Page 46 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Brittany

44  INTRODUCING BRIT T AN Y

William the Conqueror takes Dinan, a scene from the Bayeux Tapestry
The Norman Invasions absorbed into the Anglo-Angevin
From the end of the 8th century, the raids led king dom of the Plantagenets. Victorious
by the Normans, from Scandinavia, became at the Battle of Hastings in 1066, William
more frequent. Sailing up Brittany’s coastal the Conqueror had unified Normandy and
inlets and estuaries, they ransacked towns England. His successor, Henry Plantagenet,
and monasteries, bringing terror to the land. was also Count of Anjou. In 1156, he took
Nantes was sacked in 843. Entire monastic Conan IV, Count of Brittany, under his
communuties fled east, tak ing with them protection; Conan’s daughter Cons tance
the relics of saints. After the murder of was to marry Geoffrey, son of the king
Salomon in 874, Brittany descended into of England and brother of Richard the
chaos. From around 930–40, a semblance Lionheart and John Lackland. In 1203, the
of order returned when King Alain latter murdered Geoffrey’s son, Arthur, and
Barbetorte regained Nantes in 937 and Brittany fell under the rule of the king of
defeated the Normans at Trans in 939. England. Philippe Auguste, king of France,
Settling in neighbouring Normandy, the then forced Alix, Arthur’s half-sister, to marry
invaders gradually ceased their raiding a French prince, Pierre de Dreux, (Pierre
activities, although they remained a Mauclerc). As a royal fiefdom,
dangerous presence. Brittany then came under the
direct control of the French
Feudal Brittany Crown. The Count of Brittany paid
From the mid-10th century to the obeisance to the king of France,
mid-14th, Brittany slowly evolved into pledging his loyalty and aid.
a feudal state, maintaining a fragile Despite these vicissitudes, a
independence from the kings of Breton state was forming. In
France and of England, both of 1297, Philip the Fair, king of
whom had designs on Brittany. France, made the fief dom a
In the 12th century, Brittany, now vassal-duchy, and a ducal
a county, narrowly avoided being Henry II Plantagenet gov ernment was set up.

William the Conqueror
c. 900 The Norman c. 1000 The 1066 Led by William the Conqueror,
invasion. Monks feudal system many Bretons take part in the
flee Brittany is established Norman Conquest of England
900 950 1000 1050 1100
937 Alain Barbetorte 11th century Many
reconquers Brittany, castles are built
expelling the Normans and small towns
estab lished
Château de Vitré

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