The Lordship of Léon, later Principality of Léon was a former Bretonfief located in the Léon province, in north-western Brittany, which corresponds roughly to the French départementFinistère. This lordship was created after the Viscounty of Léon was divided into a viscounty and the lordship at the end of the 12th century. The lordship of Léon was a large fief made of about sixty parishes and trèves [fr]. The estates of the lordship are located around the valley of the Élorn river, the town of Landerneau and the castle of La Roche-Maurice. The lordship was initially held by the junior branch of the Viscounts of Léon, which was founded by Harvey I. After Harvey VIII died without issue, the fief was inherited by the Viscounts of Rohan. In the middle of the 16th century the fief became known as "Principality of Léon". Landerneau, Landivisiau, Daoulas, Coat-Méal, Penzé and La Roche-Maurice were the seats of the jurisdictions of this huge Breton lordship.
In the 12th century, the Viscounts of Léon rebelled against Henry II of England in order to escape Plantagenet's domination in the Duchy of Brittany. In 1179, after the death of Guihomar IV, who had submitted to the Ducal power not long before, Henry II of England confiscated the Léon estates. Following the confiscation of Morlaix by DukeGeoffrey Plantagenet, Guihomar IV's two sons Guihomar V et Harvey recovered their inheritance. Guihomar V got the castellanies of Lesneven, Brest, Saint-Renan and Le Conquet as well as the title of Viscount. Harvey got the estates of Landerneau and Daoudour, as well as the lordship of Coat-Méal. Being a juveigneur, i.e. a younger son endowed with an estate, Hervé had to content himself with the title of Lord of Léon and founded the junior branch of the House of Léon, which managed to keep his fief of La Roche-Maurice for 8 generations (from Harvey I to Harvey VIII).
Harvey II: his son, married Anne (?) of Hennebont. He died in 1218.
Harvey III: his son, married Margaret of Châteauneuf (younger daughter of Hugues IV de Châteauneuf, Lord of Châteauneuf-en-Thymerais and Senonches, and Eleanor of Dreux). He died c. 1241.[1]
Harvey IV: his son, married c. 1260 Matilda of Poissy, Lady of Noyon-sur-Andelle, Radepont, Hacqueville, Acquigny, died c. 1290 and was buried in the Abbey of Fontaine-Guérard.[2] In September 1281 he exchanged all his estated in Châteauneuf and Senonches with King Philip III the Bold. This part of the inheritance went to Louis of Valois, Count of Chartres, who had obtained the estate of Châteauneuf-en-Thymerais. When King Philip VI died childless in 1329, he gave his brother Charles II of Valois, Count of Alençon and Perche, a part of their brother's inheritance, and gave him in a charter dated May 1335 the lands of Châteauneuf-en-Thimerais, Senonches and Champrond among others.
Harvey VI: his son, died in 1337, married Joan of Montmorency.
Harvey VII: his son, died in 1344, married Margaret of Avaugour; Lord of Noyon-sur-Andelle.
Harvey VIII: his son, born in 1341, died in 1363. His birth certificate has been conserved: "In the Lord's year 1341, the Sunday after the transfer of Saint Martin, during the night, about two hours before sunrise, was born in La Roche-Morice, Harvey of Léon from parents belonging of the highest nobility. His father was My Lord Harvey of Léon and his mother was My Lady Margaret of Avaugour (…)".
During the War of the Breton Succession which started in 1341, the Lords of Léon supported Charles of Blois partly because of their links with the House of Avaugour. Harvey VII of Léon was captured by the English in 1342 and spent two years imprisoned in the Tower of London. He died in 1344 soon after he was released. The fief of La Roche-Maurice was inherited by his son Harvey VIII of Léon, then aged 3. A note in the Lords of Léon's Bible indicates that Harvey VIII was born in La Roche-Maurice in 1341. During the War of the Breton Succession, the situation became confused. The last Lord of Léon died without issue in 1363. The fief was inherited by John I, Viscount of Rohan through his marriage with Joan of Léon, Harvey VIII's sister.[3]
In 1363, Harvey VIII died without issue: the Lordship of Léon was inherited by his sister Joan, wife of John I of Rohan.[4] The Lordship became part of the estates held by the Rohans. From this time up to 1517, the Rohans' eldest sons would live in the castle of La Roche-Maurice and style themselves Lord of Léon before becoming Viscounts of Rohan.
^Seigneurs de Chateauneuf et Thymerais 2011-01-24 at the Wayback Machine, on racineshistoire.free.fr website, accessed 5 April 2013
^Genealogy of the Harveys of Léon, on tudchentil.org website, accessed 5 April 2013
^La Roche-Maurice et Landerneau 2013-11-05 at the Wayback Machine, Bulletin de la Société archéologique du Finistère, May 2011
^The Viscounts of Rohan sometimes styled themselves Viscounts of Léon
Sources
Patrick Kernévez et Robert le Roy, La seigneurie de Léon aux XVe-XVIe siècles, in Bulletin de la Société archéologique du Finistère, tome CXXXV, 2006, read online, p. 299-319.
March 17, 2023
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The Lordship of Leon later Principality of Leon was a former Breton fief located in the Leon province in north western Brittany which corresponds roughly to the French departement Finistere This lordship was created after the Viscounty of Leon was divided into a viscounty and the lordship at the end of the 12th century The lordship of Leon was a large fief made of about sixty parishes and treves fr The estates of the lordship are located around the valley of the Elorn river the town of Landerneau and the castle of La Roche Maurice The lordship was initially held by the junior branch of the Viscounts of Leon which was founded by Harvey I After Harvey VIII died without issue the fief was inherited by the Viscounts of Rohan In the middle of the 16th century the fief became known as Principality of Leon Landerneau Landivisiau Daoulas Coat Meal Penze and La Roche Maurice were the seats of the jurisdictions of this huge Breton lordship Arms of the House of Leon Contents 1 History 2 List of Lords and Princes of Leon 2 1 Lords of Leon 2 1 1 House of Leon 2 1 2 House of Rohan 2 2 Princes of Leon 3 See also 4 Footnotes 5 SourcesHistory EditIn the 12th century the Viscounts of Leon rebelled against Henry II of England in order to escape Plantagenet s domination in the Duchy of Brittany In 1179 after the death of Guihomar IV who had submitted to the Ducal power not long before Henry II of England confiscated the Leon estates Following the confiscation of Morlaix by Duke Geoffrey Plantagenet Guihomar IV s two sons Guihomar V et Harvey recovered their inheritance Guihomar V got the castellanies of Lesneven Brest Saint Renan and Le Conquet as well as the title of Viscount Harvey got the estates of Landerneau and Daoudour as well as the lordship of Coat Meal Being a juveigneur i e a younger son endowed with an estate Herve had to content himself with the title of Lord of Leon and founded the junior branch of the House of Leon which managed to keep his fief of La Roche Maurice for 8 generations from Harvey I to Harvey VIII List of Lords and Princes of Leon EditLords of Leon Edit House of Leon Edit Seal of Harvey IV Lord of Leon Harvey I younger son of Guihomar IV Viscount of Leon and his wife Nobilis died in July 1203 Harvey II his son married Anne of Hennebont He died in 1218 Harvey III his son married Margaret of Chateauneuf younger daughter of Hugues IV de Chateauneuf Lord of Chateauneuf en Thymerais and Senonches and Eleanor of Dreux He died c 1241 1 Harvey IV his son married c 1260 Matilda of Poissy Lady of Noyon sur Andelle Radepont Hacqueville Acquigny died c 1290 and was buried in the Abbey of Fontaine Guerard 2 In September 1281 he exchanged all his estated in Chateauneuf and Senonches with King Philip III the Bold This part of the inheritance went to Louis of Valois Count of Chartres who had obtained the estate of Chateauneuf en Thymerais When King Philip VI died childless in 1329 he gave his brother Charles II of Valois Count of Alencon and Perche a part of their brother s inheritance and gave him in a charter dated May 1335 the lands of Chateauneuf en Thimerais Senonches and Champrond among others Harvey V his son died in 1304 Harvey VI his son died in 1337 married Joan of Montmorency Harvey VII his son died in 1344 married Margaret of Avaugour Lord of Noyon sur Andelle Harvey VIII his son born in 1341 died in 1363 His birth certificate has been conserved In the Lord s year 1341 the Sunday after the transfer of Saint Martin during the night about two hours before sunrise was born in La Roche Morice Harvey of Leon from parents belonging of the highest nobility His father was My Lord Harvey of Leon and his mother was My Lady Margaret of Avaugour During the War of the Breton Succession which started in 1341 the Lords of Leon supported Charles of Blois partly because of their links with the House of Avaugour Harvey VII of Leon was captured by the English in 1342 and spent two years imprisoned in the Tower of London He died in 1344 soon after he was released The fief of La Roche Maurice was inherited by his son Harvey VIII of Leon then aged 3 A note in the Lords of Leon s Bible indicates that Harvey VIII was born in La Roche Maurice in 1341 During the War of the Breton Succession the situation became confused The last Lord of Leon died without issue in 1363 The fief was inherited by John I Viscount of Rohan through his marriage with Joan of Leon Harvey VIII s sister 3 In 1363 Harvey VIII died without issue the Lordship of Leon was inherited by his sister Joan wife of John I of Rohan 4 The Lordship became part of the estates held by the Rohans From this time up to 1517 the Rohans eldest sons would live in the castle of La Roche Maurice and style themselves Lord of Leon before becoming Viscounts of Rohan House of Rohan Edit Edward son of John I of Rohan died without issue Alan IX his nephew son of Alan VIII grandson of John I of Rohan died in 1462 John I his son died in 1517 James his son died in 1527 Anne his sister died in 1529 Rene I her son died in 1552 styled himself Prince of Leon towards 1530Princes of Leon Edit The Viscounts of Rohan later Dukes of Rohan styled themselves Prince of Leon in the early 16th century and the Lordship became Principality of Leon Arms of the House of Rohan Arms of the House of Rohan Chabot Rene I of Rohan died in 1552 styled himself Prince of Leon from c 1530 Henry I of Rohan his son Rene II Viscount of Rohan his brother Henry II his son Viscount and later Duke of Rohan Marguerite de Rohan his daughter Henri de Chabot her husband Louis I Duke of Rohan Chabot their son Louis II Duke of Rohan Chabot his son Louis Marie Bretagne Duke of Rohan Chabot his son Louis Antoine Duke of Rohan Chabot his first cousin Alexandre Louis Auguste Duke of Rohan Chabot his son Louis Francois Auguste Duke of Rohan Chabot his son became Cardinal after his wife died Fernand Duke of Rohan Chabot his brother Charles Duke of Rohan Chabot his son Alain Duke of Rohan Chabot his son Josselin Duke of Rohan Chabot his son Alain Louis Auguste Marie Duke of Rohan Chabot his son Josselin de Rohan his sonThe heir apparent is the present Duke Josselin de Rohan s son Alain Louis Marc de Rohan Chabot b 1975 See also EditViscounty of LeonFootnotes Edit Seigneurs de Chateauneuf et Thymerais Archived 2011 01 24 at the Wayback Machine on racineshistoire free fr website accessed 5 April 2013 Genealogy of the Harveys of Leon on tudchentil org website accessed 5 April 2013 La Roche Maurice et Landerneau Archived 2013 11 05 at the Wayback Machine Bulletin de la Societe archeologique du Finistere May 2011 The Viscounts of Rohan sometimes styled themselves Viscounts of LeonSources EditPatrick Kernevez et Robert le Roy La seigneurie de Leon aux XVe XVIe siecles in Bulletin de la Societe archeologique du Finistere tome CXXXV 2006 read online p 299 319 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Lordship of Leon amp oldid 1087781630, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
