Geoffrey of Anjou: The Handsome Count Who Founded the Plantagenet Dynasty (Died 7th September 1151)

Enamel effigy Geoffrey of Anjou on his tomb. Formerly at Le Mans Cathedral, it is now to be found at the Museum of Archeology in Le Mans. His tomb effigy is one of the earliest surviving knightly effigies in France. Depicted in armour with shield and sword, it set a trend that other nobles would copy for centuries and shaped how medieval warriors wanted to be remembered.

On September 7, 1151, Geoffrey of Anjou — known as “le Bel” or “the Handsome” — collapsed with a sudden fever and died at just 38 years old.
He was never king. He never wore a crown.
And yet, Geoffrey Plantagenet shaped the medieval world more than many monarchs.

Without him, there would be no Henry II, no Richard the Lionheart, no King John and Magna Carta, and no centuries-long Plantagenet dynasty. Geoffrey’s story isn’t just a footnote — it’s the spark that set medieval England ablaze.

Who Was Geoffrey of Anjou?

• Born 24 August 1113, son of Fulk V of Anjou (later King of Jerusalem).

• Married Empress Matilda, daughter of King Henry I of England, in 1128.

• Nicknamed Plantagenet after the broom plant (planta genista) he wore in his cap — a name his descendants carried for centuries.

• Called le Bel (“the Handsome”) by chroniclers, a testament to his striking looks and knightly presence.

The Tumultuous Marriage of Geoffrey of Anjou and Empress Matilda

Medieval man and woman fighting

Geoffrey’s marriage to Matilda was nothing short of explosive. She was a proud, ambitious widow of the Holy Roman Emperor; he was ten years her junior, fiery, and proud himself. Chroniclers recorded fierce quarrels, long separations, and even open hostility between them.

Yet, they always returned to one another — and together they produced heirs who would reshape England and Normandy. Their eldest son, Henry II, inherited Geoffrey’s political ruthlessness and Matilda’s steel. Their younger sons, Geoffrey and William, also inherited lands and influence.

Despite the clashes, the marriage proved dynastically brilliant: it was the union of Anjou’s might and Norman royal blood that made the Plantagenet claim to England unstoppable.

Why Was Geoffrey of Anjou Called Le Bel?

Contemporary chroniclers remarked on Geoffrey’s beauty and charisma. He was the image of a knight: tall, athletic, skilled with sword and lance. His reputation for personal charm matched his political skill — combining diplomacy, force, and sheer audacity to carve out power.

He wasn’t just a pretty face, though. He consolidated Anjou, Maine, and Touraine, and after years of campaigning, captured Normandy in 1144, forcing rivals to acknowledge his authority. Few men of his generation matched both his battlefield skill and his dynastic ambition.

Geoffrey Plantagenet and His Son Henry II

King Henry II of England, Duke of Normandy, Count of Anjou, Count of Maine, Duke of Aquitaine, Lord of Ireland

Geoffrey’s relationship with his eldest son Henry was complex. He pushed Henry hard, even abdicating Normandy to him in 1149 while still alive — a rare and calculated move. Some chroniclers suggest Geoffrey worried Henry’s ambition could eclipse him, but he also recognised that the boy was destined for greatness.

Henry adored and resented him in equal measure, carrying Geoffrey’s lessons — in politics, in war, in sheer endurance — into his reign as the first Plantagenet king.

The Sudden Death of Geoffrey of Anjou at Château-du-Loir

On 7th September 1151, Geoffrey was struck down by a sudden fever after attending a royal council. Realising his end was near, he made hasty donations to the Church and arranged his affairs. At just 38, the handsome count was dead. He was buried in Le Mans Cathedral, and an effigy commissioned (see title picture).

Did You Know Geoffrey loved Dogs?

Geoffrey loved his dogs so much that when one barked at him during a council meeting, he is said to have burst out laughing — declaring the hound “more honest than many men at court.”

Chroniclers don’t name their breeds, but in the 12th century noblemen kept hunting hounds — greyhounds for coursing, scent hounds for boar or deer, and mastiff-type dogs for guarding estates. So when Geoffrey joked about his hound, he was probably talking about a sleek greyhound or a powerful hunting mastiff — the companions of a knight.

Did You Know the England Football Team’s Three Lions Emblem Originates from Geoffrey of Anjou’s Shield Emblem?

The three lions are the emblem of England. It was King Henry II who first used three lions on a red background, which came from his father, Geoffrey of Anjou’s Plantagenet heraldry. The three lions shield is used today by the England football team kit.

The three lions on England’s football shirts trace their roots back to Geoffrey of Anjou.

As shown on his tomb effigy, Geoffrey’s shield bore gold lions (or leopards) — a symbol of power and pride. His son Henry II and grandson Richard the Lionheart adopted them into their royal arms. Over time, the “three lions” became the emblem of England’s kings… and eventually the national football team.

So every time England plays, you’re seeing Geoffrey’s legacy still roaring across the centuries.

Did You Know Geoffrey was Responsible for the Plantagenet Name?

Geoffrey wore a sprig of broom (planta genista) in his cap — a habit so distinctive that his descendants became known as the Plantagenets. Whether it was fashion or a personal emblem, it gave England one of its most famous dynastic names.

His Legacy: Why Geoffrey Still Matters.

• His son became Henry II, England’s first Plantagenet king.

• His descendants ruled England for three centuries, from Richard the Lionheart to Edward III.

• The story of Angevin ambition — and English identity — begins with Geoffrey.

• The Three Lions on on the England Football Team’s shirts trace back to Geoffrey of Anjou’s coat of arms.

And Geoffrey’s legacy didn’t end with Henry’s coronation. His grandchildren would turn on their father in the dramatic Great Rebellion of 1173–74, a brutal civil war that shook the Angevin Empire to its core.

Trouble ahead: what happens when Henry II’s own sons rise in rebellion?

My upcoming historical novel brings this turbulent moment to life — seen through the eyes of Nicola de la Haye, a remarkable medieval woman who defied the odds, held castles, and carved out her own legacy in a world built for men. See more here and sign up for updates.

This 7th September, we remember Geoffrey not as a forgotten count, but as the handsome architect of empire. Warrior, husband, father, and head of a dynasty — his legacy still shadows English history today.