Logan Roy of Le Mans
Cathedral of Saint Julian of Le Mans
For most people, Le Mans means the world famous hundred year old car race.
For some, Le Mans means its astonishing Cathedral with its famous flying buttresses.
For history buffs, Le Mans means hard man but ultimately tragic Henry Plantagenet who was born, baptised and hounded to his death in Le Mans by his wife and sons.
The Patriarch of what must surely be the most dysfunctional family on record, its members jockeyed for power.
Logan Roy – Le Roy is the old word for the king of France – patriarch of RoyCo in the TV series Succession and his family of vipers don’t come up to the ankles of Henry and his murderous brood.
Henry’s father, Geoffrey, the powerful count of Maine and Anjou and his mother the Empress Matilda, widow of the Holy Roman Emperor, were married in the newly built Le Mans Cathedral. The people nicknamed him plante genet because he always wore a sprig of broom. He made Le Mans the Capital of the family firm, the vast Angevin Empire. When he was buried in the Cathedral, Henry endowed a chapel dedicated to him.
Grande Rue, Le Mans
The fearless Matilda, who unsuccessfully invaded England to claim the throne, was a positive influence on Henry but his relationship with his wife Eleanor of Aquitaine was fraught. Each tried to dominate the other until the marriage disintegrated and Eleanor turned into a Lady Macbeth.
Horrified, as was the whole of Europe, by the murder of Thomas Beckett in Canterbury Cathedral, Eleanor blamed Henry for bringing shame on the family. Publicly humiliated by his long love affair with the Fair Rosamond of England, she encouraged their sons to bring him down.
Henry, like the fictitious Logan Roy, was hugely successful. A high achiever. Their offspring were not. Logan told them they were not fit to succeed him, they were not real people. Henry felt the same about his sons.
Rue de la Truie Qui File, Le Mans
Tensions over his Succession dominated the roost. As The Bard said of another Henry: Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown. Henry, a ruthless and effective King, could control his subjects but not his family. His wife and his sons were obsessed with who would take over from him when he died.
To placate his son, Young Henry, he had him crowned the future king of England but it was an empty gesture. Young Henry was not allowed to make any decisions and was kept short of money. He had been close to Thomas Becket, his former tutor and hated his father for his part in the murder.
When Henry’s son Geoffrey, who also nursed grievances against his father, threw in his lot with Young Henry, Eleanor urged her favourite son, Richard, to join his brothers in a united front against their father.
Their machinations fell apart when Young Henry contracted dysentery during a campaign.
As a penance for his disloyalty, he prostrated himself before a crucifix. He asked for his father, but Henry, fearing a trick, refused to see him. He died clasping a ring his father sent as a sign of his forgiveness.
Rue Godard, Le Mans
The Bishop of Le Mans demanded that Young Henry be buried in his Cathedral alongside his grandfather but a month later, the dean of Rouen recovered the body by a lawsuit, so that he could be was buried in Normandy as he had wished.
Young Henry's tomb in Rouen Cathedral is on the opposite side of the altar from the tomb containing the heart of his rival brother, Richard.
With his eldest son dead, Henry arranged plans for his succession. Like Young Henry before him Richard, next in line, would be made king of England. Like his brother, he would have no power.
Geoffrey would have Brittany.
Henry's favourite son John would replace Richard as the duke of Aquitaine.
Stained glass window, Cathedral of Saint Julian
Richard, incandescent, demanded he be officially recognised as his father’s successor.
Henry remained silent. Rumours circulated that he was considering openly disinheriting him. When they reached Richard he declared open war on his father.
Henry’s loyal illegitimate son another Geoffrey commanded part of his father’s English army. Together, they headed for Le Mans.
When news arrived that Richard was near Le Mans, Henry ordered the bridge over the river be destroyed and the outer suburbs burnt to impede his advance but the wind turned and set the city on fire, Henry’s city, a city he loved.
A weakened and ill Henry was forced to accept his son’s terms. Persuaded to give him the kiss of peace, instead Henry hissed in his ear ‘God grant I die not until I have avenged myself on thee’.
Saint Cecilia, Cathedral of Saint Julian
A broken man, looked after by Geoffrey, he was taken from Le Mans to Chinon where he asked to see a list of men who were against him. When Henry saw his beloved son John fought with Richard, he collapsed.
Geoffrey nursed his father during his final days, the only one of Henry's sons present at his death. Henry made a bedside wish that Geoffrey be made Archbishop of York.
Henry died at Chinon 6 July 1189, aged 56. Geoffrey escorted his father’s body to Fontevraud Abbey for burial.
Later, his vengeful wife Eleanor, his hated son Richard and wife of the betrayer, John, would lie with him in the Abbey.
Luckily, no sense of Henry’s tragedy lingers in the beautiful medieval town of Le Mans with its twisting cobbled streets, magnificent Cathedral, ancient half-timbered houses and secret alleyways.
Post by Pamela (BA History of Art), Photography by Mark.
Photograph France
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