Alan IV, Duke of Brittany
Encyclopedia
Alan IV was Duke of Brittany
, from 1084 until his abdication in 1112. He was also Count of Nantes and Count of Rennes
. He was son of Hawise, Duchess of Brittany
and Duke Hoel II
. He was known as Alan Fergant, which in Breton
means "Alan the Strong". Through his father, he was of the Cornwall dynasty (Breton
: Kerne dynasty).
's support of rebels in Brittany against Alan's grandfather, Conan II
. To prevent further hostilities during his invasion of England, William I married his daughter Constance
to the new duke Alan in 1087. The marriage ceremonies may have taken place in Bayeux
in Normandy. William of Malmesbury
wrote that Constance was unpopular at the Breton court because of her "sever and conservative" manner. William of Malmesbury also alleged that Alan IV had Constance poisoned to death, but this remained unverified
However, Orderic Vitalis
wrote that as duchess Constance did all she could to further the welfare of the Bretons, who grieved deeply at her death in 1090.
In 1092 Alan IV donated property to the abbey of Redon
by charter, and by 1093 married Ermengarde of Anjou
, as a political alliance with Fulk IV of Anjou
to counter Anglo-Norman influence. With Ermengarde he had two sons, Geoffrey, who died young, and Conan
, and a daughter, Hawise (who married Count Baldwin VII of Flanders), who was possibly named after Alan's mother.
, leaving Ermengarde as his regent, and returned in 1101.
His illegitimate son was Brien FitzCount
.
Duke of Brittany
The Duchy of Brittany was a medieval tribal and feudal state covering the northwestern peninsula of Europe,bordered by the Alantic Ocean on the west and the English Channel to the north with less definitive borders of the Loire River to the south and Normandy to the east...
, from 1084 until his abdication in 1112. He was also Count of Nantes and Count of Rennes
Count of Rennes
The Count of Rennes was originally the ruler of the Romano-Frankish civitas of Rennes. From the middle of the ninth century these counts were Bretons with close ties to the Duchy of Brittany, which they often vied to rule. From 990 the Counts of Rennes were usually Dukes of Brittany...
. He was son of Hawise, Duchess of Brittany
Hawise, Duchess of Brittany
Hawise of Rennes was hereditary Duchess of Brittany from 1066 until her death.She was the second child and heiress of Alan III, Duke of Brittany by his wife Berthe de Blois, and as such, a member of the House of Rennes...
and Duke Hoel II
Hoel II, Duke of Brittany
Hoel II of Cornwall was count of Kernev , from 1058 as Hoel V, and after his marriage to Hawise, Duchess of Brittany, in 1066, he became duke of Brittany...
. He was known as Alan Fergant, which in Breton
Breton language
Breton is a Celtic language spoken in Brittany , France. Breton is a Brythonic language, descended from the Celtic British language brought from Great Britain to Armorica by migrating Britons during the Early Middle Ages. Like the other Brythonic languages, Welsh and Cornish, it is classified as...
means "Alan the Strong". Through his father, he was of the Cornwall dynasty (Breton
Breton language
Breton is a Celtic language spoken in Brittany , France. Breton is a Brythonic language, descended from the Celtic British language brought from Great Britain to Armorica by migrating Britons during the Early Middle Ages. Like the other Brythonic languages, Welsh and Cornish, it is classified as...
: Kerne dynasty).
Norman Conflict
A traditional rivalry between Brittany and Normandy continued at the close of the 11th century. The Breton-Norman war of 1064–1065 was the result of William I of EnglandWilliam I of England
William I , also known as William the Conqueror , was the first Norman King of England from Christmas 1066 until his death. He was also Duke of Normandy from 3 July 1035 until his death, under the name William II...
's support of rebels in Brittany against Alan's grandfather, Conan II
Conan II, Duke of Brittany
Conan II of Rennes was Duke of Brittany, from 1040 to his death. Conan was the eldest child and heir of Alan III, Duke of Brittany by his wife Berthe de Blois, and member of the House of Rennes...
. To prevent further hostilities during his invasion of England, William I married his daughter Constance
Constance of Normandy
Constance of Normandy was a daughter of William I of England and Matilda of Flanders, it was said she was the most highly gifted of all of the Conqueror's daughters. As she was favourite of her mother she was offered later in marriage to Alan IV of Brittany, the year being 1086...
to the new duke Alan in 1087. The marriage ceremonies may have taken place in Bayeux
Bayeux
Bayeux is a commune in the Calvados department in Normandy in northwestern France.Bayeux is the home of the Bayeux Tapestry, which depicts the events leading up to the Norman conquest of England.-Administration:Bayeux is a sub-prefecture of Calvados...
in Normandy. William of Malmesbury
William of Malmesbury
William of Malmesbury was the foremost English historian of the 12th century. C. Warren Hollister so ranks him among the most talented generation of writers of history since Bede, "a gifted historical scholar and an omnivorous reader, impressively well versed in the literature of classical,...
wrote that Constance was unpopular at the Breton court because of her "sever and conservative" manner. William of Malmesbury also alleged that Alan IV had Constance poisoned to death, but this remained unverified
However, Orderic Vitalis
Orderic Vitalis
Orderic Vitalis was an English chronicler of Norman ancestry who wrote one of the great contemporary chronicles of 11th and 12th century Normandy and Anglo-Norman England. The modern biographer of Henry I of England, C...
wrote that as duchess Constance did all she could to further the welfare of the Bretons, who grieved deeply at her death in 1090.
In 1092 Alan IV donated property to the abbey of Redon
Redon Abbey
Redon Abbey, or Abbey of Saint-Sauveur, Redon , in Redon in the present Ille-et-Vilaine, Brittany, France, is a former Benedictine abbey founded in 832 by Saint Conwoïon, at the point where the Oust flows into the Vilaine, on the border between Neustria and Brittany.-History:In 832 Ratwili, a local...
by charter, and by 1093 married Ermengarde of Anjou
Ermengarde of Anjou (d. 1146)
Ermengarde of Anjou was a member of the comital House of Anjou and by her two marriages was successively Duchess of Aquitaine and Brittany. Also, she was a patron of Fontevraud Abbey...
, as a political alliance with Fulk IV of Anjou
Fulk IV of Anjou
Fulk IV , called le Réchin, was the Count of Anjou from 1068 until his death. The nickname by which he is usually referred has no certain translation...
to counter Anglo-Norman influence. With Ermengarde he had two sons, Geoffrey, who died young, and Conan
Conan III, Duke of Brittany
Conan III of Cornwall or the Fat , was duke of Brittany, from 1112 to his death. He was son of Duke Alan IV and Ermengarde of Anjou....
, and a daughter, Hawise (who married Count Baldwin VII of Flanders), who was possibly named after Alan's mother.
Crusader
In 1098 Alan went on the First CrusadeFirst Crusade
The First Crusade was a military expedition by Western Christianity to regain the Holy Lands taken in the Muslim conquest of the Levant, ultimately resulting in the recapture of Jerusalem...
, leaving Ermengarde as his regent, and returned in 1101.
Abdication and Death
Alan IV abdicated in 1112, and he and Ermengarde were separated after this. The former Duke retired to the monastery of Redon, where he died in 1119.His illegitimate son was Brien FitzCount
Brien FitzCount
Brien FitzCount , held the lordships of Wallingford and Abergavenny, and was a staunch supporter of the Empress Matilda during the Anarchy of King Stephen's reign in England in the 1140s.- Illegitimate Birth :He was the illegitimate son of Alan IV, Duke of Brittany...
.
External links
- http://patp.us/genealogy/conq/richmond.aspx