Plantagenet Places

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All material © Adrian Fletcher 2000-08 - The contents may not be reproduced without permission - Adrian Fletcher can be contacted at afletch at paradoxplace dot com

CIAO ADRIANO

Plantagnet Places in Western France

Early September 2007

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Le Mans (Cathedral St-Julien, Abbey L'Épau, Angers, Fontevraud Abbey, Poitiers

THE ORIGIN OF "PLANTAGENET"

Geoffrey, Count of Anjou (1113 - 1151 (38)), whose tomb is supposed to be in Le Mans Cathedral, liked to wear a sprig of broom in his hat. Broom is known as planta genesta in Latin, genêt in French - which was how come Geoffrey got known as Plantagenet. Then again, he could have liked its smell, or (another theory) used it for self flagellation - who knows.

Geoffrey married Henry I's daughter Matilda (widow of Emperor Henry V) in 1127. She was 11 years older than Geoffrey and an (ex) Empress, and was a bit grumpy about being fobbed off onto a mere count, albeit a bit of a stud. They parented three kids, the oldest of whom became Henry II of England - the first of the Plantagenet Kings, husband of Eleanor of Aquitaine, ruler of well over half of Western Europe and father of Kings Richard and John.

As in several medieval names (such as Byzantium), the dynastic royal name Plantagenet has been invented retrospectively by history - the monarchs themselves did not use it, though others around did later. The last Plantagenet - the Duchess of Richmond - was strung up in the Tower of London at an advanced (and one would have thought unthreatening) age by Henry VIII - her chantry chapel survives in Christchurch Priory.

POITIERS

Poitiers has an overview page in its own right, being one of the most interesting places to hang out in in western France. We have also included links in the Plantagenet and Pilgrimage pages because it was those things as well

THE FRIENDLY LITTLE CITY OF ANGERS, CAPITAL OF ANJOU

in the distant pipeline

Fontevraud, Gisant of Aliénor (Eleanor) of Aquitaine, much travelled Queen of France then England

THE ROYAL ABBEY OF FONTEVRAUD

(near Saumur on the map below)

One of 47 musician angels frescoed on the ceiling of the Lady Chapel of the Cathedral of St-Julien

LE MANS

Calls itself the "Cité Plantagenêt". Plantagenet founder Geoffrey, Count of Anjou, was born in what is today the Hotel de Ville. His tomb is said to be in the cathedral, though there is no signage there to identify it and no-one seemed to know where it was. We discovered nothing else Plantagenet in our day of wandering the sparsely peopled old town, but the Cathedral is worth a visit for its stained glass and Lady Chapel angels. By contrast, the Cistercian Abbey of L'Épau is difficult to find amongst road diversions caused by Le Man's new tram line, and and what's there when you do find it is not "A Tour" stuff.

Go to the Page LIst for a full listing of pages and their status

All material © Adrian Fletcher 2000-08 - The contents may not be reproduced without permission - Adrian Fletcher can be contacted at afletch at paradoxplace dot com