Pascwethen de Vannes, duc de Bretagne

Pasquitan, Duke of Brittany

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Pasquitan, Pascweten, or Paskwezhen (died 876) was the Count of Vannes and a claimant to the Duchy of Brittany. He was a son of Ridoredh of Vannes, a prominent and wealthy aristocrat first associated with the court of Erispoe in the 850s. He owned vast landed estates and salt works (as at Guérande) in southeastern Brittany and was a patron of Redon abbey.[1]

Pascweten was a son-in-law of Salomon, Duke of Brittany, in August 867, when he negotiated a lasting peace at Compiègne with Charles the Bald on behalf of his father-in-law and prevented the king from marching on Brittany.[2] Pascweten swore an oath of fidelity to Charles on Salomon's behalf.

In 874 Pascweten, Wrhwant, and Wigo, son of Riwallon, Count of Cornouaille, conspired against Salomon and assassianted him, but since each hailed from a different regional party, they soon found themselves at odds with Salomon gone. Pascweten and Wrhwant fought over the succession to Breton rule for the next two years. They divided the country between them, though Regino of Prüm records that the latter received a larger share. By mid 876 both were dead and Pascweten's brother, Alan the Great, had succeeded him in Vannes and carried on the fight against Judicael of Cornouaille.[3]

Medlands entry about Pascwethen (Pasquitan)

PASCWETHEN [Pasquitan] (-[876]). Comte de Vannes. "Pascuueten" donated property "de sua hereditate in Bene, quæ dicitur Rancaruuan" to the abbey of Redon by charter dated 17 Jun 862[65]. "Pascuueten comes provintie Brouueroch" witnessed a charter dated 22 May 865[66]. The Annales Bertiniani name "Paswithen gener Salamonis" when recording that he negotiated peace with Charles II "le Chauve" King of the West Franks at Compiègne in early Aug 867[67]. "…Riuuelen comes, Pascuethen comes, Bran comes…Jedecael princeps Poucher…Moruuethen comes…Riuallon et Guigon filii Salomonis…" witnessed the charter dated 9 Jul 871 relating to a dispute involving the abbey of Redon[68]. Regino records that "Pasquitano et Vurfando" killed "Salomon rex Brittonum" in 874, specifying that they divided the kingdom between them although Pascwethen received the larger share[69]. He succeeded his father-in-law in 874 as joint Duke of Brittany, ruling jointly with Gurwent, son-in-law of Erispoë. He sought Viking help against his co-ruler, but they were both deposed in 876 and succeeded by Pascwethen's brother Alain Comte de Vannes and Judicaël, Gurwent's son[70]. m PROSTLON de Bretagne, daughter of SALOMON Duke of Brittany & his wife [Gynebret] --- (-before 8 Jan 876). "Pacuueten princeps" donated property to the abbey of Redon "post mortem uxoris sue Prostlon" by charter dated 8 Jan 876[71]. Her parentage and marriage is confirmed by the Annales Bertiniani which name "Paswithen gener Salamonis" when recording that he negotiated peace with Charles II "le Chauve" King of the West Franks at Compiègne in early Aug 867[72].