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Constance (Breton: Konstanza; 12 June 1161 – 5 September 1201) was Duchess of Brittany and Countess of Richmond between 1166〔Judith Everard, Michael Jones, ''The Charters of Duchess Constance of Brittany and her Family (1171-1221)'', The Boydell Press, 1999, p. 38〕 and 1201. Constance was the only surviving child 〔Judith Everard and Michael Jones, ''The Charters of Duchess Constance of Brittany and Her Family (1171-1221)'', The Boydell Press, 1999, pp 93-94〕 of Duke Conan IV by his wife, Margaret of Huntingdon, a sister of the Scottish kings Malcolm IV and William I. ==Life and reign== Constance's father Conan IV had reunited the Duchy of Brittany in wars with Henry II of England. After the wars with Henry II, Conan IV faced rebellions from some Breton nobles. He appealed to Henry II for assistance in putting down those rebellions. In 1166, Henry invaded Brittany in order to punish the local barons' revolt and forced Conan IV into betrothing Constance to his fourth legitimate son Geoffrey and abdicating. Five-year-old Constance succeeded him as Duchess of Brittany and Countess of Richmond.〔Everard, Judith (2000). ''Brittany and the Angevins: province and empire, 1158-1203''. Cambridge University Press, 2000, p 42〕 In 1181, twenty-year-old Constance was forced into marriage with Geoffrey. On August 19, 1186, Geoffrey was trampled to death in a riding accident during a tournament in Paris. Constance thereafter became the effective ruler of Brittany. However, on 3 February 1188, Henry II of England arranged for Constance to marry Ranulf de Blondeville, 6th Earl of Chester, one of the most powerful earls in England. Though Ranulf used, not consistently, the style ''Duke of Brittany'', he never had the control of the duchy, and is not known to have played an important role there, and the Bretons, as well as Constance, never acknowledged him as Duke ''jure uxoris'', and excluded him from the government of the Duchy.〔Jacques Choffel, ''La Bretagne sous l'orage Plantagenet'', 1990, pp 140 and 165〕 In 1191, King Richard I of England officially proclaimed his nephew, Constance's son Arthur as his heir in a treaty signed with Philip II of France. To promote her son Arthur's position and inheritance, Constance included him in the government of the Duchy in 1196. In response to this act that thwarted his projects, Richard summoned her to Bayeux and had her abducted by Ranulf in Pontorson and imprisoned in Saint-James de Beuvron. He spread the rumour that Constance had been imprisoned for matrimonial reasons. As a result, rebellions were sparked across Brittany on her behalf and Arthur was sent in Brest. Richard demanded that hostages were delivered to him in exchange for Constance's freedom. The Bretons agreed but Constance and the hostages remained imprisoned and rebellions went on. Richard eventually bowed to growing pressure and had the Duchess released in 1198.〔Jacques Choffel, ''La Bretagne sous l'orage Plantagenet'', 1990, pp 203-204.〕 Back in Brittany, Constance had her marriage annulled. Constance took Guy of Thouars as her next husband between August and October 1199. Between 1198 and the time of her death delivering twin daughters, Constance ruled with her son Arthur as co-ruler. Throughout these years, Constance advised her son towards a French alliance, pursuing the policy of her late husband Geoffrey II. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Constance, Duchess of Brittany」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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