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A brief History of Brittany to 1341 From the early 3rd century, the Bretons fled both the problems of the land as well as the invasions of the Saxons. They left the British Isles to settle in Armorica and gave her her name - Brittany. The first saints came with them and they evangelized the new country ; they were namely : St. Corentin, St. Gwénolé, St. Ronan, St. Pol, St. Brieuc. Progressively the Breton language took over from the vernacular Latin. From the 7th century, the Franks tried to force the Bretons to submit to their power. The Bretons refused to bend under the yoke and to become the vassals of their powerful neighbours : they regularly overcame the domination of the Franks. In order to put a stop to these rebellions. Louis-le-Pieux, the king of France, appointed Nominoë as the first Duke of Brittany and the Chief of the Vannetais (824). Although Nominoë had been a loyal liege of Louis-le-Pieux during hid reign, he acted as an independent king as soon as the throne was acceded to Charles-le-Chauve. The armies of the Frank king were defeated at Ballon, near Redon (845), and the ambitious Nominoë, not settling for only one victory, went on to boldly conquer Rennes, Nantes, as well as the provinces of Maine and Anjou. The Breton territory had by now spread into Frank lands where the Breton language was not spoken. It is from these victories that the history of the Dukes of Brittany really begins. In order to gain even more freedom. Nominoë snatched Brittany from the archdiocese of Tours on which she was suffragan; he founded the archdiocese of Dol, in order to establish a self governing Breton church which could continue and support the traditions of the Bretons. Nominoë's successors, from Erispoë to Alain Barbetorte, vigorously applied themselves to the protection of the independence of the Dukedom from the Franks and Norsemen. Under the control of Duke Salaün (857-874), Brittany was even expanded as far as the Cotentin and Laval. In 1203, in order to stave off the ambitious English expansionism, the Breton bishops and barons chose a French prince from the "Capétiens" House as their duke : Pierre de Dreux, otherwise known as Pierre Mauclerc. On account of his origins, it might have been imagined Pierre de Dreux would devote himself only to the French interests. Actually, he acted in such a way as to protect the independence and the prosperity of Brittany from both England's and France's advances. Pierre de Dreux introduced the Ermine as the heraldic symbol of Brittany. Under his reign, Brittany enjoyed a long period of peace a century during, and asserted herself as an autonomous dukedom. Four dukes, Jean the lst, Jean the 2nd, Arthur the 2nd and Jean the 3rd succeeded the late Pierre de Dreux, until 1341. HISTORICAL INDEX IInd-VIth centuries : The Bretons settle in Armorica. 824 : Nominoë, lst duke of Brittany. 845 : Victory of Nominoë over Charles-le-Chauve, at Ballon. Beginning of the independence of Brittany. 939 : Alain Barbetorte, duke of Brittany. Consolidation of the borders. 1203-1341 : House of Dreux. The Ermine appears as the herald of Brittany. Period of prosperity. Five dukes : Pierre the lst; Jean the 1st; Jean the 2nd; Arthur the 2nd; Jean the 3rd. 1341-1365 : War of surccession between Jeanne de Penthièvre and Jean de Monfort. Victory of Monfort at Auray, 1364. Treaty of Guérande, 1365. 1365 : Jean the 4Lh, duke of Brittany. 1355-1488 : The Golden Age of Brittany. Prosperity and independence. Six dukes : Jean the 4th; Jean the 5th; François the 1st; Pierre the 2nd; Arthur the 3rd; François the 2nd. 1488 : Charles the 8th defeats François the 2nd at St. Aubin du Cormier. Treaty of Le Verger : submission of Brittany to France. 1491. : Anne of Brittany marries Charles the 8th. 1499 : Anne of Brittany marries Louis the 12th. 1511 : Duchess Anne dies. Hier heart is enshrined in Nantes. 1515 : Claude of Brittany, the wife of François the lst since 1506, becomes the queen of France. 1532 : Treaty of " Everlasting Union " between Brittany and France. 1675 : Rebellion of the "Red Carps" :Les Bonnets Rouges. 1718 : Conspiracy of Marquis de Pontcallek. 1789 : Suppression of the Parliament of Brittany. Brittany has no legal existence. She is divided into five "départements ". 1790-1804 : The " Chouan Rising " 1870 : Humiliation of the Army of Brittany confined at Conlie. 1932 : The Monument representing Duchess Anne kneeling to the king of France as token of submission, is blown up in Rennes, by the clandestine organization " Gwenn ha Du ". 1941 : The Vichy Government cuts the "département de Loire Atlantique" off Brittany. Dinan |