The Viscounty or County of Léon (Breton: Kontelezh Leon) was a feudal state in extreme western Brittany in the High Middle Ages. Though nominally a vassal of the sovereign duke of Brittany, Léon was functionally independent of any external controls until the viscounts came under attack by King Henry II of England. It thus became the focus of revolts and wars when Brittany was drawn into the Angevin empire.
Historical regions in Brittany
The history of Léon's early counts is obscure. The original viscounts of Léon were public officials appointed by the counts of Cornouaille, but by the mid-eleventh century they had usurped public authority in their province. Their ability to remain independent of both count and duke was likely due to their remoteness in the extremity of the Armorican peninsula. Unlike their Breton neighbours they did not participate in the Norman conquest of England in 1066.[1]Count Harvey II, however, did participate on the side of Stephen of Blois in the nineteen years of civil war in England called The Anarchy.
The viscounts also fought with the duke of Brittany in attempts to maintain their independence. Henry II had ordered Duke Conan IV of Brittany to march against Léon. Conan IV's son-in-law and eventual successor, Henry II's son, Geoffrey II, went to war against Viscount Guihomar IV of Léon. In the course of these wars most of the castles of the viscounts of Léon were razed and Guihomar's lands—his source of revenue—were significantly reduced. These conflict over authority in Léon continued down to the reign of John II.
In 1235 the subvassals of Léon and Penthièvre brought a series of complaints, the Communes petitiones Britonum, against the duke, Peter of Dreux, to King Louis IX of France.[2] They claimed that the viscounts of Léon had never theretofore been subject to the custody of or relief from the duke nor had they been required to seek permission for the construction of fortresses. They had always had the right of wreck, that is, a monopoly on shipwrecks and their cargoes on the coasts. They had the right to draw up testaments and to dispense with alms and make arrangements for debt-payment freely. The duke, they said, did not have a right to exact oaths of homage from the viscount's men and the viscount had the right of placitum spade ("pleas of the sword").[2] The right of wreck alone yielded 100,000 solidi per annum in revenues from a single rock on the treacherous coast, which an earlier viscount, Guihomar IV, had called his "most precious stone."
Guihomar V (died after 1216) controlled only a small portion of Leon; fought on the side of Duchess Constance and Duke Arthur I.
Conan I, (died before 1231) fought and was captured with Duke Arthur I; later attacked by Duke Peter I. Lost the Battle of Chateaubriant in 1222, a rebellion of Breton nobles, which established the authority of Duchess Alix and Duke Peter I.
Harvey III (c. 1239 - c. 1265), ceded the town, port and chateau of Brest to the duke of Brittany in 1240
Harvey IV (c. 1271 - c. 1298), sold much of the remaining riches of the viscounty
Amé, daughter of Harvey IV, sold all her rights and definitively renounced them in 1298; the line of the viscounts of Leon becomes extinct
Large portions of Viscounty held in the domain of the duke of Brittany (1179 - 1269)
Peter of Brittany (1269-1312), son of Duke John II granted the viscountship by his father- to settle his debts, Peter resold the viscountship to his brother Duke Arthur II of Brittany in 1293. The lordship (or "honour") of Leon passed to the House of Rohan in 1363. [a]
^Descendants of the House of Rohan used the title prince of Leon beginning 1530. The viscount of Leon was supposed to be a junior title to that of duke of Brittany. When Duchess Anne became queen of France, the House of Rohan asserted that the joining of the Breton ducal crown to the crown of France meant that the descendants of Leon were entitled to use the title prince. One modern day descendant asserts the use of the now self-granted courtesy title.
Sourcesedit
Everard, Judith A. Brittany and the Angevins: Province and Empire, 1158–1203. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2000. ISBN0-521-66071-8.
December 14, 2023
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The Viscounty or County of Leon Breton Kontelezh Leon was a feudal state in extreme western Brittany in the High Middle Ages Though nominally a vassal of the sovereign duke of Brittany Leon was functionally independent of any external controls until the viscounts came under attack by King Henry II of England It thus became the focus of revolts and wars when Brittany was drawn into the Angevin empire Historical regions in BrittanyThe history of Leon s early counts is obscure The original viscounts of Leon were public officials appointed by the counts of Cornouaille but by the mid eleventh century they had usurped public authority in their province Their ability to remain independent of both count and duke was likely due to their remoteness in the extremity of the Armorican peninsula Unlike their Breton neighbours they did not participate in the Norman conquest of England in 1066 1 Count Harvey II however did participate on the side of Stephen of Blois in the nineteen years of civil war in England called The Anarchy The viscounts also fought with the duke of Brittany in attempts to maintain their independence Henry II had ordered Duke Conan IV of Brittany to march against Leon Conan IV s son in law and eventual successor Henry II s son Geoffrey II went to war against Viscount Guihomar IV of Leon In the course of these wars most of the castles of the viscounts of Leon were razed and Guihomar s lands his source of revenue were significantly reduced These conflict over authority in Leon continued down to the reign of John II In 1235 the subvassals of Leon and Penthievre brought a series of complaints the Communes petitiones Britonum against the duke Peter of Dreux to King Louis IX of France 2 They claimed that the viscounts of Leon had never theretofore been subject to the custody of or relief from the duke nor had they been required to seek permission for the construction of fortresses They had always had the right of wreck that is a monopoly on shipwrecks and their cargoes on the coasts They had the right to draw up testaments and to dispense with alms and make arrangements for debt payment freely The duke they said did not have a right to exact oaths of homage from the viscount s men and the viscount had the right of placitum spade pleas of the sword 2 The right of wreck alone yielded 100 000 solidi per annum in revenues from a single rock on the treacherous coast which an earlier viscount Guihomar IV had called his most precious stone Panorama of Brest from the pont de Recouvrance of the Chateau de Brest and the Tour Tanguy The Chateau was ceded by the Viscount of Leon to the Duke of BrittanyThe territory of Leon was preserved in the Bishopric of Leon It is now part of the department of Finistere One place within the former viscounty that continues to preserve many examples of medieval architecture such as the church of Notre Dame du Kreisker is the town of Saint Pol de Leon Contents 1 List of viscounts 2 References 3 Notes 4 SourcesList of viscounts editEven a semi legendary nobleman who lived c 900 Maybe Alan I of Leon father of Guihomar I Guihomar I fl c 1021 1055 Morvan fl c 1050 According to French historian Joelle Quaghebeur Morvan was not a viscount of Leon but a nobleman from Cornouaille Alan II of Leon son of Guihomar Ehuarn fl c 1066 1084 Morvan s son Likewise Joelle Quaghebeur thinks Ehuarn was not a viscount of Leon but a nobleman from Cornouaille Guihomar II died 1103 who is said to have been Guihomar I s grandson Harvey I died after 1128 Guihomar III died c 1157 Harvey II died c 1168 Guihomar IV died 1179 Guihomar V died after 1216 controlled only a small portion of Leon fought on the side of Duchess Constance and Duke Arthur I Conan I died before 1231 fought and was captured with Duke Arthur I later attacked by Duke Peter I Lost the Battle of Chateaubriant in 1222 a rebellion of Breton nobles which established the authority of Duchess Alix and Duke Peter I Guihomar VI died c 1239 rebelled against Duke John I in 1237 Harvey III c 1239 c 1265 ceded the town port and chateau of Brest to the duke of Brittany in 1240 Harvey IV c 1271 c 1298 sold much of the remaining riches of the viscounty Ame daughter of Harvey IV sold all her rights and definitively renounced them in 1298 the line of the viscounts of Leon becomes extinct Large portions of Viscounty held in the domain of the duke of Brittany 1179 1269 Peter of Brittany 1269 1312 son of Duke John II granted the viscountship by his father to settle his debts Peter resold the viscountship to his brother Duke Arthur II of Brittany in 1293 The lordship or honour of Leon passed to the House of Rohan in 1363 a References edit Everard 16 a b Everard 18 Notes edit Descendants of the House of Rohan used the title prince of Leon beginning 1530 The viscount of Leon was supposed to be a junior title to that of duke of Brittany When Duchess Anne became queen of France the House of Rohan asserted that the joining of the Breton ducal crown to the crown of France meant that the descendants of Leon were entitled to use the title prince One modern day descendant asserts the use of the now self granted courtesy title Sources editEverard Judith A Brittany and the Angevins Province and Empire 1158 1203 Cambridge Cambridge University Press 2000 ISBN 0 521 66071 8 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Viscounty of Leon amp oldid 1082819585, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
