This is a list of monarchs of the Duchy of Brittany. In different epochs the sovereigns of Brittany were kings, princes, and dukes. The Breton ruler was sometimes elected, sometimes attained the position by conquest or intrigue, or by hereditary right. Hereditary dukes were sometimes a female ruler, carrying the title duchesse of Brittany. Its principal cities and regions were ruled by counts who often found themselves in conflict with the Breton ruler, or who became the Breton ruler.
During the declining years of the Roman Empire, the earliest Breton rulers in Gaul were styled "kings" of the small realms of Cornouaille and Domnonia. Some such kings may have had a form of hegemony over all of the Brythonic populations in the Armorican peninsula, and Riothamus is called King of the Britons by the chronicler Jordanes. However, there are no certain rulers of the whole of Brittany, which was divided into the fiefdoms of local counts.
The Duchy of Brittany had its origins in the Battle of Trans-la-Forêt of 939, which established the river Couesnon as the boundary between Brittany and Normandy.[1] In 942, Alan II paid homage to Louis IV of France; however, the duchy did not gain royal attention until 1123, when Louis VI of France confirmed the bishop of Nantes.[2] No other Duke of Brittany repeated Alan II's homage until Arthur I recognised Philip II of France as his liege in 1202.[2]
The area was often called a Duchy, and its monarchs were considered independent Sovereign Dukes. However, one historical view is that before the middle of the 12th century the Dukes of Brittany were often also called Counts by the Kings of France, as the kingdom of France then saw Brittany as no more than a county. In 1297, the peninsula was elevated into a Duchy in the peerage of France.[3] This view is not consistent with the manner in which Charles VIII of France and then Louis XII of France approached the Duchy and the rights of Anne of Brittany who married each in succession.
Early Breton monarchs
- Conan Meriadoc (4th century) – by tradition, the founder of Brittany
- Budic II (early 6th century)
- Waroch II (late 6th century)
- Saint Judicaël (early 7th century)
- Alain II Hir (c.640?–690)
- Morman (r. 814–818)
- Wihomarc (r. 822–825)
Dukes of Brittany
Dukes under the Carolingians
- Nominoe (or Nevenoe) (r. 841–851), as a missus dominicus of the Emperor Louis the Pious,[4] a count of Vannes (Gwened) and arguably a duke (dux) of Brittany
- Erispoe (r. 851–857), as a duke, then as a king
- Salomon (or Salaun) (r. 857–874), as a duke, then a king
- Pasquitan (or Paskweten) (r. 874–877), ruling Brittany (southern part) with Gurvand
- Gurvand (r. 874–877), ruling Brittany (northern part) with Pasquitan
- Judicael (r. 877–888), successor of Gurvand, ruled Brittany (north) with Alan the Great (south)
- Alan the Great (reigned from 877 to 888 with Judicaël, alone as a duke, then as a king up to 907)
- Gourmaëlon, Count of Cornouaille (reigned from 907 as a guardian of the kingdom)
The succession was interrupted by the Viking occupation (913–937)
House of Nantes
| Name | Portrait | Birth | Marriage(s) | Death |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alan II the Fox (Alan al Louarn) 938–952 |
c. before 919 son of Mathuedoi, Count of Poher, and a daughter of Alan I |
(1) Roscille of Anjou 943 (2) ? of Blois bef. 949/51 one son |
c. 952 Nantes aged about 33 | |
| Drogo (Drogon) 952–958 |
c. 949/52 only legitimate son of Alan II |
never married | c. 958 Angers aged 5–9 | |
| Hoël I (Hoel Iañ ) 958–981 |
? illegitimate son of Alan II and the "noble" Judith |
never married | c. 981 | |
| Guerech (Guerech Iañ) 981–988 |
? illegitimate son of Alan II and the "noble" Judith, younger brother of Hoël I |
Aremburga of Ancenis after 981 one son |
c. 988 | |
| Alan (Alan Breizh) 988–990 |
after 981 son of Guerech and Aremburga of Ancenis |
never married | c. 990 |
House of Rennes
| Name | Portrait | Birth | Marriage(s) | Death |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conan I (Konan Iañ) 990–992 |
c. 927 eldest son of Judicael Berengar, Count of Rennes and Gerberga |
Ermengarde-Gerberga of Anjou 973 five children |
27 June 992 Conquereuil aged 64–65 | |
| Geoffrey I (Jafrez Iañ ) 992–1008 |
c. 980 eldest son of Conan I and Ermengarde-Gerberga of Anjou |
Hawise of Normandy 996 four children |
20 November 1008 aged 27–28 | |
| Alan III (Alan III) 1008–1040 with Odo I as regent, then co-ruler (1008–1034) |
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c. 997 eldest son of Geoffrey I and Hawise of Normandy |
Bertha of Blois 1018 two children |
1 October 1040 Montgommery aged 42–43 |
| Odo I (Eozen I) 1008–1034 as regent, then co-ruler to Alan III |
 |
c. 999 second son of Geoffrey I and Hawise of Normandy |
Orguen of Cornouaille six children |
c. 1079 Cesson aged 79–80 |
| Conan II (Konan II) 1040–1066 with Odo I as regent (1040–1057) |
c. 1033 only son of Alan III and Bertha of Blois |
never married | 11 December 1066 Château-Gontier aged 32–33 | |
| Hawise (Hawiz) 1066–1072 with Hoël II |
c. 1037 only daughter of Alan III and Bertha of Blois |
1066 seven children |
19 August 1072 aged 34–35 | |
| Hoël II (Hoël II) 1066–1072 with Hawise |
c. 1031 eldest son of Alain Canhiart, Count of Cornouaille and Judith of Nantes, descendant of Alan II |
13 April 1084 aged 52–53 |
House of Cornouaille
| Name | Portrait | Birth | Marriage(s) | Death |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alan IV the Younger (Alan IV Fergant ) 1072–1112 with Hoël II as regent (1072–1084) |
 |
bef. 1060 eldest son of Hoël II and Hawise |
(1) Constance of Normandy 1086/88 no issue (2) Ermengarde of Anjou 1093 three children |
13 October 1119 Redon Abbey aged 60s |
| Conan III the Fat (Konan III) 1112–1148 |
 |
c. 1093–1096 eldest son of Alan IV and Ermengarde of Anjou |
Maud FitzRoy 1112 three children |
17 September 1148 aged 54–58 |
| Bertha (Berta) 1148–1156 with Odo II |
|
c. 1114 eldest daughter of Conan III and Maud FitzRoy |
(1) Alan, 1st Earl of Richmond 1137/8 three children (2) Odo II 1148 three children |
c. 1156 aged 41–43 |
| Odo II (Eozen II) 1148–1156 with Bertha |
 |
? eldest son of Geoffrey, Viscount of Porhoet and Hawise |
(1) Bertha 1148 three children (2) Joan-Eleanor of Léon August 1167 two or three children |
c. 1170 |
House of Penthièvre
| Name | Portrait | Birth | Marriage(s) | Death |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conan IV the Black (Konan IV) 1156–1166 |
 |
c. 1138 only son of Alan of Penthièvre, 1st Earl of Richmond and Bertha |
Margaret of Huntingdon 1160 one daughter |
20 February 1171 aged 33 |
| Constance (Konstanza) 1166–1201 with Geoffrey II (1181–1186) with Arthur I (1196–1201) with Guy (1199–1201) |
 |
c. 1161 daughter of Conan IV and Margaret of Huntingdon |
(1) Geoffrey II July 1181 three children (2) Ranulf 3 February 1188 no issue (3) Guy of Thouars October 1199 two or three daughters |
5 September 1201 Nantes aged 40 |
| Geoffrey II (Jafrez II) 1181–1186 with Constance |
 |
23 September 1158 fourth son of Henry II of England and Eleanor of Aquitaine |
Constance July 1181 three children |
19 August 1186 Paris, France aged 27 |
| Guy (Gi) 1199–1201 1203–1213 with Constance (1199–1201) with Alix (1203–1213) |
birth date unknown second son of Aimery IV of Thouars and Aénor of Lusignan |
(1) Constance October 1199 two or three daughters (2) Eustachie of Chemillé 1203 two sons |
13 April 1213 Chemillé, France |
House of Plantagenet
| Name | Portrait | Birth | Marriage(s) | Death |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arthur I (Arzhur Iañ) 1196–1203 with Constance (1196–1201) |
 |
29 March 1187 in Nantes, only son of Geoffrey II and Constance |
never married | Disappeared in captivity aged 16; fate unknown |
Eleanor, Fair Maid of Brittany, eldest daughter of Geoffrey and Constance and full elder sister of Arthur, also unmarried, was prevented from succession for her imprisonment in England which lasted till her death in 1241, thus was merely a titular duchess from 1208 to 1214 when John, King of England ceased to support her claim.
House of Thouars
| Name | Portrait | Birth | Marriage(s) | Death |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alix (Alis) 1203–1221 with Guy as regent (1203–1213) with Peter I (1213–1221) |
 |
1200 eldest daughter of Guy and Constance |
Peter I 1213 three children |
21 October 1221 aged 21 |
| Peter I Mauclerc (Pêr Iañ) 1213–1221 with Alix |
 |
c. 1190 second son of Robert II of Dreux and Yolanda de Coucy |
(1) Alix 1213 three children (2) Nicole c. 1230 one son (3) Marguerite de Commequiers bef. January 1236 no issue |
6 July 1250 sea off Damietta aged 59–60 |
House of Dreux
| Name | Portrait | Birth | Marriage(s) | Death |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| John I the Red (Yann Iañ ar Ruz) 1221–1286 with Peter I as regent (1221–1237) |
 |
c. 1217/18 eldest son of Peter I and Alix |
Blanche of Navarre Château-Thierry, Aisne 16 January 1236 eight children |
8 October 1286 Château de l'Isle, Férel, Morbihan aged 67–69 |
| John II (Yann II) 1286–1305 |
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3/4 January 1239 eldest son of John I and Blanche of Navarre |
Beatrice of England Westminster Abbey, London 25 December 1260 eight children |
16 November 1305 Lyon aged 66 |
| Arthur II (Arzhur II) 1305–1312 |
 |
2 July 1262 eldest son of John II and Beatrice of England |
(1) Marie of Limoges Tours 1277 three children (2) Yolande of Dreux May 1292 six children |
27 August 1312 Château de l'Isle, Férel, Morbihan aged 50 |
| John III the Good (Yann III) 1312–1341 |
 |
8 March 1286 Château de Champtoceaux, Maine-et-Loire eldest son of Arthur II and Marie of Limoges |
(1) Isabella of Valois 18 February 1298 no issue (2) Isabella of Castile and León Burgos 21 June 1310 no issue (3) Joan of Savoy Chartres 21 March 1330 no issue |
30 April 1341 Caen aged 55 |
Breton War of Succession
| Name | Portrait | Birth | Marriage(s) | Death |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Joan the Lame (Janed) 1341–1364 with Charles I |
.jpg.webp) |
c. 1319 only daughter of Guy of Brittany, Count of Penthièvre and Joan of Avaugour |
Paris 4 June 1337 five children |
10 September 1384 Guingamp aged 64–65 |
| Charles I (Charlez Iañ) 1341–1364 with Joan |
 |
c. 1319 Blois second son of Guy I, Count of Blois and Margaret of Valois |
29 September 1364 Auray aged 44–45 | |
| John (IV) of Montfort (Yann IV Moñforzh) May 1341–1345 |
 |
c. 1293 only son of Arthur II and Yolande de Dreux |
Joanna of Flanders Chartres March 1329 two children |
26 September 1345 Château d'Hennebon, Hennebont aged 51–52 |
| John (V) of Montfort (Yann V Moñforzh) 1345–1364 |
 |
c. 1339 only son of John of Montfort and Joanna of Flanders |
(1) Mary Plantagenet of England Woodstock Palace, Woodstock, Oxfordshire summer of 1361 no issue (2) Joan Holland London May 1366 no issue (3) Joan of Navarre Saillé-près-Guérande 2 October 1386 nine children |
1/2 November 1399 Nantes aged 59–60 |
House of Montfort
| Name | Portrait | Birth | Marriage(s) | Death |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| John IV the Conqueror (Yann IV) 1364–1399 (Previously John V in pretentious succession from his father.) |
|
c. 1339 only son of John of Montfort and Joanna of Flanders |
(1) Mary Plantagenet of England Woodstock Palace, Woodstock, Oxfordshire summer of 1361 no issue (2) Joan Holland London May 1366 no issue (3) Joan of Navarre Saillé-près-Guérande 2 October 1386 nine children |
1/2 November 1399 Nantes aged 59–60 |
| John V the Wise (Yann V ar Fur) 1399–1442 |
 |
24 December 1389 Château de l'Hermine, Vannes, Morbihan eldest son of John IV and Joan of Navarre |
Joan of France Hôtel de Saint-Pol, Paris 19 September 1396 seven children |
29 August 1442 Manoir de La Touche, Nantes aged 52 |
| Francis I the Well-Loved (Frañsez Iañ) 1442–1450 |
 |
11 May 1414 Vannes eldest son of John V and Joan of France |
(1) Yolande of Anjou Amboise 20 August 1431 one son (2) Isabella of Scotland Château d'Auray 30 October 1442 two daughter |
17 July 1450 Château de l'Hermine, Vannes, Morbihan aged 36 |
| Peter II the Simple (Pêr II) 1450–1457 |
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7 July 1418 Nantes second son of John V and Joan of France |
Françoise d'Amboise c. 1442 no issue |
22 September 1457 Nantes aged 39 |
| Arthur III the Justicier (Arzhur III) 1457–1458 |
 |
24 August 1393 Château de Suscinio, Vannes second son of John IV and Joan of Navarre |
(1) Margaret of Burgundy Dijon 10 October 1423 no issue (2) Joan of Albret Nérac 29 August 1442 no issue (3) Catherine of Luxembourg 2 July 1445 no issue |
26 December 1458 Nantes aged 65 |
| Francis II (Frañsez II) 1458–1488 |
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23 June 1433 Château de Clisson eldest son of Richard de Dreux, Count of Étampes and Marguerite d'Orléans, Countess of Vertus |
(1) Marguerite of Brittany Château de l'Hermine 16 November 1455 one son (2) Marguerite of Foix Château de Clisson 27 June 1474 two daughters |
9 September 1488 Couëron aged 55 |
| Anne (Anna) 1488–1514 |
 |
25 January 1477 Château de Nantes eldest daughter of Francis II and Margaret of Foix |
(1) Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor (by proxy) Rennes Cathedral 19 December 1490 no issue (2) Charles VIII of France Château de Langeais 19 December 1491 four children (3) Louis XII of France Château de Nantes 8 January 1499 four children |
9 January 1514 Château de Blois aged 36 |
House of Valois
| Name | Portrait | Birth | Marriage(s) | Death |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Claude (Klaoda) 1514–1524 with Francis (1514–1515) |
 |
14 October 1499 Romorantin-Lanthenay eldest daughter of Louis XII of France and Anne |
Francis I of France Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye 18 May 1514 eight children |
20 July 1524 Château de Blois aged 24 |
| Francis (Frañsez) 1514–1515 with Claude (1514–1515) |
 |
12 September 1494 Château de Cognac only son of Charles de Valois, Count of Angoulême and Louise of Savoy |
(1) Claude Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye 18 May 1514 eight children (2) Eleanor of Austria Abbaye de Veien 7 August 1530 no issue |
31 March 1547 Château de Rambouillet aged 52 |
| Francis III (Frañsez III) 1524–1536 |
 |
28 February 1518 Château d'Amboise eldest son of Francis I of France and Claude |
never married | 10 August 1536 Chateau de Tournon aged 18 |
| Henry (Herri) 1536–1547 |
 |
31 March 1519 Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye second son of Francis I of France and Claude |
Catherine de' Medici Marseille Cathedral 28 October 1533 ten children |
10 July 1559 Place des Vosges aged 40 |
As courtesy title
| Name | Portrait | Birth | Marriage(s) | Death |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Louis de France 1704–1705 |
 |
25 June 1704 Palace of Versailles eldest son of Louis, Duke of Burgundy and Marie-Adélaïde of Savoy |
never married | 13 April 1705 Palace of Versailles died before first birthday |
| Louis de France 1707–1712 |
.jpg.webp) |
8 January 1707 Palace of Versailles second son of Louis, Duke of Burgundy and Marie Adélaïde of Savoy |
never married | 18 February 1712 Palace of Versailles aged 5 |
| François de Bourbon 1973–1984 |
 |
22 November 1972 Madrid eldest son of Alfonso, Duke of Anjou and Cádiz and María del Carmen Martínez-Bordiú y Franco |
never married | 7 February 1984 Pamplona aged 11 |
Family tree
Family tree of the Rulers of Brittany from Nominoe, its first duke, to Henry II and the loss of the ducal title in 1547.
See also
- Brittany
- Château des ducs de Bretagne (Castle of the Dukes of Brittany)
- Duchy of Brittany
- List of Breton royal consorts
- Union of Brittany and France
References
- ↑ Le Patourel, John (1984). Jones, Michael (ed.). Feudal Empires: Norman and Plantagenet. The Hambledon Press. p. 241.
- 1 2 Jones, Michael (1988). The Creation of Brittany. The Hambledon Press. p. 4.
- ↑ Jones, Michael (1988). The Creation of Brittany. The Hambledon Press. p. 287.
- ↑ Pierre Riche, The Carolingians: A family who forged Europe, Transl. Michael Idomir Allen (University of Pennsylvania Press, 1993), 195.
External links
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