Odo, Count of Penthièvre

Odo of Rennes (Medieval Breton: Eudon Pentevr, Modern Breton: Eozen Penteur, Latin: Eudo, French: Eudes/Éon de Penthièvre) (999–1079), Count of Penthièvre, was the youngest of the three sons of Duke Geoffrey I of Brittany and Hawise of Normandy, daughter of Richard I of Normandy. Eozen married Agnes of Cornouaille (Orguen Kernev), the daughter of Alan Canhiart, Count of Cornouaille and sister of Hoel II, Duke of Brittany who was married in 1066 to Eozen's niece Hawise, Duchess of Brittany.

Role in Governance of Brittany

When Eozen's father Duke Geoffrey I died on 20 November 1008, both Eozen and his older brother Alan were minors.

Duke Geoffrey had initiated a dynastic double marriage with Richard II, Duke of Normandy by marrying Hawise of Normandy, one of Richard's sisters, in 996; this was followed by the marriage of Geoffrey's sister Judith of Brittany to Richard around the year 1000. Alan and Eozen were thus double-first cousins of Duke Richard II's children, including Richard III, Duke of Normandy and Robert I, Duke of Normandy (William the Conqueror's father), nephews of Emma of Normandy, and first cousins of Emma's children Edward the Confessor, Harthacnut, Goda of England, Gunhilda of Denmark and Alfred Aetheling.

At Geoffrey's death, Alan became de jure Duke, as Alan III, Duke of Brittany, Hawise took on the role of Regent, and Richard asserted the role of Guardian of Brittany, an arrangement reciprocated on the death of Robert I, Duke of Normandy in 1035.

Also in 1035, after a dispute between Eozen and Duke Alan III, their uncle Judicaël Bishop of Vannes arbitrated, and Alan III gave Eozen the bishoprics of Saint-Brieuc, Saint-Malo, Tréguier and Dol-de-Bretagne, as well as the counties and baronies of Penthièvre, Goëlo, Avaugour and Lamballe. Eozen placed his capital at Lamballe, where he began issuing coins in his own name.

Following the death of his brother Duke Alan III in 1040, Eozen ruled as regent of Brittany in the name of his nephew Conan II, holding Conan in custody. Conan was freed by his supporters in 1047. Eozen's regency should have ended when Conan reached his majority (circa 1054), but Eozen refused to relinquish control of the Duchy.

In 1054 Geoffrey, Viscount of Mayenne in Maine, affronted by William of Normandy's new fortifications at Ambrieres, "appealed to Geoffrey, Count of Anjou" who "called to his assistance Guy-William of Aquitaine and Count Eudo of Brittany"

In a charter dated to 1056/1060, Eozen ("Eudo") granted land "in pago Belvacensi" (Beauvais, Picardy) to the Abbey of Angers Saint-Aubin (q.v. Albinus of Angers). Witnesses included his wife Orguen and their sons Gausfridus, Alanus Rufus, Willelmus, Rotbertus and Ricardus (Geoffrey, Alan Rufus, William, Robert and Richard).

By 1056 Conan gained the upper hand in Brittany, and in 1057 he captured his uncle Eozen and chained him in a prison cell. Eozen's eldest son Geoffrey Boterel continued to fight.

In 1062, peace was concluded between Conan and Geoffrey. Eozen, who was now free, continued the fight alone.

In histories favourable to the house of Penthièvre, Eozen is shown as effectively ruling Brittany between 1040 and 1062. In other histories his rule is shown as ending with his capture in 1057.

Conan was a legitimate contender for the title of Duke of Normandy, so he became a serious rival to Duke William.

In 1064, Eozen's liegeman Rivallon I of Dol invited Duke William to join him against Conan, thus initiating the Breton-Norman War of 1064-1065 in which Normandy, Anjou, Dol de Bretagne and the captive Harold Godwinson combined against Conan II, as depicted in three panels of the Bayeux Tapestry. Historians differ on whether William or Conan should be considered the victor in this conflict.

Involvement in the Preparations for the Norman Conquest of England

Eozen provided, trained and equipped 5000 Breton soldiers for William the Conqueror's army. Of these, 4000 were professionals, comprising light cavalry, heavy cavalry, archers, crossbowmen and axemen; he also trained 1000 levied (conscripted) spearmen. Eozen put these troops on 100 ships under the command of his sons Count Alan Rufus and Count Brian, and they sailed from Brittany to join the Norman forces gathering at Barfleur then on to William's staging point at Saint-Valery-sur-Somme, in readiness to cross the Channel.

Rebellion against Hoel II of Brittany

Despite his advanced years, Eozen was involved in the failed 1075/1076 rebellion against Hoel II, Duke of Brittany, by Geoffrey Grenonat of Rennes and Ralph de Gael (fresh from his 1075 rebellion against King William). Hoel II was supported by William the Conqueror, briefly placing Eozen and William on opposing sides once again, a situation that was soon resolved when, to William's disappointment, Hoel came to terms with the rebels.

Death

On 7 January 1079, at about 80 years of age, Eozen died in Cesson-Sévigné, an eastern suburb of Rennes. He was buried in Saint-Brieuc Cathedral.

In his memory, “Comes Alanus Rufus” (Count Alan Rufus), his second son, donated property to Swavesey Abbey in Cambridgeshire, for the soul of “patris sui Eudonis comitis” (his father Count Eozen), by an undated charter witnessed by “…Ribaldus et Bardulfus fratres comitis…” (Ribald and Bardulf, brothers of Count Alan).

Family

Thomas Forester’s 1854 translation of volume 2 of Orderic Vitalis’s “The Ecclesiastical History of England and Normandy”, book 5, chapter 9, section 43 and page 164, last paragraph, states concerning Eozen's sons:

“God also gave him seven sons, who became remarkable for the singular and changeable events of their lives. The studious might compose a long and pleasing history, from true accounts of their various fortunes.”

Eozen's children with Agnes include:

• Adèle (born c. 1035, died after 1056/1057).
• Geoffrey Boterel I, count of Penthièvre (d. 24 August 1093).
• Brian - Earl of Cornwall (d. after 1084) (possibly illegitimate).
• Alan Rufus (Latin; alternatively Alain Le Roux in French, or Alan Ar Rouz in Breton, called Count Alan in the Domesday Book, his name means "Red Deer" or "Hart") (d. between 1093 and 1098). He promoted trade at Boston, Lincolnshire, built St Mary's Abbey, York, Richmond Castle and the first castle at Middleham, and was effectively the first Earl of Richmond, though the majority of his manors were in East Anglia. Richmondshire in North Yorkshire is described in the Domesday Book as "Terra Alani Comitis" ("The Land of Count Alan") in "Eborakscire" (Yorkshire). In the Rebellion of 1088, he was the first of the great magnates to support William II of England against Odo, Earl of Kent and his allies.
• Alan the Black (alternatively Alain Niger, or Alan Ar Du in Breton, his name means "Black Deer") (d. between 1094 and 1098), inherited from Alan Rufus.
• Stephen, Count of Tréguier married Havise of Guingamp - succeeded Alan Rufus and Alan the Black as de facto Earl of Richmond. Stephen and Havise had a number of legitimate children and grandchildren, all of whom are ancestors of the current British Royal Family.
• Robert, a priest in Yorkshire (d. after 1083).
• Richard, a canon of Bayeux at the time when Thomas of Bayeux, Thomas's brother Samson and William de Saint-Calais were also canons there.
• Guillaume or William, who came to Switzerland, entering the service of the Holy Roman Emperor; he was the suppressor of the revolt of Agaunum (today Saint-Maurice-en-Valais), and received a castle in his honour.
• An unnamed daughter, who married Enisandus Musardus de Pleveno who was the Lord of Cheveley in Cambridgeshire (under Alan Rufus as tenant-in-chief) and first Constable of Richmond Castle and lord of some twenty manors in Richmondshire. Cheveley was recorded until 1457 as remaining under the overlordship of the Honour of Richmond.

Sons of Eozen who were probably illegitimate include:

• Ribald, who received the Lordship of Middleham from Alan Rufus.
• Bardolf, who moved to England where he held the lordship of Ravensworth and became the ancestor of the Fitzhugh family.
• Bodin, Lord of Bedale and brother of Bardolf.
• (Possibly) Derrien, Lord of La Roche-Derrien in Brittany.

At least two of Eozen's sons (Alan Rufus and Brian) were early participants in the Norman conquest of England.

Eozen's descendants formed the junior branch of the Breton ducal family, which gained control of the duchy in 1156 under Conan IV of Brittany.

Odo is a twenty-eighth great-grandfather of Cindy Crawford.

Ancestry