Eleanor, Fair Maid of Brittany
| Eleanor | |
|---|---|
| called "Fair Maid of Brittany" | |
| Burial | |
| House | House of Plantagenet |
| Father | Geoffrey II, Duke of Brittany |
| Mother | Constance, Duchess of Brittany |
Eleanor the "Fair Maid of Brittany" (c. 1184 – 10 August 1241) was the daughter of Geoffrey Plantagenet and Constance, Duchess of Brittany. Upon the death of Richard I of England, a power struggle commenced between her younger brother Arthur I, Duke of Brittany and King John of England. At the Battle of Mirebeau, Arthur, Eleanor, and Arthur's knights were captured. Eleanor was imprisoned at Corfe Castle. Her brother Arthur was murdered.
Although she had (by modern standards) a better claim to the throne than the children of John, she was passed over, still captive, in favour of Henry III, John's son, who was crowned in 1216.
Eldest daughter of duchess Constance, she may have been recognized duchess of Brittany after the death of her brother Arthur. Instead of that, the breton barons fearing John Lackland's claims to rule Brittany in representation of Eleanor's rights, her younger sister Aelis/Alix was made duchess.
Eleanor died in 1241, still a prisoner at Corfe Castle, and was buried at Amesbury Abbey.