FRANCE – ANJOU

JUNE 2015

My overall plan this year was to return to UK in good time to join my youngest son and his family for their camping holiday in Cornwall so I didn't have time to move camp eastwards but made two visits by car to the east of Saumur.

These prompted an interest in the historical background to development of the region so this post combines a description of my visits with a summary of the results from my later reading.

TOURS

The castle at Tours is situated on another high cliff above the city and river though this time on the north rather than the south bank. It was built on the site of earlier wooden fortifications in the 11^th century, probably by one of the Comtes de Blois before they were dispossessed by the Comtes d'Ajou.

Castle at Tours

The publicity at the castle itself forcefully markets the site as a Royal Castle built by Henry II and claims for him a prominent part in the creation of the Arthurian legends. By that account Henry's Court was often based at Tours and was filled with poets and other artists who wove the tales to link Henry with the mythical King Arthur and thus reinforce the continuity and legitimacy of his claim to the throne.

This thesis is relatively recent in origin – since the 1970s – and is still the subject of much debate amongst historians and students of literature – see for example Martin Aurell's 2015 dissertation http://www.academia.edu/4263472/Henry_II_and_Arthurian_Legend.

Gateway to Tours Castle

The Arthurian and Merlin Legends

It does seem to be common ground that Arthur's existence was first given prominence in Geoffery of Monmouth's book – The History of the Kings of England – written around 1136 although it is believed this account relied extensively on earlier works by Bede, on Historia Britonum which is a 9^th century Welsh manuscript, and on a 6^th century work by St Gildas which is the oldest written record of post-Roman Britain.

Geoffrey of Monmouth also wrote two books about Merlin as a legendary figure with prophetic powers – The Prophecies of Merlin was written before The History and the Life of Merlin about 15 years afterwards. Merlin was a prominent character in stories told by British Bards in Wales, Cornwall and Brittany and pre-dates the Arthurian legend.

Geoffrey's History became very popular and several French poets – particularly Maitre Wace, Chrétien de Troyes and Robert de Boron – picked up and elaborated the stories about Arthur, referring to Merlin as his tutor and contemporary and introducing Guinevere, Lancelot, Perceval and other knights, the Round Table, Excalibur, the Holy Grail, the theme of noble Chivalry and so on. Wace was writing around 1155, Chrétien around 1180 and de Boron a little after that.

The stories we know today derive from Sir Thomas Mallory's 'Morte d'Arthur' that consolidated all these earlier tales into a single work and was published and printed by Caxton in 1485.

Henry II and his Heritage

Distinct from the swirling mists of legend and romantic tales told by poets are accounts of Henry's life authenticated by written records and other evidence – though no doubt even some of these need an added dose of scepticism since “History is written by the Victors”.

Henry was born in 1133 to Geoffrey, Comte d'Anjou, and his second wife Matilda who was the daughter of Henry I of England and had claimed the throne when her father died. But Norman feudal law was based on the principle of Primogeniture and her claim was disputed by her cousin Stephen, Comte de Blois - civil war ensued.

In 1147, at the age of 14, Henry invaded England in support of his mother's claim taking with him soldiers from his immediate household and some mercenaries! But he ran out of money and was unable to return to France until Stephen, whom he had come to oppose, helped him out by providing the necessary funds himself – perhaps he took pity on his cousin's child who was a great-grandson of his own grandfather, William the Conqueror.

1151 was a momentous year for the 17 year old Henry when, in rapid succession, his father appointed him Duke of Normandy (disputed by Louis, King of France until Henry paid obeisance to Louis's son) and then died, thereby causing Henry to become Comte d'Anjou as well.

The next two years were pretty momentous too since Louis annulled his 15 year long marriage to Eleanor of Aquitaine in 1152 as she had not borne him any sons. At the time Eleanor was 11 years older than Henry but they married at her request 8 weeks after the annulment of her marriage to Louis.

Eleanor had decided on Henry as a spouse in preference to his brother Geoffery, Comte de Nantes and Theobald, Comte de Blois who had both tried to kidnap and marry her to gain control of her lands. That privilege thus became Henry's and this provoked war with Louis that was only ended when the latter fell ill and withdrew from the conflict. Turbulent times indeed. Eleanor presumably chose Henry because Normandy was considered to be more prestigious than Brittany or Blois and she rated his chances of becoming King of England higher – shrewd woman.

Meanwhile Stephen had seized the opportunity to attack some of Henry's possessions in England resulting in a war on two fronts for a time. After Louis' withdrawal Stephen's eldest son died so when he and Henry discussed peace terms late in 1153 they agreed Henry would become Stephen's adopted son and heir. Stephen died one year later and Henry became King of England in 1154 whilst still retaining all his other titles and possessions.

Henry soon had his hands full with restoring order and the rule of law in England (he is widely credited with having been the monarch who laid the foundations of English Common Law and National Finances) and fighting independence movements on his Scottish and Welsh borders. He also annexed Brittany and set out to do the same with Toulouse but didn't press this as hard as he might have done for fear of provoking Louis to support Raymond the Comte de Toulouse.

So, From 1154 onwards Henry was ruler of very extensive territories that became known as the Angevin Empire. For much of the time he travelled about leaving local administration in the hands of others.

That didn't always work out happily as illustrated by the case of Thomas a Becket, long time Chancellor of England and friend of Henry, killed in Canterbury Cathedral by four knights who thought they were carrying out the King's wish after a public disagreement between Henry and Thomas.

During his reign Henry faced many wars and revolts including military conflict within his own family, notably with Eleanor and his elder sons in 1173-74 and with Richard (Lionheart, Duke of Aquitaine and later King of England) just before Henry's death in 1189.

Henry was succeeded by Richard, who spent much of his reign in Palestine fighting in the Third Crusade during which time his mother Eleanor ruled as Regent. Richard died childless in 1199 and was in turn succeeded by Henry's favourite son John.

The Angevin Empire was preserved more or less intact during Richard's reign and at the start of John's.

But for much of his reign John was at open or dormant war with Arthur (son of his dead older brother Geoffrey) Duke of Brittany, who was supported by the new King of France Phillip II who was also John's feudal overlord. Five years later Phillip had captured Normandy and occupied Anjou and Poitou thus reducing John's lands in France to Aquitaine alone.

In 1215 John notionally lost much power in England when he signed Magna Carta but in practice that didn't make much difference because immediately afterwards both John and the Barons disregarded its provisions and went to war with one another.

John died in 2016 and his 9 year old son became King Henry III with Baron William Marshall declared as his protector. An uneasy peace was established a year later with a revised form of Magna Carta agreed as a basis for Government.

So, during his lifetime Henry expanded his inheritance as Comte d'Anjou into a great Empire but 65 years later, when his youngest son died, all that was left to his successors was the Dukedom of Aquitaine and the Kingdom of England riven by civil war and discontent.

However, Henry's legal reforms, John's signature on Magna Carta and the use of a revised form of the charter in 2017 were the seeds from which England's Common Law and Parliamentary form of Government were to grow.

This juxtaposition of the dates at which the Arthurian stories were first written and elaborated with the events of Henry II's life and reign leads me to be a little sceptical about whether Henry had enough time to be the builder of Tours Castle or a serious patron of the arts.

It is however known he spent times with friends with whom he would enjoy hunting, feasting and drinking, and that poets and artists did attend such courts to entertain the nobility.

So, although it is not known how Henry apportioned his time between politics and war, administration of empire, coping with his argumentative and importunate family, personal pleasures, and patronising the arts, it is just possible he did build the castle and sponsor the poets.

Perhaps it is more likely though that Eleanor was an active patron of the arts. Her father's court in which she had been raised and educated was known for its refinement (relative) and culture and she held her own court at Poitiers between 1168 and 1173. During that period she and her daughter Marie were credited by one Andreas Capellanus with the conduct of “Courts of Love” at which they sat in judgement over questions raised by their courtiers. It is not known whether such “Courts” were actually held or whether they were a figment of Andreas' imagination designed to entertain.

Westward View from the Castle Ramparts

The tourism marketeers don't bother about such niceties and modern reconstructions of what they think are valid examples of Arthurian objects and people are displayed at various places within the castle and attributed to Henry's court held on the spot.

Prominent amongst them was a giant round table with place settings for the King and his knights, all of whom had places bearing the coats of arms attributed to them.

Modern Tours from the Castle Walls

FONTEYVRAUD ABBEY

Foundation of the abbey

Robert of Arbrissel (a small village in Brittany) was an unusual person, even for the 11^th century.

As a young man he studied in Paris and after being ordained was appointed as a high church official in the diocese of Rennes until his Bishop was deposed whereupon Robert adopted a severely ascetic life as a hermit in the forest of Craon not far from Angers.

His piety, eloquence and asceticism attracted many followers for whom he founded the Monastery of La Roé and became its first Abbot himself. The Pope became aware of Robert's reputation and appointed him as an apostolic missionary authorised to preach anywhere. This attracted so many more followers other priests at Roé objected and Robert resigned as Abbot.

Robert then adopted a peripatetic missionary life preaching in many places in Western France. Amongst his congregation he attracted “adulterers and prostitutes” to whom he preached of “sin and the medicine of repentance”. Many followed him on his travels and that may well be the reason he founded a “Double Monastery” at Fontévraud in 1099.

A “Double Monastery” was one with both Monks and Nuns living in the same community. Their origin lay in the 5th and 6th century foundation of Monasteries for women only which naturally had an Abbess in charge and Bishop Caesarius who established one for his sister wrote she should be “obeyed without murmuring”. So it was at Fonteyvraud with Monks and Nuns initially living in the same house and Herlande de Champagne, a kinswoman of the Duke of Brittany appointed by Robert to be in overall charge but without the official position of Abbess.

Church authorities disapproved of both genders co-habiting in the same building and the Monks and Nuns were soon housed in separate accommodation.

The subjection of the monks was very marked in the rules laid down by Robert being men - "who of their own free will have promised to serve the nuns till death in the bonds of obedience, and that too with the reverence of due subjection.... They shall lead a common conventual life with no property of their own, content with what the nuns shall confer upon them."   The establishment was recognised as a religious community in 1106 by both the Bishop of Angers and the Pope. Robert soon resumed his roving missionary life and in 1115 Herlande was succeeded by Petronilla de Chemillé who became the first Abbess.

Robert died in 1117 and at that time there were 3,000 nuns at the Abbey – the number of monks seems not to have been recorded, perhaps because of their inferior status. (At first I was surprised at the huge number of nuns but on reflection surmised there may well have been a surplus of single women at this period since there were so many wars that many men and boys must have been killed in fighting and raids.)

Henry and Eleanor's connection with the Abbey

Henry, after defeating the sons who had revolted against him in 1173-74, and been actively supported in that endeavour by Eleanor, imprisoned her for 9 years, much of the time in England where she was often moved around from one castle to another.

But their son “Henry the Younger”, Duke of Normandy, died in 1183 and this led indirectly to Eleanor's temporary return to France (this helped Henry dispute the ownership of certain properties in Normandy to which Eleanor had clear title but which were claimed by King Phillip II of France).

Thereafter Eleanor was not allowed independence but accompanied Henry under less restrictive conditions as he moved around the Empire.

Henry died in 1189 and was buried at Fontévraud, as was Richard 10 years later.    Eleanor survived them both and lived at Fontévraud for much of her widowhood between 1189 and 1204 when she herself died at the age of 82.

Tombs of Henry, Richard, Eleanor and Isabella d'Angoulème (John's second wife), with painted effigies of the deceased upon them, are positioned in the main Church at Fontévraud that is devoid of almost all other artefacts and decorations.

Dramatic portrayal of these People and Events

In 1966 James Goldman wrote a play – The Lion in Winter – later adapting it to become an award winning film with an all-star cast - depicting the political and personal conflicts between Henry, Eleanor and their sons.

Fontévraud after the Plantagenets

Life at Fontévraud became a lot less dramatic and a lot poorer after the death of Eleanor.

So much so that upkeep and even provision of living quarters and expenses became problematic.    These difficulties were severely compounded between the mid 1300 and 1400s when armies marched to and fro over the land throughout the Hundred Years war during which the English lost control of Aquitaine and nearly all their other French possessions.

The Abbey again became a religious centre at the end of this war when Marie of Brittany was appointed Abbess in 1457. A century later King Francis 1 of France remodelled and restored many of the buildings so most that can be seen today stem from the mid 1500s.

The Abbey remained a religious house after 1457 with a continuous succession of Abbesses until 1792 when a Revolutionary decree ordered the evacuation of all monasteries. The last Abbess with about 200 Nuns and a few monks were evicted and she at least is said to have died in poverty in Paris in 1797.

No physical remains of the Plantagenets have been found and it is supposed they were most likely lost or destroyed during the revolution.

In 1789 all property of the Catholic Church was declared now to be the Property of the Nation and in 1804 the site became a prison with a planned capacity of 1,000 convicts – men, women and children. Such numbers required extensive alterations and new buildings to house guards and the prisoners whose numbers expanded to double the planned level.

Fontévraud remained a prison until 1963 including the period during World War II when the Vichy Government used it to house political prisoners as well as common criminals, and as a place of execution by firing squad of captured Resistance fighters.

In 1963 use of the site as a prison was discontinued and a major restoration started by the Ministry of Culture.

The site was opened to the public in 1985 and restoration of the Church completed as recently as 2006.

Site Plan and Some Photos

This plan has been adapted from one on a WIKIPEDIA site and is reproduced under the terms of the Free ART Licence including the requirement that any further use is subject to the same terms.

Photos of most of the buildings and some of the effigies are available on the Wikipedia and other sites providing information on the Abbey. I took the couple that follow in June 2015 and include them here as they give some impression of the size and scale of the buildings, illustrating with the help of the map, how large they were and how far they spread (they would of course have needed to be extensive with 3,000 nuns and some monks to be accommodated.

Exterior East End of the Church

Abbey Cookhouse

This building is probably the one with fewest modifications from the original though just how many were made in the 16^th Century is uncertain.      Its distinctive turrets and roof of overlapping tiles were designed to keep the interior dry whilst allowing fumes and heat from the fires and food to escape into the atmosphere before they stifled the cooks!