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JJDESIGNS NEWS UPDATE 23rd NOVEMBER 2020
THE AGE OF ARTHUR
THE BATTLE OF HASTINGS 1066
THE BRETONS
The Bretons were originally from the ancient province of Brittany which lies in the northwest peninsula of France. Formerly known as Armorica, a possession of the Roman Empire, this land consists of a plateau with a deeply indented coastline, and is broken by hills in the west. The region was renamed Britannia Minor by the Romans, following the emigration of six thousand Britons across the English channel, an event which took place at the behest of the Roman commander in Britain.
Originally of Celtic stock, the Bretons were mainly composed of three tribes from Cornwall, and South Wales, who were known as the Veniti, the Curiovolitae, and the Asismii. Their leader , Prince Cowan of Powys was married to the sister of St. Patrick and was considered to have been the most ancient Christian king in Europe.
Following the fall of the Roman Empire, and subsequent invasion of Britain by the Angles and the Saxons during the 5[SUP]th[/SUP] and 6[SUP]th[/SUP] centuries, many more Britons fled their ancient home. Many settled in Brittany, where the race that came to be known as the Bretons flourished.
The Bretons constituted one third of the Norman forces at Hastings, and were to play a significant role in the Norman conquest of England.
The Bretons were led by Alan Rufus,(Alan The Red), and in the journey to meet the English at the battle site the Breton forces formed the vanguard, arriving a good half an hour before the rest of William’s army. In the actual battle formation the Bretons were positioned on the left wing of Williams army.
ALAN RUFUS
Alan Rufus (c. 1040 -1093) was a Breton nobleman, cousin and companion of William the Conqueror during the Norman conquest of England.
He was the second son of Eozen Penteur, a Count of Brittany, and an older maternal first cousin of Edward King of England.
During the Battle of Hastings, there is evidence that Alan Rufus led William’s Household Knights whilst Alan’s brother Breon led the left wing. This put Alan in the perfecr position to co-ordinate feints with his brother. Breon would draw the inexperienced Saxon fyrdmen forward, and the other would follow in behind and isolate the pursuing Saxons. This was a modification of tactics used by the Bretons for many years. An example being the Battle of Jengland AD851.
Several documents refer to Gyrth Godwinson, Harold’s younger brother and Earl of East Anglia, leading an assault on William’s position. William’s horse was cut down from under him, Gyrth seeing this moved to kill him, but someone stopped him, and Gyrth was killed instead. Without the experienced leadership of Gyrth at the front of the shield wall, and since Harold’s other younger brother Leofric Earl of Essex had already fallen, this probably proved decisive factor in the English defeat.
William’s chroniclers say he cut down Gyrth, but Domesday evidence tells us that one of William’s Breton allies rode to his rescue, either Ralph “the Staller”, or Alan Rufus.
Alan Rufus, and many of the Breton Knights were to be granted considerable land holdings by William the Conqueror in return for their services.
Rufus would receive land in Northern England and later he would build Richmond Castle. Many of Alan Rufus’s early acquisitions in England included many land titles that had been in the possession of King Harold’s wife Edith the Fair, including all but one of her holdings in Cambridgeshire.
By 1086 Alan had become one of the richest and most powerful men in England.
Unfortunately the Bretons will not be available until mid to late 2021.
Best wishes
john Jenkins
THE AGE OF ARTHUR
THE BATTLE OF HASTINGS 1066
THE BRETONS
The Bretons were originally from the ancient province of Brittany which lies in the northwest peninsula of France. Formerly known as Armorica, a possession of the Roman Empire, this land consists of a plateau with a deeply indented coastline, and is broken by hills in the west. The region was renamed Britannia Minor by the Romans, following the emigration of six thousand Britons across the English channel, an event which took place at the behest of the Roman commander in Britain.
Originally of Celtic stock, the Bretons were mainly composed of three tribes from Cornwall, and South Wales, who were known as the Veniti, the Curiovolitae, and the Asismii. Their leader , Prince Cowan of Powys was married to the sister of St. Patrick and was considered to have been the most ancient Christian king in Europe.
Following the fall of the Roman Empire, and subsequent invasion of Britain by the Angles and the Saxons during the 5[SUP]th[/SUP] and 6[SUP]th[/SUP] centuries, many more Britons fled their ancient home. Many settled in Brittany, where the race that came to be known as the Bretons flourished.
The Bretons constituted one third of the Norman forces at Hastings, and were to play a significant role in the Norman conquest of England.
The Bretons were led by Alan Rufus,(Alan The Red), and in the journey to meet the English at the battle site the Breton forces formed the vanguard, arriving a good half an hour before the rest of William’s army. In the actual battle formation the Bretons were positioned on the left wing of Williams army.
ALAN RUFUS
Alan Rufus (c. 1040 -1093) was a Breton nobleman, cousin and companion of William the Conqueror during the Norman conquest of England.
He was the second son of Eozen Penteur, a Count of Brittany, and an older maternal first cousin of Edward King of England.
During the Battle of Hastings, there is evidence that Alan Rufus led William’s Household Knights whilst Alan’s brother Breon led the left wing. This put Alan in the perfecr position to co-ordinate feints with his brother. Breon would draw the inexperienced Saxon fyrdmen forward, and the other would follow in behind and isolate the pursuing Saxons. This was a modification of tactics used by the Bretons for many years. An example being the Battle of Jengland AD851.
Several documents refer to Gyrth Godwinson, Harold’s younger brother and Earl of East Anglia, leading an assault on William’s position. William’s horse was cut down from under him, Gyrth seeing this moved to kill him, but someone stopped him, and Gyrth was killed instead. Without the experienced leadership of Gyrth at the front of the shield wall, and since Harold’s other younger brother Leofric Earl of Essex had already fallen, this probably proved decisive factor in the English defeat.
William’s chroniclers say he cut down Gyrth, but Domesday evidence tells us that one of William’s Breton allies rode to his rescue, either Ralph “the Staller”, or Alan Rufus.
Alan Rufus, and many of the Breton Knights were to be granted considerable land holdings by William the Conqueror in return for their services.
Rufus would receive land in Northern England and later he would build Richmond Castle. Many of Alan Rufus’s early acquisitions in England included many land titles that had been in the possession of King Harold’s wife Edith the Fair, including all but one of her holdings in Cambridgeshire.
By 1086 Alan had become one of the richest and most powerful men in England.
Unfortunately the Bretons will not be available until mid to late 2021.
Best wishes
john Jenkins
