Geoffrey I, Duke of Brittany

Template:Short description Template:Infobox royalty 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.Template:Efn

Life

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

When Geoffrey succeeded to Brittany he had several problems:

• Blois was encroaching on his territory,
• Vikings were threatening his shores, and
• He had to decide whether to accept the protection offered by Anjou.Template:Sfn

Norman alliance

In 996, at about the age of sixteen, Geoffrey entered into a dynastic alliance with Richard II, Duke of Normandy,Template:Sfn 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,Template:Sfn 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:

• Alan III of Brittany (997-1040)Template:Sfn
• Evenus (born c. 998, died after 1037)
• Odo, Count of Penthièvre (died 1079)Template:Sfn
• Adela, Abbess of Saint-GeorgesTemplate:Sfn

Death

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

See also

• Dukes of Brittany family tree