Conan I and the Reunification of Brittany (990)

In the spring of 990, Conan I, Count of Rennes, assumed the title of Duke of Brittany, following his successful attack on Nantes and the subsequent death of Count Alan. His rise to power marked the end of a period of fragmentation in Brittany, as he sought to unify the duchy under his rule.

The End of Fractured Rule

Brittany had endured a prolonged period of instability following the death of Drogo of Brittany, whose regency had governed the duchy. After his passing, Brittany fractured under the divided rule of his brothers:

• Hoël and Guerech controlled different regions, resulting in a brief vacancy in the ducal title.
• This political disunity weakened the duchy and left it vulnerable to external pressures.

Conan I emerged as the dominant Breton leader, but before he could secure the title of Duke, he had to ally himself with Odo I, Count of Blois, a powerful regional figure who helped consolidate his claim.

Marriage Alliance with Anjou

Long before assuming the title of Duke, Conan had reinforced his position through a dynastic marriage:

• In 973, he wed Ermengarde-Gerberga of Anjou, daughter of Geoffrey I, Count of Anjou, and Adele of Vermandois.
• This alliance with the House of Anjou bolstered Conan’s standing among the great feudal lords of northwestern France.

Religious Patronage and Land Grants

As Duke, Conan I extended land grants to religious institutions, strengthening ties with the powerful monastic orders. In a charter dated July 28, 990, he granted Villamée, Lillele, and Passille to Mont Saint-Michel—territories that would later become part of the seigneury of Fougères.

A More Unified Brittany

With his consolidation of power in 990, Conan I helped end the fractured rule that had plagued Brittany, asserting ducal authority over Rennes and Nantes. Though tensions among Breton nobles persisted, his reign marked the beginning of a more centralized rule in the duchy, setting the stage for future Bretons to assert their independence within the feudal order of medieval France.

Odo I of Blois: A Staunch Carolingian Loyalist in the Capetian Struggle (977–996)

Odo I, Count of Blois, was a powerful noble and a staunch supporter of the Carolingian cause, standing in opposition to Hugh Capet and the newly established Capetian dynasty. His alliances and military campaigns placed him at the center of the struggles for control over France and Brittany in the late 10th century.

Inheritance and Early Conflicts

• Odo inherited his father’s vast holdings in Blois, Chartres, Châteaudun, Tours, and Saumur after Theobald I's death around 977.
• Following his father’s war with Archbishop Odalric of Reims over the Castle of Coucy, Odo received the castle and held it as a fief of the archbishopric.

Expansion into Brittany and Rivalry with Conan I

• During the 970s, Odo extended his influence into Brittany, subjugating the County of Rennes.
• However, in 990, Conan I, newly established as Duke of Brittany, asserted his family’s ancestral rights in the region, challenging Odo’s dominance.

Alliance with Charles of Lorraine (988)

• Odo remained loyal to the Carolingians, aligning himself with Charles of Lorraine, the last legitimate Carolingian heir.
• In 988, he aided Charles in seizing Laon, a key stronghold in the battle against Hugh Capet.

Turning Against the Carolingians and Conflict with Hugh Capet (991–996)

By 991, however, Odo abandoned the Carolingian cause, likely recognizing the waning prospects of Charles of Lorraine.

• At Dreux, he withdrew his support for the Lorrainers, signaling a shift in his ambitions.
• Instead, he besieged Melun, a stronghold belonging to Bouchard the Venerable, a loyal vassal of Hugh Capet.

Hugh, responding to this direct challenge to his authority, assembled a powerful coalition:

• Richard I of Normandy, an early Capetian supporter.
• Fulk Nerra, Count of Anjou, a rival of Odo and a key ally of the Capetians.

Under pressure from this formidable alliance, Odo was forced to lift the siege, dealing a setback to his ambitions.

Legacy and Impact

Despite his initial support for the Carolingians, Odo ultimately acted in his own interests, shifting allegiances as needed. His involvement in Brittany, the wars of succession, and conflicts with the Capetians ensured that the House of Blois remained a major player in France’s feudal landscape. However, his failure to decisively challenge Hugh Capet reinforced the Capetians' consolidation of power, marking the beginning of a new era in French monarchy.

he Deposition of Arnulf and the Contested Appointment of Gerbert of Aurillac (991–996)

By 991, Hugh Capet had secured his dynasty’s future by making his son, Robert II, joint sovereign, ensuring a smooth Capetian succession. However, he still faced a lingering Carolingian threat, particularly from Charles of Lorraine and his nephew, Arnulf of Reims, both of whom had sought to restore Carolingian rule.

The Synod of Reims and the Deposition of Arnulf (June 991)

After capturing both Charles of Lorraine and Archbishop Arnulf, Hugh Capet sought to eliminate the Carolingian presence from ecclesiastical and political power.

• In June 991, he convened a synod at Reims, composed of loyal French bishops, to formalize his control over the archbishopric.
• The synod obediently deposed Arnulf, citing his betrayal in supporting Charles of Lorraine against the Capetians.
• To replace him, the bishops elected Gerbert of Aurillac, one of the most brilliant scholars of the age and a staunch supporter of the Capetian cause.

Rome’s Rejection and the Summoning of an Imperial Synod

Despite Hugh’s efforts, Gerbert’s appointment faced strong opposition:

• Pope John XV refused to recognize the legitimacy of the Reims synod, declaring that a French royal council lacked authority to depose an archbishop without papal approval.
• The pope called for a second synod, held outside of Capetian territory, in the imperial city of Aachen, to reconsider Arnulf’s case.
• When the French bishops refused to attend, Pope John XV summoned them to Rome, demanding an independent ruling on Arnulf’s deposition.

French Defiance and the Struggle Over Church Authority

The Capetian-aligned bishops declined to travel to Rome, citing unsettled conditions on the route and political instability in the city. Their refusal underscored the growing tensions between the papacy and the emerging Capetian monarchy, as Hugh Capet sought to assert greater royal control over the French Church, a pattern that would continue throughout the medieval period.

Legacy: The Rise of Gerbert and Capetian-Papal Tensions

• Though Gerbert of Aurillac remained in Reims for a time, his position was not universally accepted, forcing him to later align with the Ottonians in the Holy Roman Empire.
• Arnulf, though deposed, still had support from Rome, reflecting the ongoing struggle between the pope and secular rulers over ecclesiastical appointments.
• This conflict over Reims foreshadowed later investiture struggles, as monarchs sought to secure loyal clergy while the papacy insisted on supremacy in Church matters.

Though Hugh Capet succeeded in neutralizing the Carolingian threat, his defiance of papal authority set an early precedent for Capetian involvement in ecclesiastical affairs, a dynamic that would shape French monarchy-church relations for centuries.

The Battle of Conquereuil (June 27, 992): Fulk III of Anjou vs. Conan I of Brittany

The Battle of Conquereuil on June 27, 992, was a decisive confrontation between Fulk III of Anjou and Conan I of Brittany, part of the ongoing struggle between Anjou and Rennes for control over Brittany. The engagement, fought near Conquereuil, resulted in Conan’s death and marked a major victory for Fulk III, solidifying Angevin influence in the region.

Background: The Breton-Angevin Conflict

Fulk III, who had inherited Anjou in 987 at the age of seventeen, faced early challenges from the Counts of Rennes, who sought to expand their control over Nantes.

• Duke Conan I of Brittany, Fulk’s brother-in-law, had laid siege to Nantes, aiming to secure full control over the city.
• Learning of Fulk III’s march to relieve Nantes, Conan abandoned the siege and withdrew toward Rennes, preparing to face the Angevin forces in battle.

The Battle: A Tactical Standoff

Realizing that he could not outrun Fulk, Conan halted at Conquereuil and prepared the battlefield with strategic defenses:

• He dug concealed pits and ditches, flooding them with nearby swamp water and covering them with sod.
• He positioned his troops behind these earthworks, securing their flanks with natural swamps, creating a defensive trap for the Angevins.

When Fulk’s Angevin cavalry launched their attack, the Bretons feigned a retreat, luring them into the flooded pits. The Bretons then counterattacked, driving the Angevins back in disarray.

The Turning Point: The Death of Conan I

The battle’s outcome is disputed, with two main versions of Conan’s fate:

1. Fulk’s Counterattack and Conan’s Death

   • Although initially forced back, Fulk regrouped his forces and launched a second charge.
   • The renewed Angevin assault routed the Breton army, during which Conan I was slain, securing an Angevin victory.

2. The Fatal Pursuit

   • Another account suggests that Conan’s counterattack succeeded, pushing the Angevins into retreat.
   • During the pursuit, Conan, suffering from the heat of battle, removed his armor.
   • Angevin knights, hiding in a nearby wood, saw the unarmored duke, charged him, and killed him, turning the tide of battle.

Aftermath and Legacy

Regardless of the precise circumstances, Conan I’s death at Conquereuil marked a turning point in the Breton-Angevin struggle:

• Brittany fell into a period of political instability, as Conan’s son, Geoffrey I, succeeded him as Duke at a young age.
• Fulk III solidified Angevin dominance, expanding his influence over Brittany and cementing his reputation as a formidable ruler.

The Battle of Conquereuil remains one of the most significant engagements in the 10th-century wars of succession in France, shaping the regional balance of power for decades to come.

Fulk III Extends Angevin Power Over Maine and Touraine

Following his victory over Conan I of Brittany at the Battle of Conquereuil in 992, Fulk III of Anjou expanded his authority beyond Brittany, consolidating Angevin control over the strategically vital Counties of Maine and Touraine. His campaigns in these regions further solidified Anjou’s position as one of the dominant feudal powers in western France.

Expansion into Maine

• The County of Maine, situated between Anjou and Normandy, was a contested region between the Counts of Anjou and the Dukes of Normandy.
• Fulk III took advantage of regional instability and extended Angevin influence over Maine, making it semi-dependent on Anjou.
• Although Maine would remain a highly contested territory in later decades, Fulk’s intervention laid the groundwork for future Angevin dominance in the region.

Securing Touraine

• Touraine, a strategically important territory along the Loire River, was essential for controlling trade and military movements between Anjou, Poitou, and central France.
• Fulk asserted direct control over Touraine, strengthening his hold on the Loire Valley, which became the core of Angevin power.
• His rule in Touraine further challenged the influence of Blois, as the Counts of Blois had historically contested Angevin claims in the region.

The Rise of Anjou as a Regional Power

By securing Maine and Touraine, Fulk III transformed Anjou from a regional county into a rising feudal powerhouse. His conquests not only strengthened his personal domain but also set the stage for the future expansion of Angevin influence, which would later culminate in the Angevin Empire under his descendants.

The Final War of Odo I of Blois and His Death (994–996)

In 994, Odo I, Count of Blois, launched a final military campaign against Fulk III of Anjou, forming a powerful coalition of regional lords to challenge Angevin expansion. This conflict, part of the ongoing struggle for dominance in western France, saw Odo aligning with William IV of Aquitaine, Baldwin IV of Flanders, and even his former adversary, Richard I of Normandy.

The Alliance Against Fulk III of Anjou

• Odo had long opposed the rising power of Anjou, a rivalry exacerbated by Fulk III's conquests in Maine and Touraine.
• To counter Angevin ambitions, Odo secured alliances with William IV of Aquitaine (his brother-in-law), Baldwin IV of Flanders, and Richard I of Normandy, uniting some of the most influential feudal lords of France against a common foe.
• The war centered on control of the Loire Valley, a crucial region for trade and military movement.

The Siege of Langeais and Odo’s Death (995–996)

• In the winter of 995–996, Odo’s forces laid siege to Langeais, an important fortress controlled by Fulk III.
• However, during the prolonged campaign, Odo fell ill and was taken to the Monastery of Marmoutier in Tours, where he died on March 12, 996.

Aftermath and Legacy

• Odo’s death weakened the anti-Angevin alliance, allowing Fulk III to consolidate his dominance over Touraine and Maine.
• His passing also reshaped the balance of power in France, as his successors had to navigate a Capetian monarchy that was gaining strength under Robert II (r. 996–1031).
• The House of Blois, despite this setback, remained a formidable force, with Odo’s descendants continuing to compete with Anjou, Normandy, and the Capetians in the coming decades.

Odo I’s final campaign encapsulated the turbulent feudal rivalries of late 10th-century France, as ambitious counts and dukes vied for dominance in a rapidly shifting political landscape.