Geoffrey I Boterel
Encyclopedia
Geoffrey I Boterel was a Breton
noble and one of the leaders of the Breton Revolt. He was the son of Eudo of Penthièvre
, younger brother of Alan III of Brittany. Eudo had been loyal to his brother throughout his reign, but he subsequently spent many years trying to wrest ducal power in Brittany
from his nephew and ward, Conan II
(1040-66). Eudo was not finally defeated until 1057, but the loyalty of both Geoffrey Boterel and his nephew Geoffrey Grenonat
, count of Rennes
(1066-84), a natural son of Alan III, remained dubious until their respective deaths. Significantly neither Eudo of Penthièvre nor his eldest son Geoffrey I Boterel took part in the Norman conquest of England
. When Ralph of Gael fled from England
to Brittany
in 1076 Geoffrey Grenonat of Rennes was holding the castle of Dol against Duke Hoël
, together with Geoffrey I Boterel. Hoël and William the Conqueror jointly invested Dol, but the siege was raised by Philip I of France
and Fulk IV of Anjou
. Ralph of Gael probably joined the rebels, but the event has been seen as the result of William's support of Archbishop Juhel of Dol, a simoniac whose years of misrule had finally led to his deposition. However, his campaign ended in defeat and the rebellion was quelled.
Breton people
The Bretons are an ethnic group located in the region of Brittany in France. They trace much of their heritage to groups of Brythonic speakers who emigrated from southwestern Great Britain in waves from the 3rd to 6th century into the Armorican peninsula, subsequently named Brittany after them.The...
noble and one of the leaders of the Breton Revolt. He was the son of Eudo of Penthièvre
Eudo of Penthièvre
Eudo of Penthièvre was the brother of Alan III of Brittany . Eudo had been loyal to his brother throughout his reign, but he subsequently spent many years trying to wrest ducal power in Brittany from his nephew and ward, Conan II...
, younger brother of Alan III of Brittany. Eudo had been loyal to his brother throughout his reign, but he subsequently spent many years trying to wrest ducal power in Brittany
Brittany
Brittany is a cultural and administrative region in the north-west of France. Previously a kingdom and then a duchy, Brittany was united to the Kingdom of France in 1532 as a province. Brittany has also been referred to as Less, Lesser or Little Britain...
from his nephew and ward, 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...
(1040-66). Eudo was not finally defeated until 1057, but the loyalty of both Geoffrey Boterel and his nephew Geoffrey Grenonat
Geoffrey Grenonat
Geoffrey II Grenonat, Count of Rennes, married Bertha, daughter of Rivallon I of Dol and Aremburga de Puiset. Alongside Ralph of Gael, he revolted against Duke Hoel. Geoffrey played a commanding role in the Breton Revolt, in which he and several others planned to restore the authority of his uncle...
, 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...
(1066-84), a natural son of Alan III, remained dubious until their respective deaths. Significantly neither Eudo of Penthièvre nor his eldest son Geoffrey I Boterel took part in the Norman conquest of England
Norman conquest of England
The Norman conquest of England began on 28 September 1066 with the invasion of England by William, Duke of Normandy. William became known as William the Conqueror after his victory at the Battle of Hastings on 14 October 1066, defeating King Harold II of England...
. When Ralph of Gael fled from England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
to Brittany
Brittany
Brittany is a cultural and administrative region in the north-west of France. Previously a kingdom and then a duchy, Brittany was united to the Kingdom of France in 1532 as a province. Brittany has also been referred to as Less, Lesser or Little Britain...
in 1076 Geoffrey Grenonat of Rennes was holding the castle of Dol against Duke Hoël
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...
, together with Geoffrey I Boterel. Hoël and William the Conqueror jointly invested Dol, but the siege was raised by Philip I of France
Philip I of France
Philip I , called the Amorous, was King of France from 1060 to his death. His reign, like that of most of the early Direct Capetians, was extraordinarily long for the time...
and 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...
. Ralph of Gael probably joined the rebels, but the event has been seen as the result of William's support of Archbishop Juhel of Dol, a simoniac whose years of misrule had finally led to his deposition. However, his campaign ended in defeat and the rebellion was quelled.