Geoffrey I, Duke of Brittany explained

Geoffrey I
Spouse:Hawise
Issue:Alan III, Duke of Brittany
Odo, Count of Penthièvre
House:House of Rennes
Father:Conan I, Duke of Brittany
Mother:Ermengarde-Gerberga of Anjou
Birth Date:c. 980
Birth Place:Rennes, County of Rennes, Duchy of Brittany
Death Date:20 November 1008
Death Place:Nantes, Loire-Atlantique, Pays de la Loire, France
Burial Place:Brittany

Geoffrey I (c. 980  - 20 November 1008), also known as Geoffrey of Rennes and Geoffrey Berengar, was Duke of Brittany from 992 until his death, and also Count of Rennes (ruler of the Romano-Frankish civitas of Rennes) by right of succession. The eldest son of Duke Conan I of Brittany, he assumed the title of Duke of Brittany upon his father's death in 992. Brittany had long been an independent state, but he had little control over much of Lower Brittany.

Life

Geoffrey was the son of Duke Conan I, by his marriage to Ermengarde-Gerberga of Anjou. He was the grandson of Judicael Berengar, Count of Rennes.

When Geoffrey succeeded to Brittany he had several problems:

Norman alliance

In 996, at about the age of sixteen, Geoffrey entered into a dynastic alliance with Richard II, Duke of Normandy, with a diplomatic double marriage between the two houses. The church-sanctioned marriage ceremonies were held at Mont Saint-Michel, on the Breton-Norman border, and while Geoffrey married Hawise of Normandy, daughter of Richard I of Normandy and sister of Richard II. Richard married Judith of Brittany, Geoffrey's sister.

Geoffrey and Hawise had four children:

Death

Geoffrey died on 20 November 1008 while travelling on a pilgrimage to Rome.

Sources

See also