The Battle of Jengland (851): Erispoe's Victory…

Paulicianism, revived in the early ninth century, had expanded into Cilicia and Asia Minor under Sergius (Tychicus), who had made it strong enough to survive the persecution and massacre instigated by Emperor Michael III and his mother, the empress Theodora, in 843-844.

Ordoño I: The First Hereditary King of Asturias

On January 1, 850, Ordoño I succeeds his father, Ramiro I, as King of Asturias. Unlike his predecessors, who were elected by the Asturian nobility, Ordoño ascends the throne as his father’s heir, making him the first Asturian king to inherit the crown without election.

Early Challenges: The Basque Rebellion and the Banu Qasi

Ordoño’s reign begins with immediate military challenges. His first confrontation is with the Basques, who rebel with the support of the Banu Qasi of Zaragoza, a powerful Muslim dynasty of Muladi origin that frequently shifted alliances between Christians and the Emirate of Córdoba.

Ordoño marches against the rebels and successfully defeats them, restoring control over the region.

Victory Against the Moors at the Ebro

While returning to Oviedo after his victory, Ordoño receives urgent news of an impending Moorish attack on Vardulia (part of modern Castile). Rather than waiting for the enemy to strike, Ordoño intercepts the Muslim forces near the Ebro River and decisively defeats them, securing his realm’s northern frontier.

These early military successes solidify Ordoño’s rule and mark the continuation of Asturian resistance against both Muslim incursions and internal uprisings.

Canterbury has suffered great loss of life during Danish raids in 842 and 851.

Danish Vikings, having wintered on Thanet Island in the Thames, had routed the Mercians.

Æthelwulf of Wessex defeats them, through this victory gaining primacy among the Anglo-Saxon heptarchy.

García Íñiguez, the son of Íñigo Arista, the first king of a Basque dynasty ruling in Pamplona, had been educated in Córdoba, as a guest at the court of the Emir of Córdoba.

When his father was stricken by paralysis in 842, García had become regent of the kingdom (or perhaps co-regent with his uncle Fortún Íñiguez).

He and his kinsman Mūsā ibn Mūsā ibn Fortún of the Banu Qasi had rebelled against the Cordoban emir in 843.

This rebellion had been put down by Emir Abd ar-Rahman II, who had attacked the Kingdom of Pamplona, defeating García badly and killing Fortún.

At his father's death in 851/2 (237 A.H.), he succeeds to the crown.

The Final Campaign of Nominoe and His Death (851): The Founding of Breton Sovereignty

By 851, Nominoe, having successfully expelled Frankish forces from Brittany, embarks on a campaign of territorial expansion into Neustria, striking deep into Frankish heartlands. His rule marks the first true assertion of Breton autonomy, setting the precedent for an independent Brittany.

The Fall of Frankish Garrisons and the Ravaging of Le Mans

• The Frankish garrisons in Rennes and Nantes, installed by Charles the Bald in 850, capitulate to Nominoe in 851.
• With Brittany free of Frankish military presence, Nominoe turns eastward, launching raids into Neustria, particularly targeting Le Mans, which he ravages.
• His campaign demonstrates Breton military strength, taking the fight beyond Brittany’s borders into the heart of West Francia.

Nominoe’s Final Ambition and Sudden Death

• Encouraged by his previous victories, Nominoe plans to advance even further, setting his sights on Chartres, a major Frankish stronghold.
• However, while continuing his campaign in Nantais and Anjou, he dies unexpectedly near Vendôme on March 7, 851.
• He is buried at Redon Abbey, an important monastic center that had benefited from his patronage.

The Succession of Erispoe and the Breton Legacy

• Nominoe is succeeded by his son, Erispoe, who continues his father’s policies of military expansion and resistance to Frankish control.
• Though Nominoe’s own administration did not mimic Carolingian court structures, his successors will adopt Carolingian-style charters, using their language and symbols of legitimacy to solidify Breton rule.

Nominoe’s Legacy: The Founder of Breton Independence

• Nominoe establishes a political tradition of Breton sovereignty, creating a unified Brittany for the first time.
• His military campaigns prove that Brittany is no longer a vassal state of West Francia, but an independent power capable of rivaling the Carolingians.
• His rule lays the foundation for the later Duchy of Brittany, ensuring that the region will resist full Frankish integration for centuries to come.

Though Nominoe dies before achieving his full ambitions, his reign marks the birth of an independent Breton state, altering the political landscape of medieval Western Europe.

The Treaty of Angers (851): The Recognition of the Kingdom of Brittany

Following Erispoe’s decisive victory over Charles the Bald at the Battle of Jengland (851), the relationship between the Franks and the Bretons is permanently redefined. Recognizing his inability to subjugate Brittany by force, Charles meets Erispoe at Angers in September 851 to formalize a peace settlement.

The Terms of the Treaty of Angers (851)

1. Recognition of Erispoe as "King of Brittany"

   • Erispoe formally submits to Charles as Emperor, acknowledging nominal Carolingian overlordship.
   • In return, Charles grants him the title of "rex" (king), elevating Erispoe’s status beyond that of a mere duke or regional leader.
   • This allows Erispoe to rule Brittany as a recognized sovereign, even though he remains, in principle, a vassal of the Carolingians.

2. Expansion of Brittany’s Borders

   • Charles cedes the former Breton March to Erispoe, including:
     • Rennes
     • Nantes
     • Pays de Retz
   • These territories, previously controlled by the Franks as a buffer zone, are now fully integrated into Brittany.
   • For the first time, Brittany incorporates a significant non-Breton population, composed of Gallo-Roman and Romano-Frankish peoples, marking a shift in its political and cultural composition.

3. The Stabilization of Franco-Breton Relations

   • The treaty sets the limits of historic Brittany, essentially defining the borders of the medieval Duchy of Brittany and the later French province of Brittany.
   • While later Breton rulers will attempt further expansion, their ability to hold additional lands proves difficult, as the treaty establishes a stable equilibrium between the two realms.
   • By securing political recognition, Erispoe ensures that Brittany is no longer viewed as a rebellious province, but rather as a legitimate kingdom within the Frankish sphere.

The Long-Term Impact of the Treaty of Angers

• Breton Sovereignty is Secured → Though technically a vassal state, Brittany now operates as an independent kingdom, setting a precedent for later Breton rulers.
• Franco-Breton Peace Enables Defense Against the Vikings → With Franco-Breton relations stabilized, the Bretons can now focus on defending their land from Norse incursions, which will become a major threat in the coming decades.
• Defines the Borders of Brittany for Centuries → The treaty essentially establishes Brittany's medieval borders, ensuring that its territorial core remains distinct even as its rulers occasionally expand or lose lands.

The Treaty of Angers (851) marks a turning point in Franco-Breton relations, as it not only ends decades of conflict but also formally establishes Brittany as a political entity, separate from direct Carolingian control. While future Breton rulers will face internal and external challenges, this agreement cements Brittany’s place in medieval Europe as a kingdom in its own right.