- Conan IV, Duke of Brittany
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Conan IV Duke of Brittany Reign 1156–1171 Predecessor Odo II & Bertha Successor Constance Spouse Margaret of Huntingdon Issue Constance House House of Penthièvre Father Alan, 1st Earl of Richmond Mother Bertha Born c. 1138 Died 20 February 1171 Burial Bégard Monastery Religion Roman Catholicism Conan IV of Penthièvre (1138 – February 20, 1171), (Breton: Konan V Penteur, and Konan Breizh) called "the Young", was duke of Brittany, from 1156 to his death.[1] 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.[1] 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.[1] 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.[1]
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.[1] 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.[2]
See also
- Dukes of Brittany family tree
References
- The Bretons, by Patrick Galliou and Michael Jones, Oxford, 1991, p. 191. ISBN 0-631-16406-5
French nobility Preceded by
BerthaDuke of Brittany
1156–1171Succeeded by
ConstanceEarly monarchs c.818–913House of Nantes 938–958House of Rennes 958–1072House of Cornouaille 1072–1156House of Penthièvre 1156–1194Conan IV (1156–1171) · Constance (1171–1194) · with Geoffrey II (1181–1186), · later Ranulph (1188–1194)House of Plantagenet 1194–1203Arthur I (1194–1203)House of Thouars 1203–1221House of Dreux 1221–1364House of Montfort 1341/65–1514John IV (1341-1345) · John V (1345/65-1399) · John VI (1399–1442) · Francis I (1442–1450) · Peter II (1450–1457) · Arthur III (1457–1458) · Francis II (1458–1488) · Anne (1488–1514) · with Charles II (1491–1498), · later Louis I (1499–1514)House of Valois 1514–1547Courtesy title 1547-presentThis Brittany-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.