Page "Henry III of England" Paragraph 8

Eleanor was the daughter of Duke Geoffrey II of Brittany, elder brother of King John, which meant that she had a better claim to the English throne than John and Henry according to Primogeniture, thus should have been queen regnant in 1203.

But in 1202 John captured Eleanor at Mirebeau.

When John died, the barons passed her over and crowned Henry, leaving the beautiful and defiant princess still imprisoned at Corfe Castle at Dorset, guarded by Peter de Maulay.