Duke of Brittany
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Image:BlasonBRETAGNE.PNG The Duke of Brittany (French: Duc de Bretagne) governed Brittany, a region with strong traditions of independence, including a language and a distinctive culture.
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Duchy of Brittany
Incorporation of Brittany into the Carolingian empire ensured that the political and social institutions were similar to those prevaling elsewhere in western Francia. Until the 10th century, Brittany was severely affected by Viking attacks and ducal authority was weak. Dynastic disputes caused the political fragmentation of the duchy into counties and authority suffered even further from the pressures of resisting claims by both the dukes of Normandy and the counts of Anjou. This process of fragmentation was halted and reversed from the mid-eleventh century, when intermarriage resulted in the ducal title vesting in a single individual, Duke Alain IV Fergent.
Alain's long and stable reign included expansion of Breton holdings by King William I of England conferring upon him the honour of Richmond, after the Norman Conquest of England. His son Conan III also saw progress in the revival of central authority. A succession dispute following Conan's death undid the duke's achievements and allowed Henry II of England, to claim overlordship. Between 1158 and 1166, Henry II annexed Brittany to his continental holdings, marrying his third son, Geoffrey, to Constance, heiress of the duchy. The Angevin Empire in Brittany came to an end in 1203, after King John of England murdered his nephew, Arthur, the son of Geoffrey and Constance.
The marriage of the infant Alice to Capetian cadet Peter of Dreux in 1213, began the new House of Dreux. This allowed Brittany a measure of autonomy again, although continuously giving lip service to Capetian sovereignty. After the Breton War of Succession, Brittany still had links with the English Crown through the Earldom of Richmond, until the Wars of the Roses forced Richmondshire to become partisan with the House of Lancaster under the Tudor dynasty. Richmond became a dukedom in its own right, as the former Breton rulers would not be able to regain the honour that brought King Henry VII of England to the throne. A disoriented and shut out Brittany became royally subsumed into France, during a tapering reign of the Montfort house. The present holder of Richmond owes the honorific title Duke of Aubigny (after Seigneur d'Aubigny in Berry_(province)), in descent from Breton Louise de Kérouaille, Duchess of Portsmouth.
Kings and Dukes of Brittany
Kings of the Bretons
- Nominoe (r.841–851), as a missus dominicus of the Emperor Louis the Pious, a count of Vannes (Gwened) and a duke (dux) of Brittany
- Erispoe (r.851–857), as a duke, then a king of Brittany
- Saloman (or Salaün) (r.857–874), as a duke, then a king of Brittany
- Pasquitan of Vannes (or Paskweten) (r.874–877), ruling Brittany with Gurvand
- Gurvand of Rennes (r.874–877), ruling Brittany with Pasquitan
- Judicael of Rennes (r.877–888), successor of Gurvand, ruled Brittany with Alan the Great
- Alan the Great (reigned from 877 to 888 with Judicaël, alone as a duke, then as a king up to 907)
The succession was interrupted by the Norman occupation (907–937)
House of Nantes/Naoned
- Alan II Wrybeard (reigned as a duke from 937 to 952)
- Drogo, son (reigned from 952 to 958)
- Hoel I, brother (reigned from 960–981 as a duke, but controlled only the county of Nantes/Naoned)
- Guerech, brother (reigned from 981–988 as a duke, but controlled only the county of Nantes/Naoned)
House of Rennes/Roazhon
- Conan I of Rennes (r.958–992) earl of Rennes/Roazhon, then ruling all Brittany (if not Nantes/Naoned) as a duke (990–992)
- Geoffrey I (r.992–1008)
- Alan III (r.1008–1040)
- Conan II (r.1040–1066)
House of Cornouaille/Kernev
- Hoel II of Cornouaille/Hoel Huuel (r.1066–1084), married Hawisa, daughter of Alan III
- Alan IV Fergant (r.1084–1112)
- Conan III the Fat (r.1112–1148)
- Eon I of Porhoet (r.1148–1156), married Bertha, daughter of Conan III
- Conan IV the Younger, son of Bertha and Alan of Richmond. (r.1156–1168), deposed, †1171
House of Anjou
- Geoffrey Plantagenet (r.1166–1186), married Constance, daughter of Conan IV
- Constance, daughter of Conan IV, (r.1186–1201)
- Arthur I Plantagenet (r.1196–1203)
- Guy of Thouars (r.1203–1206)
- Alix of Thouars, daughter of Constance and Guy of Thouars, (r.1206–1221)
House of Dreux
- Peter I Mauclerc of Dreux (r.1213–1237) in right of his wife Alix and as regent of his son
- John I, the Red (r.1237–1286)
- John II (r.1286–1305)
- Arthur II (r.1305–1316)
- John III, the Good (r.1312–1341)
- Breton War of Succession (1341–1364)
- Charles of Blois and Joanna of Penthièvre (r.1341–1364)
- vs. Dukes John IV and John V
House of Montfort
The cadet branch of the House of Dreux
- John of Montfort (r.1341–1345)
- John IV, the Conqueror (r.1364–1399)
- John V (r.1399–1442)
- Francis I (r.1442–1450)
- Peter II (r.1450–1457)
- Arthur III (r.1457–1458)
- Francis II (r.1458–1488)
- Anne of Brittany (r.1488–1514)
- Claudia of France (r.1514–1524)
- François, Dauphin of France (r.1524–1532), son of Francis I of France and Claudia of France
See also
External link
da:Herskere i Bretagne de:Herrscherliste Bretagne fr:Liste des ducs de Bretagne kw:Dugeth Vreten Vyghan nl:Lijst van hertogen van Bretagne pt:Ducado da Bretanha zh:布列塔尼公爵