Conan IV, Duke of Brittany
Encyclopedia
Conan IV of Penthièvre (Breton
: Konan V Penteur, and Konan Breizh) called "the Young", was duke of Brittany
, from 1156 to his death. He was son of Alan the Black, 1st Earl of Richmond
and Bertha of Brittany. He was his mother's heir as Duke Conan III
. From his father’s side, Conan was great great grandson of duke Geoffrey I
and great grandson of Odo of Brittany. Conan and his daughter Constance would be the only representatives of the Penthièvre dynasty of Brittany.
With the death of his mother Bertha in early 1156, Conan IV expected to inherit the ducal throne. However, he was denied his inheritance by his stepfather Odo II, who refused to let go over his authority. Eudas may have entered into a pact with Hoel, Count of Nantes, to divide Brittany between them. But Hoel was under threat of rebellion in Nantes, sponsored by Geoffrey VI, Count of Anjou
, and he could not send Eudas any aid. Within the year Conan IV was able to capture and imprison Eudas, and claim his inheritance.
By 1158, Geoffrey VI, Count of Anjou died and Conan seized Nantes, reuniting the Duchy once again. However, Geoffrey's brother, King Henry II of England
, responded by seizing the Earldom of Richmond
, Conan's paternal inheritance, and demanded the return of Nantes. Conan and Henry made peace, and Conan married Henry's cousin, Margaret of Huntingdon, in 1160. Margaret was daughter of Henry of Scotland, 3rd Earl of Huntingdon
and Ada de Warenne
, a daughter of William de Warenne, 2nd Earl of Surrey
and Elizabeth de Vermandois.
Conan faced several revolts from his own nobles, rebellions possibly covertly supported by England. To put down the unrest, the Duke appealed for help to Henry II, who, in return, demanded the betrothal of Conan’s only daughter and heiress Constance
to Henry's son Geoffrey Plantagenet
.
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...
: Konan V Penteur, and Konan Breizh) called "the Young", was duke of Brittany
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 1156 to his death. He was son of Alan the Black, 1st Earl of Richmond
Alan de Bretagne, 1st Earl of Richmond
Alan of Penthièvre of Brittany, 1st Earl of Cornwall, 1st Earl of Richmond , Breton Alan Penteur, also known as "Alan the Black", was a Breton noble who fought for Stephen of England...
and Bertha of Brittany. He was his mother's heir as Duke Conan III
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....
. From his father’s side, Conan was great great grandson of duke Geoffrey I
Geoffrey I, Duke of Brittany
Geoffrey I of Rennes was duke of Brittany, from 992 to his death. He was son of Duke Conan I and Ermengarde of Anjou, whose parents were Geoffrey I of Anjou and Adele of Meaux....
and great grandson of Odo of Brittany. Conan and his daughter Constance would be the only representatives of the Penthièvre dynasty of Brittany.
With the death of his mother Bertha in early 1156, Conan IV expected to inherit the ducal throne. However, he was denied his inheritance by his stepfather Odo II, who refused to let go over his authority. Eudas may have entered into a pact with Hoel, Count of Nantes, to divide Brittany between them. But Hoel was under threat of rebellion in Nantes, sponsored by Geoffrey VI, Count of Anjou
Geoffrey VI, Count of Anjou
Geoffrey VI was Count of Nantes from 1156 to 1158. He was also known as Geoffrey of Anjou and Geoffrey FitzEmpress. Born in Rouen, he was the second of the three sons of Geoffrey V, Count of Anjou and Empress Matilda...
, and he could not send Eudas any aid. Within the year Conan IV was able to capture and imprison Eudas, and claim his inheritance.
By 1158, Geoffrey VI, Count of Anjou died and Conan seized Nantes, reuniting the Duchy once again. However, Geoffrey's brother, King Henry II of England
Henry II of England
Henry II ruled as King of England , Count of Anjou, Count of Maine, Duke of Normandy, Duke of Aquitaine, Duke of Gascony, Count of Nantes, Lord of Ireland and, at various times, controlled parts of Wales, Scotland and western France. Henry, the great-grandson of William the Conqueror, was the...
, responded by seizing the Earldom of Richmond
Earl of Richmond
The now-extinct title of Earl of Richmond was created many times in the Peerage of England. The earldom of Richmond was held by various Bretons, Normans, the royal families of Plantagenet, Capet, Savoy, Tudor and Stuart.-History:...
, Conan's paternal inheritance, and demanded the return of Nantes. Conan and Henry made peace, and Conan married Henry's cousin, Margaret of Huntingdon, in 1160. Margaret was daughter of Henry of Scotland, 3rd Earl of Huntingdon
Henry of Scotland, 3rd Earl of Huntingdon
Henry of Scotland was a Prince of Scotland, heir-apparent to the Kingdom of Alba. He was also the 3rd Earl of Northumberland and the 3rd Earl of the Honour of Huntingdon and Northampton....
and Ada de Warenne
Ada de Warenne
Ada de Warenne was the Anglo-Norman wife of Henry of Scotland, Earl of Northumbria and Earl of Huntingdon. She was the daughter of William de Warenne, 2nd Earl of Surrey by Elizabeth of Vermandois, and a great-granddaughter of Henry I of France...
, a daughter of William de Warenne, 2nd Earl of Surrey
William de Warenne, 2nd Earl of Surrey
William de Warenne, 2nd Earl of Surrey was the son of William de Warenne, 1st Earl of Surrey and his first wife Gundred. He is more often referred to as Earl Warenne or Earl of Warenne than as Earl of Surrey....
and Elizabeth de Vermandois.
Conan faced several revolts from his own nobles, rebellions possibly covertly supported by England. To put down the unrest, the Duke appealed for help to Henry II, who, in return, demanded the betrothal of Conan’s only daughter and heiress Constance
Constance, Duchess of Brittany
Constance of Penthièvre was hereditary Duchess of Brittany between 1171 and 1196...
to Henry's son Geoffrey Plantagenet
Geoffrey II, Duke of Brittany
Geoffrey II, Duke of Brittany and Earl of Richmond was Duke of Brittany between 1181 and 1186, through his marriage with the heiress Constance. Geoffrey was the fourth son of King Henry II of England and Eleanor, Duchess of Aquitaine.-Family:He was a younger maternal half-brother of Marie de...
.