Geoffrey, Archbishop of York, Illegitimate Son of King Henry II of England

by Susan Flantzer
© Unofficial Royalty 2024

King Henry II of England, the father of Geoffrey, Archbishop of York; Credit – Wikipedia

Geoffrey, Archbishop of York, born circa 1152, was the illegitimate son of King Henry II of England, who ascended the throne of England in 1154. Henry II had several long-term mistresses and around twelve illegitimate children. Geoffrey was probably conceived during one of Henry’s sojourns to England. At the time of Geoffrey’s birth, Henry was involved in The Anarchy, the long civil war (1135 -1153) fought over the English throne, between Henry’s mother Empress Matilda and her first cousin King Stephen of England. Fighting occurred in England and the Duchy of Normandy (now in France) and Henry went back and forth across the English Channel. Geoffrey’s paternal grandparents were his namesake Geoffrey V, Count of Anjou, Touraine, and Maine, and Empress Matilda, Lady of the English. Empress Matilda was the widow of Heinrich V, Holy Roman Emperor and she used her style and title from her first marriage for the rest of her life. More importantly, Matilda was the only surviving, legitimate child of King Henry I of England and Duke of Normandy.

The identity of Geoffrey’s mother is uncertain. She may have been named Ykenai and there is speculation that she could have been a prostitute, the daughter of a knight, a Welsh hostage, a servant, or a daughter of one of the royal servants. It appears that Geoffrey was the eldest of Henry II’s children, legitimate or illegitimate, and was probably born before Henry II married Eleanor, Duchess of Aquitaine in her own right. There is no evidence that Henry II had any doubts that Geoffrey was his son. Geoffrey was raised with Henry II’s legitimate children.

13th-century depiction of Geoffrey’s royal half-siblings: (l to r) William, Young Henry, Richard, Matilda, Geoffrey, Eleanor, Joan, and John; Credit – Wikipedia

Geoffrey had eight royal half-siblings from his father’s marriage to Eleanor of Aquitaine:

Henry II’s plan was for Geoffrey to enter the Church and so Geoffrey was sent to schools in Northhampton, England and Tours, County of Torraine, one of Henry’s possessions, now in France. Before 1170, the teenage Geoffrey took minor orders, lower ranks of Roman Catholic Church ministry. In 1170, when he was about eighteen years old, Geoffrey was appointed Archdeacon of Lincoln in the Diocese of Lincoln, responsible for the oversight of church buildings and some supervision, discipline, and pastoral care of the clergy. However, there is little evidence that he ever performed these responsibilities.

As Henry II’s legitimate son got older, tensions over the future inheritance of Henry’s vast Angevin Empire which included all of present-day England, half of France, and parts of Ireland and Wales. In 1173, Henry II’s legitimate sons Henry, Richard, and Geoffrey (John was too young, only seven years old) rebelled in protest during the Revolt of 1173 – 1174 and, were joined by their mother Eleanor of Aquitaine. Henry II’s illegitimate son Geoffrey fought for him in northern England during the campaigns of the revolt. After the defeat of his legitimate sons, Henry II told his illegitimate son Geoffrey, “You alone have proved yourself my lawful and true son. My other sons are really the bastards.” From then on, Geoffrey was one of his father’s most valued counselors.

Geoffrey’s appointment as Archdeacon of Lincoln was only a stepping stone in Henry II’s plans. In May 1173, Henry arranged for Geoffrey to be elected Bishop of Lincoln. However, Pope Alexander III refused to confirm Geoffrey’s election. Geoffrey was not ordained as a priest, was under the age to become a bishop, and his illegitimate birth prevented him from holding a religious office. Eventually, under duress, Pope Alexander II issued the necessary dispensations and confirmed Geoffrey as Bishop of Lincoln in 1175. However, since he was not ordained another bishop carried out Geoffrey’s duties in the Diocese of Lincoln. In 1181, Pope Lucius III demanded that Geoffrey be ordained or resign. Geoffrey did resign but as compensation, his father King Henry II appointed him Chancellor of England in 1181.

By 1189, only two of Geoffrey’s legitimate brothers were still living, Richard, Eleanor’s favorite and the heir since his elder brother’s death, and John, the youngest child and Henry II’s favorite. King Philippe II of France successfully played upon Richard’s fears that Henry would make John King, and a final rebellion broke out in 1189. Decisively defeated by Philippe and Richard and suffering from a bleeding ulcer, King Henry II retreated to his favorite residence, the Château de Chinon in Anjou, now in France. Only Henry II’s illegitimate son Geoffrey was at his deathbed when he died on July 6, 1189.

King Henry II had made a deathbed wish that Geoffrey be named Archbishop of York. King Richard I did nominate his half-brother Geoffrey as Archbishop of York but probably did so to eliminate a potential rival for the throne. However, Richard insisted that Geoffrey resign his position as Chancellor of England and be ordained as a priest, and his ordination as a priest took place on September 23, 1189.

Geoffrey’s ambitions may have included becoming King of England, and that may account for some of the issues that he had with King Richard I and King John, his two surviving legitimate half-brothers. Geoffrey’s life was full of quarrels. He spent much of his time as Archbishop of York quarreling with the bishops under him and the clergy of York Cathedral. Geoffrey argued with William de Longchamp, King Richard II’s Chancellor and his Regent went Richard went off to fight in the Third Crusade. He had continued disagreements with his half-brothers King Richard II and King John who succeeded Richard in 1199. In 1207, Geoffrey had his final quarrel with King John when he refused to allow the collection of taxes. Geoffrey excommunicated anyone who attempted to collect the taxes in the Diocese of York. In retaliation, King John confiscated Geoffrey’s estates. Geoffrey obtained the support of Pope Innocent III, who ordered King John to restore Geoffrey’s possessions, but in the meantime, Geoffrey fled to the Duchy of Normandy where remained for the rest of his life.

On December 12, 1212, Geoffrey died aged around sixty, at the Notre-Dame-du-Parc Priory in Rouen, then in the Duchy of Normandy, now in France, where he had been living for a few years and where he possibly became a monk. He was buried at the monastery church.

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Works Cited

  • Ashley, Mike. (1998). The Mammoth Book of British Kings and Queens. Carroll & Graf Publishers.
  • Flantzer, Susan. (2016). King Henry II of England. Unofficial Royalty. https://www.unofficialroyalty.com/king-henry-ii-of-england/
  • Weir, Alison. (2008). Britain’s Royal Families – The Complete Genealogy. Vintage Books.
  • Weir, Alison. (1999). Eleanor of Aquitaine, By Wrath of God, Queen of England. Jonathan Cape.
  • Wikimedia Foundation. (2023). Geoffrey (Archbishop of York). Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geoffrey_(archbishop_of_York)
  • Ykenai. geni_family_tree. (2022, April 26). https://www.geni.com/people/Ykenai/6000000026108697539