Francis II of Brittany was Duke of Brittany from 1458 to his death. He was the son of Richard of Brittany and the grandson of Duke John V. A recurring theme in Francis life would be his quest to maintain the independence of Brittany from France. As such, his reign was characterised by conflicts with King Louis XI of France and with his daughter, Anne of France, who served as regent during the minority of her brother, Charles VIII. The armed and unarmed conflicts between 14841488 have been called the Mad War and also the War of the Public Weal.
Francis II was born onJune 1433 to Richard, Count of tampes and his wife Marguerite dOrlans. Richard was the youngest son of John IV, Duke of Brittany. Richards older brothers John and Arthur both succeeded their father as duke, but upon Arthurs death in 1458, the only legitimate male heir was his nephew, Francis.
Source: Wikipedia