Constance of Brittany

Constance, also known as Konstanza, served as the Duchess of Brittany from 1166 until her death in 1201 and as the Countess of Richmond from 1171 to 1201. She was born to Duke Conan IV and Margaret of Huntingdon, the latter being the sister to Scottish kings Malcolm IV and William I. Following internal conflicts and an invasion by Henry II of England, her father was coerced into abdicating in favor of Constance, who then married Henry II’s son Geoffrey, becoming Duchess at the age of five and spending her early years at the English court.

After Geoffrey’s death, Constance ruled Brittany effectively and faced another arranged marriage by Henry II to Ranulf de Blondeville, which had little impact on her authority in Brittany. Her subsequent marriages, imprisonment, and struggles to secure her son Arthur’s inheritance marked her reign. Constance’s policies and actions significantly influenced the political landscape of Brittany and its relations with England and France.