The status of Brittany 1066
The House of Roazhen
(Resnn, in Gallo)
The Roazhen dynasty ruled from Rennes Castle in the Gallo region of Brittany, having come to prominence in the mid 10th century.
By the early 11th century the Roazhen and Normandy houses were united by a double dynastic marriage: Jefrez I married Hawise of Normandy, sister of Richard II of Normandy, and Richard II of Normandy married Jefrez's sister Judit.
Despite this intermarriage, the traditional rivalry between Brittany and Normandy continued... with Richard II formulating a border policy that was continued by his successors in Normandy (Crouch, David "The Normans: a History of a dynasty", 2002) This policy included sponsoring rebellions against rival lords in Brittany, Anjou, Main, and the Vexin. In Brittany, this included sponsoring Euzon, Kont Penteur, (Eudes, Count of Penthièvre) in his bid to disinherit his nephew Konan. In Brittany this policy paid off, with a pro-Norman faction forming against Konan II when he came of age.
Konan II represented a threat to William of Normandy, as he represented the senior line of legitimate claimants to the Duchy of Normandy following Richard III’s death (Patterson, Benton, "Harold and William", 2001), through Hawise of Normandy. It was in William's interest to aid rebel counts like Euzon and Rivallion of Dol against Konan II.
During Konan’s minority ( c. 1040-1050 ) his paternal uncle Euzen ruled as regent of Brittany, and refused to give up his authority once Konan came of age in 1052. Euzen was married to Hoel of Cornwall's sister, Oanez Kerne ( Agnes of Cornwall ), and they were allied against Konan's inheritance. Once Konan captured Euzen Penteur in 1062 he had him chained and imprisoned, and Konan could claim the ducal throne.
With William of Normandy preparing for his invasion of England, he warned his traditional neighboring rivals not to invade Normandy. Normandy in 1066 was surrounded by allies or lords favorable to William (Brown, Allen “The Normans and the Norman Conquest”, 1969). William’s primary ally was with his father-in-law Baldwin, Duke of Flanders, who was also the guardian of King Phillip of France. (Brown, Allen “The Normans and the Norman Conquest”, 1969) In France neither a youthful King Phillip nor Geoffrey of Anjou was in a position to thwart William (Phillip’s father Henri died in 1060). Anjou was launched into a dynastic war from 1060, which allowed William to take Main from Anjou in 1063. (Brown, Allen “The Normans and the Norman Conquest”, 1969) Only Konan II offered resistance when he rebuffed William’s warning.
In 1064 William sponsored the rebellion of Rivallon of Dol against Konan II. Konan then laid siege to Dol, which occupied a stratigic position on the Breton side of the Breton-Norman border. William relieved the siege, defeating Konan II at a battle near Dinon, fifteen miles west overlooking the river Rance. After the battle, Konon II surrendered to William, but the terms of surrender were not recorded.
In the spring of 1066 Konan launched a campaign against Anjou in an attempt to take Angers. During the siege Konan died, with many pointing towards poisoned gloves. His gloves had been lathered in a concentrate of belladonna or henbane (Patterson, "Harold and William", page 93), and when he took his lunch with his poisioned hands he ingested the poison. (*always wash your hands! :rofl: )
Following Konan’s death, the pro-Norman faction had taken over Brittany, centered around Hoel of Cornwall, who had previously supported Euzon Penture. Hoel married Konan’s sister and heir, Hawiz, and ruled through her.
So, as of 1066:
Yes, Hoel was in control of Brittany, and of the pro-Norman faction. However, by 1076 Hoel would go to war against William I, now King of England. In a battle at the Breton border town of Dol in 1076 the combined armies of Hoel and Philip of France resoundly defeated William.
Later, Hoel and Hawiz's son Alan IV would also war against William of England and his heirs. Though in their defeat they were forced into dynastic intermarriages with the Angivin house.
For the set up, I think Hawiz should be made Duchess, and have a claim on the duchy of Normandy, as well as on Avarnches, and possibly Anjou and Main (However, I conceed that Hawiz probably did not exert any authority over her inheritance). These claims would be passed on to her son Alan.
edit: I conceed to Veld's point that in 1066 a pro-Norman faction was in control of Brittany (though they would not be so in 10 years).
However, I also think that England should be allied with the Duchy of Flanders, rather then with Brittany.
IMO, we should ally Brittany with France, to precipitate their 1076 alliance.