Alan III of Rennes (c. 997 – 1 October 1040) ( French: ''Alain III de Bretagne'') was

Count of Rennes The Count of Rennes was originally the ruler of the Romano- Frankish ''civitas'' of Rennes. From the middle of the ninth century these counts were Bretons with close ties to the Duchy of Brittany, which they often vied to rule. From 990 the Coun ...

and

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

, by right of succession from 1008 to his death.

Life

Alan was the son of Duke Geoffrey I and Hawise of Normandy.Detlev Schwennicke, '' Europäische Stammtafeln: Stammtafeln zur Geschichte der Europäischen Staaten'', Neue Folge, Band II (Verlag von J. A. Stargardt, Marburg, Germany, 1984) Tafel 75 Alan succeeded his father as Duke of Brittany in 1008. Because he was still a minor at his father's death, his mother acted as regent of Brittany while her brother

Richard II, Duke of Normandy Richard II (died 28 August 1026), called the Good (French: ''Le Bon''), was the duke of Normandy from 996 until 1026. Life Richard was the eldest surviving son and heir of Richard the Fearless and Gunnor. He succeeded his father as the ruler o ...

assumed guardianship over Brittany.

Marriage

In 1018 Alan married Bertha of Blois, daughter of Odo II, Count of Blois and his second wife Ermengarde of Auvergne.

Norman suzerainty

When Richard III, Duke of Normandy died in August 1026, his brother Robert I succeeded him. Alan apparently took advantage of the resulting turmoil to break free of Norman

suzerainty A suzerain (, from Old French "above" + "supreme, chief") is a person, state (polity)">state or polity who has supremacy and dominant influence over the foreign policy">polity.html" ;"title="state (polity)">state or polity">state (polity)">st ...

. In the early 1030s Robert I successfully attacked Dol and Alan's retaliatory raid on Avranches was repulsed causing continued raiding back and forth between them. Facing an invasion from Normandy via land and from Duke Robert's fleet, Robert, Archbishop of Rouen (uncle of Hawise and Richard II) mediated a truce between his two great-nephews at

Mont Saint-Michel Mont-Saint-Michel (; Norman: ''Mont Saint Miché''; ) is a tidal island and mainland commune in Normandy, France. The island lies approximately off France's north-western coast, at the mouth of the Couesnon River near Avranches and is i ...

where Alan swore fealty to his cousin Robert.

Guardian

When he left Normandy for the Holy Land Robert I, Duke of Normandy appointed his cousin, Alan III, to be a guardian of his young son

William William is a masculine given name of Germanic languages, Germanic origin. It became popular in England after the Norman Conquest, Norman conquest in 1066,All Things William"Meaning & Origin of the Name"/ref> and remained so throughout the Middle ...

.Among the guardians Duke Robert chose to watch over his son William were at least three family members. Alan III was probably selected as both a family member and one who would not expected to compete with young William. Gilbert, Count of Brionne was another grandson of Richard I who could be counted on for military support to aid William. Also the senior member of the family was Robert, Archbishop of Rouen who lent his powerful support to the young Duke William. See: Crouch, ''The Normans'' (2007). p. 60.Ordericus Vitalis, ''The Ecclesiastical History of England and Normandy'', Trans. Thomas Forester, Volume II (Henry G. Bohn, London, 1854), p. 161

Wars

Alan III also assisted Herbert I 'Wake-Dog' in his wars with Avesgaud, Bishop of Le Mans and was with the count in his attack on Avesgaud's

castle A castle is a type of fortification, fortified structure built during the Middle Ages predominantly by the nobility or royalty and by Military order (monastic society), military orders. Scholars usually consider a ''castle'' to be the private ...

at La Ferté-Bernard destroying the castle and causing Avesgaud to flee.Richard E. Barton, ''Lordship in the County of Maine, c. 890–1160'' (The Boydell Press, Woodbridge, 2004). pp. 47, 87

Protector

In 1037, upon the death of Robert, Archbishop of Rouen, the protection of young William was now left to Alan III and his cousin Gilbert, who tentatively held Normandy together. They appointed Mauger to the now vacant see of Rouen and his brother

as count of Arques, attempting to gain their support for Duke William.David Crouch, ''The Normans'' (Hambledon Continuum, New York, 2007), p. 61.

Death

On 1 October 1040, while besieging a rebel castle near

Vimoutiers Vimoutiers () is a Communes of France, commune in the Orne Departments of France, department in north-western France. The finish line of the Paris–Camembert bicycle race is Vimoutiers. Geography The commune is made up of the following collec ...

in Normandy, Alan III suddenly died. According to Orderic, he was poisoned by unnamed Normans.Not long after the last of young Duke William's three powerful guardians, Gilbert 'Crispin' Count of Brionne, was himself assassinated while riding with friends. See: Crouch, ''The Normans'' (2007), p. 61; and Cokayne, ''The Complete Peerage'' IV, pp. 308–9.Ordericus Vitalis, ''The Ecclesiastical History of England and Normandy'', Trans. Thomas Forester, Volume II (Henry G. Bohn, London, 1854), p. 74

Family

Alain and Bertha of Blois had: * Conan II, (d. 1066), succeeded his father. * Hawise of Brittany, who married Hoel of Cornouaille. After 14 May 1046 his widow Bertha married secondly Hugh IV, Count of Maine.

Notes

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Alan III, Duke Of Brittany 990s births 1040 deaths 10th-century Breton people 11th-century dukes of Brittany Dukes of Brittany Deaths by poisoning