Angevin

Angevin refers to things associated with Anjou, a historic region in western France, and to the ruling House of Anjou. In historical contexts, the term is closely tied to the Plantagenet kings who claimed Anjou as their origin and at times described their broad territorial holdings in both England and western France. The name derives from Anjou and has been used by historians to distinguish this lineage and era within broader medieval history.

The term is often linked to the Angevin dynasty, beginning with Geoffrey Plantagenet, Count of Anjou, and his marriage to Empress Matilda. Their son, Henry II, became King of England in 1154, founding the Plantagenet line. From Henry II onward, Angevin (or Plantagenet) rulers governed substantial domains in England and France, including Normandy, Anjou, Maine, Touraine, Gascony, and other territories. The concept of an “Angevin Empire” is used to describe the extent and interlinked nature of these possessions, though it is a modern historiographical designation rather than a formal political entity.

Culturally and administratively, the Angevin period saw the prominence of Old French among the nobility in both England and France, along with Latin for official records. Legal and administrative reforms of the era contributed to developments in governance that persisted beyond the immediate dynasty. The term Angevin continues to be used today to denote ties to Anjou, to residents of the region, or to the historical era and lineage associated with the House of Anjou and the Plantagenets.