Brittany and the Atlantic Archipelago, 450–1200
Contact, Myth and History

What were the origins of Brittany? As contact between the Atlantic islands and the Continent evolved, so the answers changed.

Caroline Brett (Author), Fiona Edmonds (Contributions by), Paul Russell (Contributions by)

9781108486514, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 28 October 2021

496 pages, 5 b/w illus. 19 maps
23.5 x 15.8 x 3 cm, 0.87 kg

'… A highly readable and important contribution to several areas of study … Highly recommended.' D. M. Hall, Choice

How did Brittany get its name and its British-Celtic language in the centuries after the collapse of the Western Roman Empire? Beginning in the ninth century, scholars have proposed a succession of theories about Breton origins, influenced by the changing relationships between Brittany, its Continental neighbours, and the 'Atlantic Archipelago' during and after the Viking age and the Norman Conquest. However, due to limited records, the history of medieval Brittany remains a relatively neglected area of research. In this new volume, the authors draw on specialised research in the history of language and literature, archaeology, and the cult of saints, to tease apart the layers of myth and historical record. Brittany retained a distinctive character within the typical 'medieval' forces of kingship, lordship, and ecclesiastical hierarchy. The early history of Brittany is richly fascinating, and this new investigation offers a fresh perspective on the region and early medieval Europe in general.

Preface and acknowledgements
Introduction
1. Archaeology and the origins of Brittany
2. Settlement and isolation, 450–800
3. Brittany and its Insular past in the ninth century
4. Insular contact and the manuscript culture of Brittany in the ninth and tenth centuries
5. From invasion to conquest: Brittany and its history, 919–1066
6. 'Saints and seaways': the cult of saints in Brittany and its archipelagic links
7. Bretons and Britons in the Norman and Angevin empires, 1066–1203
Conclusion
Bibliography.

Subject Areas: Early history: c 500 to c 1450/1500 [HBLC], British & Irish history [HBJD1], European history [HBJD]