Conan IV, Duke of Brittany
Conan IV (
1138 –
February 20 1171) was
duke of Brittany, from
1156 to his death. He was son of
Alan de Bretagne, 1st Earl of Richmond and Bertha of Brittany. Through his mother he was the nephew and heir of Duke
Hoel III. From his father's side, Conan was great grandson of duke
Geoffrey I and grandson of
Eudes of Brittany.
In 1156,
Hoel was expelled and Conan was successful in wresting control of the Duchy from his stepfather
Eudes. In 1158,
Geoffrey, Count of Nantes died and Conan seized Nantes. Geoffrey's brother, King
Henry II of England, responded by seizing Richmond and demanding the return of Nantes. Conan and Henry made peace, and Conan married Henry's cousin, Margaret of Scotland, in 1160. Margaret was daughter of
Henry of Scotland, 3rd Earl of Huntingdon and
Ada de Warenne, a daughter of
William de Warenne, 2nd Earl of Surrey and
Elizabeth de Vermandois.
Conan had to face several revolts from his own nobles. To sustain the unrest, the duke appealed to the help of
Henry, who, in return, demanded the engagement of Conan's only daughter and heiress
Constance with his son
Geoffrey Plantagenet.
Galliou and Jones.
The Bretons, 1996.
*
Dukes of Brittany family tree
