njou was an area that is now in western France, the city of Angers marking its centre. The origins of the house of Anjou start with Ingelgar, a fierce warrior who took control of the region of the Loire Valley. His son, Fulk the Red, became the first count of Anjou. The second count was Fulk the Good (941-960) and under his leadership the region prospered. Fulk the Good had several children and was succeeded by his son Geoffrey who was a legendary soldier. A legend surrounds Geoffrey depicting him as a great knight and warrior. The legend concerns an invasion by the Danes who had been attacking lands of France for some time. Amongst them was a fierce warrior called Ethelulf. No one could kill the huge Dane and he challenged all to try. When Geoffrey heard of this he secretly travelled to Paris where the Danes were approaching. Geoffrey confronted Ethelulf and killed the giant. He cut off the head of Ethelulf and gave it to a servant to take to Paris. No one knew who had killed the Dane and it was only later at a reception at Paris that Geoffrey was recognised by the servant who had been given the head. Because he was wearing a grey cloak, Geoffrey was given the nickname Graygown or Greymantle. Geoffrey was succeeded by his son Fulk, the Black. Fulk Nerra, the Black, became count of Anjou as a teenager in 987 after the death of his father. Fulk was both a fanatical pilgrim and a tyrant. On the one hand he travelled to the holy land three or four times in his life and had built the abbey of Beaulieu-les-Loches, but on the other hand he had his wife burnt at the stake for adultery. Fulk was a fierce warrior both defending his lands and attacking those that opposed him.
Geoffrey Martel was the son of Fulk Nerra, count of Anjou. Geoffrey became count of Anjou in 1040 when his father died. Martel was a fierce warrior brushing aside all that stood before him. In 1044 the county of Touraine was overrun by Geoffrey when his army captured Tours, its capital town. When he died in 1060 Geoffrey had no children so he divided his lands of Anjou and Touraines between his nephews Geoffrey the Bearded and Fulk Rechin. Fulk received Touraine and Geoffrey received Anjou. Geoffrey Martel died in great pain from an illness.
The brothers Geoffrey the Bearded and Fulk rechin began to fight amongst themselves and in 1066 Fulk captured Geoffrey and imprisoned him. Fulk became count of Anjou from 1068.
In the early twelfth century the count of Anjou, Fulk V, had several children that married into the family of William the Conqueror. Fulk's son Geoffrey married Matilda the daughter of Henry I. Their son Henry became Henry II Plantagenet, the king of England from 1154 to 1189. The area of Anjou stayed in the Plantagenet family until it was lost by Henry's son King John in 1205.
