Francis II, Duke of Brittany

Francis II
Duke of Brittany
portrait of Francis on his tomb in Nantes.
Duke of Brittany
Reign	26 December 1458 – 9 September 1488 (&1000000000000002900000029 years, &10000000000000258000000258 days)
Coronation	3 February 1459
Predecessor	Arthur III
Successor	Anne
Consort	Margaret of Brittany Margaret of Foix
Issue
Francis, Count of Montfort Anne of Brittany Isabeau of Brittany
House	Dreux-Montfort
Father	Richard, Count of Étampes
Mother	Marguerite d'Orléans
Born	June 23, 1433(1433-06-23) Château de Clisson
Died	9 September 1488(1488-09-09) (aged 55) Couëron
Burial	Nantes Cathedral
Religion	Roman Catholicism

Francis II of Brittany (in Breton Frañsez II, in French François II) (23 June 1433^{[citation needed]} – 9 September 1488) was Duke of Brittany from 1458 to his death. He was the son of Richard of Brittany and the grandson of the late Duke John V. Francis' life was characterised by conflicts with King Louis XI of France (War of the Public Weal) and with his son King Charles VIII.

Coat of Arms of the Dukes of Brittany, and of the nation Brittany.

Francis II was married twice, first to his cousin Margaret of Brittany, first daughter of Duke Francis I, then to Margaret of Foix, princess of Navarre. Only one daughter, Anne of Brittany, from his second marriage, survived to adulthood. Francis also had three bastard children with Antoinette de Maignelais, who had been the mistress of Charles VII of France before.

During the minority of Charles VIII of France, Francis II, anxious to maintain his duchy's independence, aligned himself with the Duke of Orléans and the count of Angoulême against the regency of Anne of France, who had been pursuing the same underhand politics as her father towards Brittany. In intervening in the politics of his neighbour France, however, he neglected his own realm. His corrupt and oppressive prime minister, Guillaume Chauvin, was overthrown by treasurer general Pierre Landais. But a large part of the nobility, bribed and supported by Anne and Charles, who were eager to subjugate Brittany, performed a coup d'état against Landais, who was eventually hanged. As protector of the Lancastrian exile, it is possible that Francis willed his Honour of Richmond to Henry Tudor, who styled himself Earl of Richmond, although that remains an unrecorded issue between them and little would be gained for his vulnerable heiress in such lesser status. (History has shown that those with conflicting claims to titles can work as temporary allies, such as the many cooperations between monarchs of England and France, despite their many wars.) Without assistance from Brittany's traditional allies, the English, who were embroiled in the Wars of the Roses, Francis saw his duchy ravaged in what is known as the Mad War (La Guerre Folle).

Nevertheless, in 1486, the Estates of Brittany confirmed the succession of Brittany on Francis' daughter Anne, to assure independence from France. The Treaty of Chateaubriant, signed in 1487 with France, reaffirmed Brittany's independence, but the French continued to harass the duchy. Francis then allied with Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor, against France; however, Brittany was defeated 28 July in the Battle of Saint-Aubin-du-Cormier. A few days later, on 10 August, Francis was forced to sign the Treaty of Verger. Under the terms of the treaty, the duke was compelled to submit himself and his duchy as a vassal of the king of France. Francis II died shortly afterwards, following a fall from his horse during a leisurely ride. After his death, Charles VIII invaded Brittany and forced the heiress Anne to marry him, thus gaining control of the duchy.

Francis' tomb, commissioned by Anne, is an important early example of Renaissance sculpture in France. It was designed by Jean Perréal and Michel Colombe.

See also

• Dukes of Brittany family tree
• Other politically important horse accidents

References

•  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed (1911). Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. 

Francis II, Duke of Brittany House of Montfort Cadet branch of the House of Dreux Born: 23 June 1433 Died: 9 September 1488
Regnal titles
Preceded by Arthur III	Duke of Brittany 1458–1488	Succeeded by Anne
	Count of Montfort 1458–1488
Preceded by John of Clamecy	Count of Étampes 1465–1478	Succeeded by John of Foix