Geoffrey Plantagenet

Timeline

1. 1113–1128Angers · AnjouSon of Fulk V, in 1129 he succeeded his father as Count of Anjou, Maine, and Touraine. In his youth he was known for his red hair and the sprig of broom (planta genista) he wore, which became the dynastic name of his descendants. He consolidated Angevin lands amid the contest between French royal power and local nobles.
2. 1128–1135Le Mans · AnjouIn 1128 at Le Mans he married the English princess Matilda, through which Henry I brought Anjou into the defensive system south of Normandy. The marriage produced three sons, the eldest Henry born in 1133. This union bound Angevin power to the succession of the English throne.
3. 1135–1144Rouen · NormandyAfter Stephen usurped the throne, Geoffrey systematically attacked Normandy from the continent, capturing key fortresses around 1141. In 1144 he took Rouen, was recognized as duke by the Norman nobility, and firmly secured the continental base in Matilda's faction, coordinating with the English theatre of war.
4. 1141–1150Angers · AnjouBetween 1141 and 1150 Geoffrey governed continental affairs from Angers, shoring up Normandy's defenses and supporting the English campaign. After Matilda withdrew from England in 1148 he relied more on his eldest son Henry. In 1150 he granted Henry the title Duke of Normandy, completing preparations for the transfer of power.
5. 1150–1151Chamceaux · SartheIn September 1151 Geoffrey fell ill and died while returning from Paris, aged 38. His son Henry immediately inherited Anjou and the other domains, and a few years later completed the succession to the English throne, establishing the Plantagenet dynasty.