Geoffrey, Count of Nantes

Geoffrey VI was born on 1 June 1134 and became Count of Nantes from 1156 until his death in 1158. He was also referred to as Geoffrey of Anjou and Geoffrey FitzEmpress. His parentage included Geoffrey Plantagenet and Empress Matilda, making him a brother to Henry II of England and William FitzEmpress. His birthplace was Rouen, and he was the second son of his mother, who was a claimant to the English throne during the Anarchy, and his father, Count Geoffrey V of Anjou. His birth was notably difficult, with his mother’s life in peril.

Geoffrey’s life was marked by conflict and ambition. A significant event was his attempted abduction of Duchess Eleanor of Aquitaine in 1152, which, if successful, could have drastically altered the political landscape. He later joined a coalition against his brother Henry following Henry’s marriage to Eleanor. Geoffrey’s relationship with Henry was fraught, leading to military confrontations and his eventual capture by Theobald V of Blois. He was part of Henry and Eleanor’s entourage to England when King Stephen died. Geoffrey’s tenure as Count of Nantes was brief, and after his death, his county was claimed by Conan IV of Brittany, who later ceded it to Henry.