on her behalf. Ranulph bowed to growing pressure and had the Duchess released in 1198.
Back in Brittany, Constance had her marriage annulled. Later in 1198 at Angers
, Constance took Guy of Thouars
as her 'second' husband. Throughout these years, Constance advised her son towards a French alliance, pursuing the policy of her late husband Geoffrey II.
When Richard I died in 1199, Phillip II agreed to recognize Arthur as count of Anjou
, Maine, and Poitou
, in exchange for Arthur swearing fealty to Phillip II, becoming a direct vassel of France. However 13-year-old Arthur was captured while besieging Mirabeau
, and the following year he was transferred to Rouen
, under the charge of William de Braose
, and then vanished mysteriously in April 1203.
During the conflict, Constance's eldest daughter Eleanor
was captured and imprisoned at Corfe Castle
in Dorset
, where she remained imprisoned until her death.
Constance bore her third husband twin daughters; Alix of Thouars, who married Peter de Dreux
, first Breton ruler of the House of Dreux; and Katherine of Thouars (1201 – c. 1240) who married Andre III of Brittany
, Sire of Vitre
.
. She was buried at Villeneuve Abbey in Nantes
.
Constance's cause of death is debated. Some historians believe she died of leprosy
. Others believe she died from complications of childbirth
, shortly after birthing twin girls. Still others believe that she had leprosy, leading to a difficult delivery, and ultimately to her death shortly after the birth of the twins, thus both leprosy and childbirth being the causes of death. That Constance was birthing twins, at the age of forty, in the unsanitary conditions of the age, should be taken greatly into account in this debate. As the exact date of the twins' birth is not currently known, and may never be known, there may never be a resolution to this question.
, in which she has several very eloquent speeches on grief and death. On screen, she has been portrayed by Julia Neilson
in the silent short King John (1899), which recreates John's death scene at the end of the play, Sonia Dresdel
in the BBC
Sunday Night Theatre version (1952), and Claire Bloom
in the BBC Shakespeare version (1984). She was also played by Paula Williams (as a girl) and Nina Francis (as an adult) in the BBC TV drama series The Devil's Crown
(1978).
Breton language
Breton is a Celtic language spoken in Brittany , France. Breton is a Brythonic language, descended from the Celtic British language brought from Great Britain to Armorica by migrating Britons during the Early Middle Ages. Like the other Brythonic languages, Welsh and Cornish, it is classified as...
: Konstanza Penture, or Konstanza Breizh) (12 June 1161 – 5 September 1201) was hereditary Duchess of Brittany
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...
between 1171 and 1196. Constance was the only child of Conan IV, Duke of Brittany
Conan IV, Duke of Brittany
Conan IV of Penthièvre , called "the Young", was duke of Brittany, from 1156 to his death. He was son of Alan the Black, 1st Earl of Richmond and Bertha of Brittany. He was his mother's heir as Duke Conan III...
and Earl of Richmond
Earl of Richmond
The now-extinct title of Earl of Richmond was created many times in the Peerage of England. The earldom of Richmond was held by various Bretons, Normans, the royal families of Plantagenet, Capet, Savoy, Tudor and Stuart.-History:...
, by his wife Margaret of Huntingdon, a sister of King Malcolm IV
Malcolm IV of Scotland
Malcolm IV , nicknamed Virgo, "the Maiden" , King of Scots, was the eldest son of Earl Henry and Ada de Warenne...
and William I
William I of Scotland
William the Lion , sometimes styled William I, also known by the nickname Garbh, "the Rough", reigned as King of the Scots from 1165 to 1214...
of Scotland.
As Duchess
As part of a diplomatic settlement in 1181, twenty-year-old Constance was forced into marriage with Geoffrey PlantagenetGeoffrey II, Duke of Brittany
Geoffrey II, Duke of Brittany and Earl of Richmond was Duke of Brittany between 1181 and 1186, through his marriage with the heiress Constance. Geoffrey was the fourth son of King Henry II of England and Eleanor, Duchess of Aquitaine.-Family:He was a younger maternal half-brother of Marie de...
, the fourth son of Henry II of England
Henry II of England
Henry II ruled as King of England , Count of Anjou, Count of Maine, Duke of Normandy, Duke of Aquitaine, Duke of Gascony, Count of Nantes, Lord of Ireland and, at various times, controlled parts of Wales, Scotland and western France. Henry, the great-grandson of William the Conqueror, was the...
and Eleanor of Aquitaine
Eleanor of Aquitaine
Eleanor of Aquitaine was one of the wealthiest and most powerful women in Western Europe during the High Middle Ages. As well as being Duchess of Aquitaine in her own right, she was queen consort of France and of England...
. With Geoffrey she had three children: Eleanor, Fair Maid of Brittany
Eleanor, Fair Maid of Brittany
Eleanor the "Fair Maid of Brittany", 5th Countess of Richmond , also known as Damsel of Brittany or Pearl of Brittany for her peerless beauty, was the eldest daughter of Geoffrey Plantagenet and Constance, Duchess of Brittany...
(1184–1241), Matilda/Maud of Brittany (1185 – bef 1189) and Arthur
Arthur I, Duke of Brittany
Arthur I was Duke of Brittany between 1194 and 1202. He was the posthumous son of Geoffrey II, Duke of Brittany and Constance, Duchess of Brittany...
(1186–1203), the last born after Geoffrey's death. As de jure uxoris
Jure uxoris
Jure uxoris is a Latin term that means "by right of his wife" or "in right of a wife". It is commonly used to refer to a title held by a man whose wife holds it in her own right. In other words, he acquired the title simply by being her husband....
Duke, Geoffrey excluded Constance from exercising authority in government. In 1186, in a riding accident in Paris, Geoffrey was trampled to death during a tournament
Tournament
A tournament is a competition involving a relatively large number of competitors, all participating in a sport or game. More specifically, the term may be used in either of two overlapping senses:...
. Constance thereafter became the effective ruler of Brittany.
However, Henry II of England arranged for Constance to marry Ranulf de Blondeville, 6th Earl of Chester, on 3 February 1188. In 1191 King Richard I of England
Richard I of England
Richard I was King of England from 6 July 1189 until his death. He also ruled as Duke of Normandy, Duke of Aquitaine, Duke of Gascony, Lord of Cyprus, Count of Anjou, Count of Maine, Count of Nantes, and Overlord of Brittany at various times during the same period...
officially proclaimed his nephew, Constance's son Arthur of Brittany, as his heir in a treaty signed with Philip II of France
Philip II of France
Philip II Augustus was the King of France from 1180 until his death. A member of the House of Capet, Philip Augustus was born at Gonesse in the Val-d'Oise, the son of Louis VII and his third wife, Adela of Champagne...
. To promote her son's position and inheritance, Constance abdicated in his favor in 1194.
Constance's marriage with Ranulf deteriorated, with Ranulf imprisoning Constance in 1196. With Constance imprisoned in England, rebellions were sparked across Brittany on her behalf. Ranulph bowed to growing pressure and had the Duchess released in 1198.
Back in Brittany, Constance had her marriage annulled. Later in 1198 at Angers
Angers
Angers is the main city in the Maine-et-Loire department in western France about south-west of Paris. Angers is located in the French region known by its pre-revolutionary, provincial name, Anjou, and its inhabitants are called Angevins....
, Constance took Guy of Thouars
Guy, Duke of Brittany
Guy of Thouars was the third husband of Constance, Duchess of Brittany. Guy served as regent of Brittany between 1203 and 1206 for his infant daughter Alix, Duchess of Brittany....
as her 'second' husband. Throughout these years, Constance advised her son towards a French alliance, pursuing the policy of her late husband Geoffrey II.
When Richard I died in 1199, Phillip II agreed to recognize Arthur as count of Anjou
Anjou
Anjou is a former county , duchy and province centred on the city of Angers in the lower Loire Valley of western France. It corresponds largely to the present-day département of Maine-et-Loire...
, Maine, and Poitou
Poitou
Poitou was a province of west-central France whose capital city was Poitiers.The region of Poitou was called Thifalia in the sixth century....
, in exchange for Arthur swearing fealty to Phillip II, becoming a direct vassel of France. However 13-year-old Arthur was captured while besieging Mirabeau
Mirabeau
Mirabeau can refer to:People* Victor de Riqueti, marquis de Mirabeau, a French physiocrat and economist.* Honoré Gabriel Riqueti, comte de Mirabeau, renowned orator, a figure in the French Revolution and son of Victor....
, and the following year he was transferred to Rouen
Rouen
Rouen , in northern France on the River Seine, is the capital of the Haute-Normandie region and the historic capital city of Normandy. Once one of the largest and most prosperous cities of medieval Europe , it was the seat of the Exchequer of Normandy in the Middle Ages...
, under the charge of William de Braose
William de Braose, 4th Lord of Bramber
William de Braose, , 4th Lord of Bramber , court favourite of King John of England, at the peak of his power, was also Lord of Gower, Abergavenny, Brecknock, Builth, Radnor, Kington, Limerick, Glamorgan, Skenfrith, Briouze in Normandy, Grosmont, and White Castle.-Lineage:William was the most...
, and then vanished mysteriously in April 1203.
During the conflict, Constance's eldest daughter Eleanor
Eleanor, Fair Maid of Brittany
Eleanor the "Fair Maid of Brittany", 5th Countess of Richmond , also known as Damsel of Brittany or Pearl of Brittany for her peerless beauty, was the eldest daughter of Geoffrey Plantagenet and Constance, Duchess of Brittany...
was captured and imprisoned at Corfe Castle
Corfe Castle
Corfe Castle is a village and civil parish in the English county of Dorset. It is the site of a ruined castle of the same name. The village and castle stand over a gap in the Purbeck Hills on the route between Wareham and Swanage. The village lies in the gap below the castle, and is some eight...
in Dorset
Dorset
Dorset , is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The county town is Dorchester which is situated in the south. The Hampshire towns of Bournemouth and Christchurch joined the county with the reorganisation of local government in 1974...
, where she remained imprisoned until her death.
Constance bore her third husband twin daughters; Alix of Thouars, who married Peter de Dreux
Peter I, Duke of Brittany
Pierre Mauclerc , also known as Peter of Dreux or Pierre de Dreux, was duke of Brittany jure uxoris from 1213 to 1221, then regent of the duchy from 1221 to 1237 as well as Earl of Richmond from 1219 to 1235.-Biography:He was the second son of Robert II, Count of Dreux...
, first Breton ruler of the House of Dreux; and Katherine of Thouars (1201 – c. 1240) who married Andre III of Brittany
Brittany
Brittany is a cultural and administrative region in the north-west of France. Previously a kingdom and then a duchy, Brittany was united to the Kingdom of France in 1532 as a province. Brittany has also been referred to as Less, Lesser or Little Britain...
, Sire of Vitre
Vitré
Vitré may refer to communes in France:* Vitré, Ille-et-Vilaine* Vitré, Deux-Sèvres...
.
Death and Burial
Constance died, age 40, on 5 September 1201 at NantesNantes
Nantes is a city in western France, located on the Loire River, from the Atlantic coast. The city is the 6th largest in France, while its metropolitan area ranks 8th with over 800,000 inhabitants....
. She was buried at Villeneuve Abbey in Nantes
Nantes
Nantes is a city in western France, located on the Loire River, from the Atlantic coast. The city is the 6th largest in France, while its metropolitan area ranks 8th with over 800,000 inhabitants....
.
Constance's cause of death is debated. Some historians believe she died of leprosy
Leprosy
Leprosy or Hansen's disease is a chronic disease caused by the bacteria Mycobacterium leprae and Mycobacterium lepromatosis. Named after physician Gerhard Armauer Hansen, leprosy is primarily a granulomatous disease of the peripheral nerves and mucosa of the upper respiratory tract; skin lesions...
. Others believe she died from complications of childbirth
Childbirth
Childbirth is the culmination of a human pregnancy or gestation period with the birth of one or more newborn infants from a woman's uterus...
, shortly after birthing twin girls. Still others believe that she had leprosy, leading to a difficult delivery, and ultimately to her death shortly after the birth of the twins, thus both leprosy and childbirth being the causes of death. That Constance was birthing twins, at the age of forty, in the unsanitary conditions of the age, should be taken greatly into account in this debate. As the exact date of the twins' birth is not currently known, and may never be known, there may never be a resolution to this question.
Media
Constance is a character in the play King John by William ShakespeareWilliam Shakespeare
William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"...
, in which she has several very eloquent speeches on grief and death. On screen, she has been portrayed by Julia Neilson
Julia Neilson
Julia Neilson was an English actress best known for her numerous performances as Lady Blakeney in The Scarlet Pimpernel, for her roles in many tragedies and historical romances, and for her portrayal of Rosalind in a long-running production of As You Like It.After establishing her reputation in a...
in the silent short King John (1899), which recreates John's death scene at the end of the play, Sonia Dresdel
Sonia Dresdel
Sonia Dresdel was an English actress, whose career ran between the 1940s and 1970s.She was born Lois Obee in Hornsea, East Riding of Yorkshire, England and was educated at Aberdeen High School for Girls....
in the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
Sunday Night Theatre version (1952), and Claire Bloom
Claire Bloom
Claire Bloom is an English film and stage actress.-Early life:Bloom was born in the North London suburb of Finchley, the daughter of Elizabeth and Edward Max Blume, who worked in sales...
in the BBC Shakespeare version (1984). She was also played by Paula Williams (as a girl) and Nina Francis (as an adult) in the BBC TV drama series The Devil's Crown
The Devil's Crown
The Devil's Crown was a BBC television series which dramatised the reigns of three medieval Kings of England: Henry II and his sons Richard I and John....
(1978).
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...
- Earl of ChesterEarl of ChesterThe Earldom of Chester was one of the most powerful earldoms in medieval England. Since 1301 the title has generally been granted to heirs-apparent to the English throne, and from the late 14th century it has been given only in conjunction with that of Prince of Wales.- Honour of Chester :The...
for a list of the Earls and the dates.
- Earl of Chester
- Kings, Knights & Lepers