He succeeded his uncle Geoffrey Martel in 1060, but it soon became clear to his vassals he was not a very good count. Geoffrey Martel left his younger brother, Fulk, Saintonge as an appanage. In 1062, when Saintonge was attacked by Count Guy-Geoffrey of Poitou, Geoffrey did nothing to help Fulk and Saintonge was lost. In 1063 the county of Maine was lost to Anjou as well. In 1064 Geoffrey failed to come to the aid of one of his vassals, Rainaldus of Chateau-Gontier, who was captured by the Bretons. In 1065 Geoffrey angered Archbishop Barthelemy of Tours by trying to force his own choice for Bishop of Le Mans on the church. In turn the archbishop excommunicated Geoffrey. 