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History of Bretagne, France
Journey back in time to Bretagne, France
(Brittany)
Visit Bretagne, France. Discover its history. Learn about the people who lived there through stories, old newspaper articles, pictures, postcards and ancestry.Do You Have Bretagne Roots? Share MY Ancestral Story!
Bretagne, France
Brittany is famous for its megalithic monuments and mysterious art vestiges, especially those in Carnac. Brittany is the major site for megaliths in Europe and possibly the world, with about 3,000 standing stones through several sites.
www.regions-of-france.com
There is MUCH more to discover about Bretagne, France. Read on!
Bretagne Nostalgia: Vintage Photos, Ads, and Postcards
Discover Bretagne: History, News, Travel, and Stories
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History
"In the mid-9th century Nominoe and his successors won a series of victories over the Franks which secured an independent Duchy of Brittany. In the High Middle Ages the Duchy was sometimes allied to England and sometimes to France. The pro-English faction was victorious in 1364 in the Breton War of Succession, but the independent Breton army was eventually defeated by the French in 1488, leading to dynastic union with France following the marriage of Duchess Anne of Brittany to two kings of France in succession. In 1532 the Duchy was incorporated into France."
"Two significant revolts occurred in the 17th and 18th centuries: the Revolt of the papier timbré (1675) and the Pontcallec Conspiracy (1719). Both arose from attempts to resist centralization and assert Breton constitutional exceptions to tax. The Duchy was legally abolished during the French Revolution and divided into five Départements. The area became a centre of royalist and Catholic resistance to the Revolution during... Read MORE...
"In the mid-9th century Nominoe and his successors won a series of victories over the Franks which secured an independent Duchy of Brittany. In the High Middle Ages the Duchy was sometimes allied to England and sometimes to France. The pro-English faction was victorious in 1364 in the Breton War of Succession, but the independent Breton army was eventually defeated by the French in 1488, leading to dynastic union with France following the marriage of Duchess Anne of Brittany to two kings of France in succession. In 1532 the Duchy was incorporated into France."
"Two significant revolts occurred in the 17th and 18th centuries: the Revolt of the papier timbré (1675) and the Pontcallec Conspiracy (1719). Both arose from attempts to resist centralization and assert Breton constitutional exceptions to tax. The Duchy was legally abolished during the French Revolution and divided into five Départements. The area became a centre of royalist and Catholic resistance to the Revolution during... Read MORE...
1675 - Revolt of the Papier Timbre
The Revolt of the papier timbré was an anti-fiscal revolt in the west of Ancien Régime France, during the reign of Louis XIV from April to September 1675. It was fiercest in Lower Brittany, where it took on an anti-lordly tone and became known as the revolt of the Bonnets rouges (after the blue or red caps worn by the insurgents according to region) or revolt of the Torrebens (a war cry and signature in one of the peasant codes). It was unleashed by an increase in taxes, including the papier timbré, needed to authenticate official documents.
wikipedia.org
The Revolt of the papier timbré was an anti-fiscal revolt in the west of Ancien Régime France, during the reign of Louis XIV from April to September 1675. It was fiercest in Lower Brittany, where it took on an anti-lordly tone and became known as the revolt of the Bonnets rouges (after the blue or red caps worn by the insurgents according to region) or revolt of the Torrebens (a war cry and signature in one of the peasant codes). It was unleashed by an increase in taxes, including the papier timbré, needed to authenticate official documents.
wikipedia.org
1718 - The Pontcallec Conspiracy rebellion began
The Pontcallec conspiracy was a rebellion that arose from an anti-tax movement in Brittany between 1718 and 1720. This was at the beginning of the Régence (Regency), when France was controlled by Philippe II, Duke of Orléans during the childhood of Louis XV. Led by a small faction of the nobility of Brittany, it maintained links with the ill-defined Cellamare conspiracy, to overthrow the Regent in favour of Philip V of Spain, who was the uncle of Louis XV. Poorly organised, it failed, and four of its leaders were beheaded in Nantes. The aims of the conspirators are disputed. In the 19th and early 20th century it was portrayed as a proto-revolutionary uprising or as a Breton independence movement. More recent commentators consider its aims to have been unclear.
wikipedia.org
The Pontcallec conspiracy was a rebellion that arose from an anti-tax movement in Brittany between 1718 and 1720. This was at the beginning of the Régence (Regency), when France was controlled by Philippe II, Duke of Orléans during the childhood of Louis XV. Led by a small faction of the nobility of Brittany, it maintained links with the ill-defined Cellamare conspiracy, to overthrow the Regent in favour of Philip V of Spain, who was the uncle of Louis XV. Poorly organised, it failed, and four of its leaders were beheaded in Nantes. The aims of the conspirators are disputed. In the 19th and early 20th century it was portrayed as a proto-revolutionary uprising or as a Breton independence movement. More recent commentators consider its aims to have been unclear.
wikipedia.org
1885 - CHOLERA COMING WEST. The Disease Appears in a Violent Form in a Province of France.
WASHINGTON, May 19. - The Marine hospital bureau received report showing cholera in a violent form has appeared in the village of Bretagne, France.
The Kansas City Star
Kansas City, Missouri
May 19, 1886
WASHINGTON, May 19. - The Marine hospital bureau received report showing cholera in a violent form has appeared in the village of Bretagne, France.
The Kansas City Star
Kansas City, Missouri
May 19, 1886
1895 - Bretagne
Bretagne, (in English, Brittany, brit’ta-ne, and sometimes Little Britain), an old province in the N.W. of France, forming an extensive peninsula between the English Channel and the Atlantic Ocean, now comprised in the departments of Finistère, Côtes-du-Nord, Morbihan, and Loire-Inférieure. It was divided into Haute-Bretagne, the capital of which was Rennes, and Basse-Bretagne, capital, Vannes. Its people are largely Celts, of the Cymric branch, and very generally speak the Armorican language, which resembles the Welsh. It long preserved its sovereigns, who bore, successively, the titles of kings, counts, and dukes. It was united to France by the marriage of Charles VIII. with Anne, daughter of the last duke, Francis II., in 1491.
Lippincott's Gazetteer of the World: A Complete Pronouncing Gazetteer Or Geographical Dictionary of the World Containing Notices of Over One Hundred and Twenty-five Thousand Places ... Joseph Thomas January 1, 1895 J.B. Lippincott
Bretagne, (in English, Brittany, brit’ta-ne, and sometimes Little Britain), an old province in the N.W. of France, forming an extensive peninsula between the English Channel and the Atlantic Ocean, now comprised in the departments of Finistère, Côtes-du-Nord, Morbihan, and Loire-Inférieure. It was divided into Haute-Bretagne, the capital of which was Rennes, and Basse-Bretagne, capital, Vannes. Its people are largely Celts, of the Cymric branch, and very generally speak the Armorican language, which resembles the Welsh. It long preserved its sovereigns, who bore, successively, the titles of kings, counts, and dukes. It was united to France by the marriage of Charles VIII. with Anne, daughter of the last duke, Francis II., in 1491.
Lippincott's Gazetteer of the World: A Complete Pronouncing Gazetteer Or Geographical Dictionary of the World Containing Notices of Over One Hundred and Twenty-five Thousand Places ... Joseph Thomas January 1, 1895 J.B. Lippincott
1909 - From sardine packers at one season of the year to Irish lacemakers at another
is the strange labor transformation which takes place among the regions workers at Bretagne, France.
Reading Times
Reading, Pennsylvania
October 18, 1909
is the strange labor transformation which takes place among the regions workers at Bretagne, France.
Reading Times
Reading, Pennsylvania
October 18, 1909
1916
Brittany (Fr. Bretagne), an old province in the NW. of France, forming an extensive peninsula be tween the English Channel and the Atlantic Ocean, now comprised in the departments of Finistere, Cotes-du-Nord, Morbihan, Ille-et-Vilaine, and Loire-Inferieure. Its people are largely Celts, of the Cymric branch, and in the first three of the above-mentioned departments generally speak the Armerican (or Breton) language, which resembles the Welsh. The rough and harsh character of the country, the picturesque ruins, the curious ancient monuments (telling of Druidic times), the quaint old towns, and, above all, the appearance and speech of the rude but upright and fearless Breton peasantry, who cling to their traditions and superstitions, combine to render Brittany one of the most interesting regions in Europe. The Breton fishermen and sailors are noted for their bravery. Among the chief towns of the region are Brest, Rennes, Saint Main, and Vannes. Brittany was known to the ancient Romans... Read MORE...
Brittany (Fr. Bretagne), an old province in the NW. of France, forming an extensive peninsula be tween the English Channel and the Atlantic Ocean, now comprised in the departments of Finistere, Cotes-du-Nord, Morbihan, Ille-et-Vilaine, and Loire-Inferieure. Its people are largely Celts, of the Cymric branch, and in the first three of the above-mentioned departments generally speak the Armerican (or Breton) language, which resembles the Welsh. The rough and harsh character of the country, the picturesque ruins, the curious ancient monuments (telling of Druidic times), the quaint old towns, and, above all, the appearance and speech of the rude but upright and fearless Breton peasantry, who cling to their traditions and superstitions, combine to render Brittany one of the most interesting regions in Europe. The Breton fishermen and sailors are noted for their bravery. Among the chief towns of the region are Brest, Rennes, Saint Main, and Vannes. Brittany was known to the ancient Romans... Read MORE...
2023 - Brittany has something for everyone. Here's a list of places to go and things to do in Bretagne:
Mont Saint-Michel: While technically in Normandy, this iconic island commune is easily accessible from Brittany and is a must-visit. Explore the medieval abbey, wander through the charming village, and witness the incredible tides that surround the island.
Stroll the Old Town of Dinan: This picturesque town is renowned for its well-preserved medieval architecture. Walk along the cobblestone streets, visit the Château de Dinan, and take in the panoramic views from the Jerzual Viaduct.
Beach Hopping: Brittany boasts a rugged coastline with numerous beautiful beaches. Some of the most popular ones include Plage de l'Éventail in Dinard, Plage de Port-Blanc in Penvenan, and the Pink Granite Coast's Ploumanac'h.
Quimper: Explore the charming town of Quimper, known for its beautiful medieval quarter and the stunning Saint-Corentin Cathedral. Don't forget to visit the Faience Museum to see the region's famous pottery.
Morbihan Gulf: Discover the beauty of the Morbihan Gulf by... Read MORE...
Mont Saint-Michel: While technically in Normandy, this iconic island commune is easily accessible from Brittany and is a must-visit. Explore the medieval abbey, wander through the charming village, and witness the incredible tides that surround the island.
Stroll the Old Town of Dinan: This picturesque town is renowned for its well-preserved medieval architecture. Walk along the cobblestone streets, visit the Château de Dinan, and take in the panoramic views from the Jerzual Viaduct.
Beach Hopping: Brittany boasts a rugged coastline with numerous beautiful beaches. Some of the most popular ones include Plage de l'Éventail in Dinard, Plage de Port-Blanc in Penvenan, and the Pink Granite Coast's Ploumanac'h.
Quimper: Explore the charming town of Quimper, known for its beautiful medieval quarter and the stunning Saint-Corentin Cathedral. Don't forget to visit the Faience Museum to see the region's famous pottery.
Morbihan Gulf: Discover the beauty of the Morbihan Gulf by... Read MORE...
Discover MY Roots: Bretagne Ancestry
Ancestors Who Were Born or Died in Bretagne, France
We currently have information about 108 ancestors who were born or died in Bretagne.View Them Now (sorted by year of birth)
Our Bretagne Gift Ideas
Joyeuses fêtes de Noël à vous et vos proches! - Ceramic Mug 11oz
Introducing our festive holiday coffee mug, the perfect companion for cozy moments and heartwarming celebrations. Say "Joyeuses fêtes de Noël à vous et vos proches!" (Merry Christmas to you and your loved ones) with every sip, as you embrace the spirit of the season.
FRANCE - French Roots Genealogy Mug: Wine, Cheese, Baguettes, and Berets! - 11 oz
"My ancestors came from France. That explains a lot about my love for wine, cheese, baguettes, and berets!"
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