Pierre I de Dreux, Duke of Brittany

PIERRE I "Mauclerc" Duke of Brittany

• PIERRE de Dreux, son of ROBERT [II] Comte de Dreux et de Braine & his second wife Yolande de Coucy ([1187]-at sea off Damietta end-May 1250, bur Braine, église abbatiale de Saint-Ived). The Chronicle of Alberic de Trois-Fontaines names (in order) "Henricum archiepiscopum Remensem et tres comites, Robertum de Brana, Petrum de Britannia, Iohannem Masticonesem et eorum sorores numero septem" as children of "comiti de Brana Roberto" and his wife Yolande[343]. He swore allegiance at Paris 27 Jan 1213 to Philippe II "Auguste" King of France as PIERRE I "Mauclerc" Duke of Brittany. Comte de Penthièvre by annexation 1214. He was created Earl of Richmond by Henry III King of England 16 Jan 1219 (confiscated Nov 1224, restored Oct 1229, confiscated again Jan 1235). “Johannes comes Matisconensis” names “frater meus P. comes Britannie” in a charter dated Aug 1234[344]. He surrendered the duchy of Brittany to his son in 1237, after which he is sometimes referred to as PIERRE de Braine. William of Tyre (Continuator) names "Pierre de Drues cuens de Bretaigne" among those who took part in the crusade from France which landed at Acre in 1239[345]. He accompanied King Louis IX on crusade in 1249 and was captured at Faraskur 6 Apr 1250, after being wounded at the battle of Mansurah. He died at sea on his return to western Europe.

Wives

• Married: firstly ([Mar 1213/Oct 1214]) ALIX de Thouars Dss of Brittany, daughter of GUY de Thouars & his second wife Constance Dss of Brittany ([1200]-21 Oct 1221, bur 24 Nov 1225 Villeneuve-les-Nantes, Abbaye de Notre-Dame). The Genealogia Comitum Richemundiæ names "Adelicia" as the daughter of "Constantia filia Conani" and her third husband "Guidoni de Thoarcio", stating that she married "domno Petro Mauclerc"[346]. The Chronicle of Alberic de Trois-Fontaines names "unam filiam Mabiliam" as the child of "Constantiam comitis Conani filia" and her [third] husband "Guido frater vicecomitem de Tuart"[347]. The Chronique de Guillaume de Nangis records that daughter of Guy de Thouars and Constance de Bretagne married "Pierre Mauclerc, fils de Robert comte de Dreux"[348]. A Chronicon Comitum Pictaviæ et Aquitaniæ Ducum names "Alipsam et Catherinam" as the two daughters of "Wido…comes de Thoarcio" and "Constantiam Gaufridi Ducis Britanniæ relictam", stating that Alix married "Petro Comiti Drocarum"[349]. The Chronicon Britannicum records the death "XII Kal Nov" in 1221 of "Aalis Ducissa Britanniæ"[350]. Betrothed (before 21 Jul 1229) to [MARIE] de Lusignan, daughter of HUGUES I King of Cyprus & his wife Alix of Jerusalem Ctss of Jaffa ([before 1215]-[1251/53]). A Papal prohibition on the marriage between "comes Britannie" and "filiam reginam Cypri", by reason of 4o consanguinity, is dated at Pérouse 21 Jul 1229[351]. It is not known which daughter was betrothed to the Duke of Brittany, but it is a reasonable assumption that it was Marie who was the older of the queen’s two daughters.
• Married: secondly ([1230]%29 NICOLE, daughter of --- (-Feb 1232, bur Villeneuve-les-Nantes, Abbaye de Notre-Dame). Her marriage is confirmed by an epitaph at Villeneuve which records the burial of "Nicolle, la mère monsour Olivier de Machecou"[352], read together with the charter dated 10 Mar 1258 under which "Jehan duc de Bretaigne conte de Richemont" confirmed an agreement between "Morice de Belle Ville, par raison de Jehanne sa femme, dame de la Roche sur Yon et de Luçon" and "Olivier nostre frère" concerning "la terre de Machecoul et de Saint Philbert"[353]. No indication has been found of Nicole’s parentage.
• Married thirdly (before Jan 1236) as her second husband, MARGUERITE de Montaigu Dame de Montaigu et de La Garnache [en Poitou], widow of HUGUES de Thouars Seigneur de Montaigu, daughter of --- ([1188/90]-after 27 Nov 1241). "Petrus dux Britanie, comes Richemundie, dominus Gasnapie et Margarita uxor eius" confirmed donations to the abbey Blanche de Noirmoutier by charter dated 1236[354]. The difficulties connected with identifying Marguerite’s correct parentage are discussed in the section showing the seigneurs de Montaigu in the document POITOU -WESTERN. "Margarita uxor…Petri de Brana, Montis Acuti et Gasnapie domina" confirmed the same donations to the abbey Blanche de Noirmoutier by charter dated 1239[355]. "Margarita domina Gasnapie, Montis Acuti et Machecolii" confirmed the donation of a marsh made to Buzay by "le curé de Bouin" by charter dated Jul 1239[356]. "Margarita Montis Acuti et Guasnapiæ domina et hæres" donated property to the abbey of Geneston, with the consent of "viro nostro Petro de Brana", by charter dated 27 Nov 1241[357]. A charter dated 27 Nov 1241, contained in a vidimus dated 6 May 1644, records that “Margarita Montis Acuti et Ganachiæ domina et heres” donated property to the hospital at Montaigu, with the consent of “viro nostro Petro de Brana”[358].

Duke Pierre I & his first wife ALIX de Thouars Dss of Brittany had three children

• 1. JEAN de Bretagne ([1217/18]-Château de l'Isle, Férel, Morbihan 8 Oct 1286, bur Prières, église abbatiale de Notre Dame). The Chronicon Ruyensis Cœnobii records the birth in 1217 of "Johannes filius Petri Comitis et Aelidis Comitissæ Britanniæ"[359]. The Chronicon Britannicum records the birth in 1218 of "Johannes, filius Petri Ducis Britanniæ"[360]. He succeeded on the abdication of his father in 1237 as JEAN I "le Roux" Duke of Brittany.
• 2. YOLANDE de Bretagne (in Brittany end 1218-château de Bouteville 10 Oct 1272, bur Villeneuve-les-Nantes, église abbatiale de Notre Dame). A letter of King Henry III dated 19 Oct 1226 confirms his betrothal to "Jolentam filiam Petri ducis Brittanniæ et comitis Richemundiæ"[361]. The Chronicon Turonense records the betrothal of "Rex Franciæ Joannem fratrem suum, puerum octennem" and "filiæ Petri Comitis Britanniæ", and the grant of the county of Anjou to him[362]. The marriage contract between “P. dux Britannie, comes Richemondie…Yolendi filie mee” and “Ludovicus, rex Francorum…Johannem fratrem suum” is dated 27 Mar [1226/27][363]. The Annals of Dunstable record the betrothal of “filiam comitis Britanniæ” and “rex Franciæ…fratri suo minori”, who received the county of Anjou, in 1227[364]. Her betrothal to Thibaut IV Comte de Champagne is confirmed by a letter from King Louis IX to Comte Thibaut, dated 1229, which states that the king had “entendu que vous avez convenancé et promis à prendre à femme la fille du Comte Pierre de Bretaigne” and forbade him from proceeding, adding “la raison pourquoi vous savez bien” (without providing any further explanation)[365]. The 1229 date (cited by Lobineau) is presumably incorrect, assuming that the date of death of Comte Thibaut´s second wife is correctly reported as 11 Jul 1231 as shown above. This suggested redating is confirmed by a letter from Pope Gregory IX to the archbishop of Bourges dated 24 Apr 1232 stating that “Campaniæ et Britanniæ comites” intended to arrange a marriage alliance prohibited by the degrees of consanguinity and forbidding the arrangement[366]. Dame de la Fère-en-Tardenois, de Chailly et de Longjumeau. Ctss de Penthièvre 1236, as her dowry. The Chronicon Britannicum records in 1236 that "Penthevria excepto Jugonio" was granted to “Hugoni filio comitis de Marchia” with “filia Petri comitis totius Britanniæ”[367]. Ctss de Porhoët, by grant of her brother. "Hugo Lebrun, filius comitis Marchie primogenitus, et dominus Lambalie et Hyolandis uxor sua" noted the end of the excommunication of "Guidonem de Argenteio dominum de Plancoit" in a charter dated 1246[368]. "Hugo Brunus comes Engolisme et domina Hiolendis uxor eius heres et domina Penthevrie" confirmed the donation to Lamballe made by “domini P. quondam ducis Britannie genitoris predicte Hiolendis uxoris nostre...domine Ælidis ducisse Britannie et comitisse Richem. genitricis predicte Hiolendis” by charter dated Jul 1247[369]. Regent of La Marche and Angoulême 1250-1256. Betrothed (before 19 Oct 1226) to HENRY III King of England, son of JOHN King of England & his second wife Isabelle Ctss d'Angoulême (Winchester Castle 1 Oct 1207-Palace of Westminster 16 Nov 1272, bur Westminster Abbey). Betrothed (Mar 1227) to JEAN de France Comte d'Anjou et du Maine, son of LOUIS VIII King of France & his wife Infanta doña Blanca de Castilla (Sep 1219-1232, bur Notre-Dame de Poissy). [370]Betrothed ([1231], terminated) to THIBAUT IV Comte de Champagne, son of THIBAUT III Comte de Champagne & his wife Infanta doña Blanca de Navarra (Pamplona 3 May 1201-Pamplona 8 Jul 1253, bur Pamplona). m (Jan 1236) HUGUES [XII] de Lusignan, son of HUGUES [XI] de Lusignan Comte de la Marche et d'Angoulême & his wife Isabelle Ctss d'Angoulême ([1221]-Damietta Apr 1250, bur Abbaye de la Couronne, Charente). He succeeded his father in 1250 as Seigneur de Lusignan, Comte de la Marche et d'Angoulême.
• 3. ARTHUR de Bretagne ([1220]-shortly after 1223). Lobineau records the birth in 1220 of “un second fils...Artur” but cites no primary source on which he bases this date[371]. The Chronicon Turonense records the betrothal in 1223 of "Arturo puero, filio Comitis Britanniæ" and "Amorricus de Credone, senescallus Andegaviæ, filiam unicam"[372]. Betrothed to JEANNE de Craon, daughter of AMAURY [I] Seigneur de Craon & his wife Jeanne des Roches. The Chronicon Turonense records the betrothal in 1223 of "Arturo puero, filio Comitis Britanniæ" and "Amorricus de Credone, senescallus Andegaviæ, filiam unicam"[373].

Duke Pierre & his second wife NICOLE had one child

• 4. OLIVIER [I] de Braine dit de Machecoul [1231/32]-1279, bur Villeneuve-lez-Nantes). His parentage is confirmed by the charter dated 10 Mar 1258 under which "Jehan duc de Bretaigne conte de Richemont" confirmed an agreement between "Morice de Belle Ville, par raison de Jehanne sa femme, dame de la Roche sur Yon et de Luçon" and "Olivier nostre frère" concerning "la terre de Machecoul et de Saint Philbert"[374]. The identity of his mother is confirmed by an epitaph at Villeneuve which records the burial of "Nicolle, la mère monsour Olivier de Machecou"[375]. [Seigneur de Machecoul.]

Source - Projects MedLands Dukes of BRITTANY http://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/BRITTANY.htm#PierreIdied1250MAlixDs...

Peter I, Duke of Brittany, From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Pierre Mauclerc (c. 1190– 6 July 1250), also known as Peter of Dreux or Pierre de Dreux, was duke of Brittany (in right of his wife) from 1213 to 1221, then regent of the duchy (for his minor son) from 1221 to 1237.

He was the second son of Robert II, Count of Dreux. The latter was in turn the son of Robert I of Dreux, a younger brother of Louis VII of France. Pierre was thus descended from the Capetian dynasty, and was a second cousin of Louis VIII of France.

Despite being of royal descent, as the younger son of a cadet branch Pierre's early prospects were that of a minor noble, with a few scattered fiefs in the Île-de-France and Champagne.

However, in 1212 King Philip II of France needed to find a weak and faithful ruler for Brittany. The duchy lay athwart the sea lanes between England and the English territories in Gascony. Furthermore it bordered on Anjou and Normandy, which the English had lost a decade or twelve before and were eager to recover. It was being ruled with less than a strong hand by Guy of Thouars, as regent for his young daughter Alix. Also worrisome was that Alix's older half-sister Eleanor, Fair Maid of Brittany was in an English prison.

And so King Philip broke off the betrothal of Alix and the Breton prince Henry of Penthièvre, and turned to his French cousin Pierre, then in his early twenties. Pierre married Alix, and on January 27, 1213, paid homage to the king for Brittany.

There is some ambiguity regarding whether Pierre should be considered duke or count of Brittany. King and Pope (and their courts) always addressed him as "count", but Pierre in his own charters used "duke".

In 1214 King John of England had assembled a formidable coalition against the French. He landed in Poitou while King Otto of Germany prepared to invade from the north. John chased off some French forces in the north of Poitou, and then moved to the southern edge of Brittany, opposite Nantes. Pierre drove him off after a brief skirmish but did nothing to hinder John's subsequent movement up the Loire valley where he took a few Breton fortresses and then besieged La Roche-aux-Moines. John's Poitivan vassals, however, refused to fight against a French force led by Prince Louis (later Louis VIII of France). Meanwhile, Otto's army was crushed at Bouvines, and the entire invasion foundered.

It is not clear why John attempted to capture Nantes/Naoned, even less why he would do so the hardest way, via the very well-defended bridge across the Loire. Nor is it clear why Pierre declined to harass his forces from the rear as John marched east. A likely explanation is that the two had come to some sort of agreement whereby John would leave Brittany alone for the moment, and in return the Bretons would not hinder him elsewhere.

John had a prize he could dangle in front of Pierre: the Earldom of Richmond. This great English honour (land) had traditionally been held by the dukes of Brittany, and in fact a constant theme in Pierre's political affairs was the desire to hold and retain the English revenues from Richmond.

Pierre did not yield to King John's offers to accept the earldom and take up the King's side in his conflicts with the English barons, probably because he deemed the King's prospects too uncertain. Moreover, Prince Louis was again fighting against the English. But when Louis was defeated, Pierre was sent as one of the negotiators for a peace treaty. After the negotiations were completed (in 1218), William Marshal, the regent for the young Henry III of England, recognized Pierre as Earl of Richmond. The center of the earldom's properties in Yorkshire was in the hands of the Earl of Chester, whom the regent could not afford to antagonize, but Pierre did receive the properties of the earldom outside of Yorkshire, which in fact generated the bulk of the earldom's income.

While the negotiations were slowly proceeding, Pierre turned his attention to his next goal. The authority of the dukes of Brittany had traditionally been weak, in comparison to the great peers of northern France. For example, the duke could not limit the building of castles by his counts. Nor did he have the right to guardianship of minor heirs of his vassals. Pierre aimed to re-establish his relationship with his vassals (or subjects) more along the lines of what he knew from the Capetian royal court.

To that end Peter simply declared new rules by fiat, and then faced the inevitable turmoil that resulted from the reaction of his barons. There followed a series of small civil wars and political maneuverings, but by 1223, the barons had all acquiesced to the changes or been dispossessed.

The six Breton bishops were the other threat to the ducal power, for they had substantial landholdings (including control of all or part of the few cities in Brittany), and were recalcitrant in the face of Pierre's attempts to raise revenues by increasing taxes or simply taking possession of episcopal holdings. For this he was excommunicated for a time in 1219–1221. Pierre submitted in the end, but this was not to be the last of his conflict with the bishops.

Pierre's wife Duchess Alix died on October 21, 1221, leaving behind four young children. She was then only 21, and little is known about her beyond the basic genealogical facts.

Her death meant that Pierre was no longer duke, although he continued to rule the Duchy with undiminished authority, as regent for his son John, then a boy of four or so.

Alix's death changed Pierre's goals in two ways. First, he aimed to acquire some additional territory, not part of the Duchy, to augment his retirement after his son came of age. Second, there was a strong tradition in France that a minor heir should, when coming of age, have his property in the state it was in when he inherited it. Thus Pierre could not now take some risks without fear of harming the prospects of his son.

Links

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_I,_Duke_of_Brittany
• and in French: http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pierre_Ier_de_Bretagne
• http://homepages.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cousin/html/p395.htm#i7808
• http://www.the-orb.net/textbooks/crusade/seventhcru.html
• http://thepeerage.com/p10680.htm#i106796

Sources

• Painter, Sidney. The Scourge of the Clergy: Peter of Dreux, Duke of Brittany. Oxford University Press: London, 1937
• Projects MedLands Dukes of BRITTANY - www.findagrave.com

Pierre de Dreux
BIRTH 1191
DEATH 6 Jul 1250 (aged 58–59)
BURIAL
L'église abbatiale Saint-Yved de Braine
Braine, Departement de l'Aisne, Picardie, France
MEMORIAL ID 79795612

Comte de Dreux, duc de Bretagne, dit le Mauclerc.

Family Members
Parents
Robert II de Dreux
1154–1218
Yolande de Coucy de Dreux
1170–1222

Spouses
Alix de Thouars
1201–1221
Nicole
unknown–1232

Siblings
Alix de Dreux de Vienne
unknown–1258
Robert III de Dreux
1185–1234
Yolande de Dreux
1196–1239
Jeanne de Dreux
1199–1275

Children
Jean de Bretagne
1217–1286
Yolande de Bretagne
1218–1272
Olivier de Machecoul
1229–1279

http://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/BRITTANY.htm#PierreIdied1250MAlixDs...