Anjou

Angeoy, Angers, Anschowe

An old western French count-ship and former province which was conquered by Vortigern and given to Hengist. According to Arthour and Merlin, Uther conquered Anjou from Harinan, Igerne’s first husband. Geoffrey says that it was conquered by Arthur and given to Kay, Arthur's seneschal (steward), who became its first count, while in Wolfram von Eschenbach its queen was Herzeloyde (Herselojde).

Malory says that it was owned by Lancelot, and that Lancelot made Sir Dinas the duke of Anjou in return for Dinas’s support in the war against King Arthur. Hughes uses Anna rather than Morgause, but he makes Mordred a product of Anna and Arthur’s incest, which Geoffrey does not.

Anjou were the country of Perceval’s paternal ancestry in Wolfram’s Parzival. The country was ruled by Perceval’s grandfather Gandin and then by Gandin’s son Galoes. The scepter was later passed to Perceval’s son Kardeiz. It’s capital was Bealzenan.

Historically, in 1154, the Count of Anjou became King of England as Henry II, but King John lost the territory in 1204. In 1480 the count-ship was annexed to the French crown.