Geoffrey I, Duke of Brittany

Map of Brittany in France

Geoffrey I of Rennes (980 – November 20, 1008) was the Count of Rennes, by right of succession, and from 992 he assumed the title Duke of Brittany^a until his death.

Life

Geoffrey was the oldest son of Duke Conan I and Ermengarde-Gerberga of Anjou.¹

When Geoffrey succeeded to Brittany he had several problems: Blois was encroaching on his territory, Vikings were threatening his shores, and he had to decide whether to accept the protection offered by Anjou.² He chose to align himself with the Duke of Normandy,² marrying Hawise of Normandy, daughter of Richard I of Normandy in 996.³

Geoffrey died en route while on a pilgrimage to Rome 20 November 1008.⁴

Family

Geoffrey and Hawise had four children:

Alan III of Brittany (997-1040).¹
Evenus (c. 998 - aft. 1037).¹
Odo, Count of Penthièvre (d. 1079).¹
Adela, Abbess of St. Georges.⁵

Notes

^ Geoffrey, Count of Rennes, assumed the title Duke of Brittany in 992 but the title was never recognized by the French king at the time and was not formerly legitimized until 1213. By the time of Count Geoffrey's reign, his claim to suzerainty over all of Brittany was weak and he had virtually no control over western Brittany and Nantes. See: Medieval France: An Encyclopedia, ed. William W. Kibler (NY: Garland Pub., 1995), p. 148; The New international encyclopædia, Volume 3 (1918), p. 789.

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Detlev Schwennicke, Europäische Stammtafeln: Stammtafeln zur Geschichte der Europäischen Staaten, Neue Folge, Band II (Verlag von J. A. Stargardt, Marburg, Germany, 1984). Tafel 75
^ ^a ^b Francis Palgrave, The History of Normandy and of England, Vol. III (Macmillan & Co. London, 1864), p. 80
^ Detlev Schwennicke, Europäische Stammtafeln: Stammtafeln zur Geschichte der Europäischen Staaten, Neue Folge, Band II (Verlag von J. A. Stargardt, Marburg, Germany, 1984). Tafel 79
^ George Edward Cokayne, The Complete Peerage; or, A History of the House of Lords and All its Members from the Earliest Times, Vol. X, Ed. H. A. Doubleday, Geoffrey H. White, & Howard de Walden (The St. Catherine Press, Ltd., London, 1945), p. 779
^ George Edward Cokayne, The Complete Peerage; or, A History of the House of Lords and All its Members from the Earliest Times, Vol. X, Ed. H. A. Doubleday, Geoffrey H. White, & Howard de Walden (The St. Catherine Press, Ltd., London, 1945), p. 780

Geoffrey I, Duke of Brittany

Contents

Life

Family

Notes

References

See also