Arthur II, Duke of Brittany

Arthur II, born into the House of Dreux, served as the Duke of Brittany from 1305 until his passing. He was the eldest offspring of John II and Beatrice, Henry III of England’s daughter. His inheritance of the ducal throne led to his brother John obtaining the title of Earl of Richmond. During his tenure, Arthur established the division of his duchy into eight ‘battles’: Léon, Kernev, Landreger, Penteur, Gwened, Naoned, Roazhon, and Sant Malou, and in 1309, he summoned the inaugural Estates of Brittany, marking the first occasion in French history where the third estate was included.

Arthur’s final days were spent at Château de l’Isle in Saint Denis en Val, and his remains were laid to rest at the Cordeliers Convent in Vannes. Despite the desecration of his tomb during the French Revolution, it was subsequently restored and is currently on display.