Hoël I of Brittany was an illegitimate son of Alan II and Judith. He was

Count of Nantes The counts of Nantes were originally the Frankish rulers of the Nantais under the Carolingians and eventually a capital city of the Duchy of Brittany. Their county served as a march against the Bretons of the Vannetais. Carolingian rulers would s ...

and

Duke of Brittany This is a list of rulers of the Duchy of Brittany. In different epochs the sovereigns of Brittany were kings, princes, and dukes. The Breton ruler was sometimes elected, sometimes attained the position by conquest or intrigue, or by hereditary r ...

from 960 to 981.

Life

Upon the death of Drogo, the government of Brittany splintered among the leading nobles. Evidence of a fractured leadership appeared in letters from Pope John XIII to Brittany who addressed "Juhel Béranger and his son Conan, as well as Hoël and his brother Guérech." In 975, Hoël I entered into a conflict with Conan I ''Le Tort'', the Count of Rennes, son of Juhel Béranger and the eventual Duke of Brittany after the rule of Hoël and his brother Guérech. Conan I controlled the north of Brittany and considered himself the ruler of Brittany. Hoël's army was supplemented by the troops of Geoffrey I of Anjou while Conan I's army was supported by the forces of the House of Blois. A battle ensued at Conquereuil where Geoffrey defeated Conan I, although the military result of the battle was indecisive, as different results are recorded in the Chronicles of Nantes and Mont St Michel. In 981, Hoël I worked to have his brother Guérech elected Bishop of Nantes to replace Gauthier I who had died.

Family

The name of Hoël I's spouse is unknown. He had at least two known children: * Judicaël (c 979 - 1004) - he became Count of Nantes and was the father of Budic and Judith of Nantes * Hoël

Death

In 981, during Guérech's visit to the Metropolitan of Tours, who controlled all bishops in Brittany, Hoël I was assassinated by Galuron under the orders of Conan I. Guérech left his bishopric of Nantes before being consecrated Bishop and was elected Count of Nantes.

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Supplemental Reading

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Hoel 01, Duke of Brittany 981 deaths 10th-century dukes of Brittany Counts of Nantes Dukes of Brittany Year of birth unknown French murder victims Assassinated nobility