Eleanor, Fair Maid of Brittany

For other Eleanors of England, see Eleanor of England (disambiguation)

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 King Richard "Lion Heart" of the Kingdom of England, a power struggle commenced between her younger brother Arthur 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.

Eleanor died in 1241, still a prisoner at Corfe Castle, and was buried at Amesbury Abbey. See [1]