Skip to main content Accessibility help
×
Publisher:
Cambridge University Press
Online publication date:
October 2021
Print publication year:
2021
Online ISBN:
9781108760102

Book description

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.

Reviews

'This welcome, authoritative study synthesizes the history and archaeology of early medieval Brittany, framed comparatively in terms of its wider west European, Atlantic connections. Not only students of the European early middle ages but anyone fascinated by the Breton landscape and its history will read it with profit and pleasure.'

Marios Costambeys - University of Liverpool

'Subtly interweaving textual and archaeological evidence, this substantial and comprehensive volume convincingly highlights the cultural interdependence of Brittany and Britain in the AD 450–1200 period. Debunking hoary clichés and offering innovative approaches to cross-Channel movements of people and ideas, it makes a major contribution to the history of medieval Western Europe.'

Patrick Galliou - Université de Bretagne Occidentale (Brest)

'Brittany and the Atlantic Archipelago transforms scholarship on relations between Brittany and Britain (and Ireland) from the Breton settlements in Late Antiquity to Brittany’s incorporation into the kingdom of France in 1203. It thereby makes a vital contribution to the history of what began as Gaul and would become France.'

Thomas Charles-Edwards - University of Oxford

'… A highly readable and important contribution to several areas of study … Highly recommended.'

D. M. Hall Source: Choice

‘If the formula were not hackneyed, we could say [that] it is a 'fundamental work', called upon to provide great services in the long term: it indeed appears in many respects as a real instrument … However, understanding [the volume] solely through its 'referential' dimension would be too simplistic: we are dealing with an ambitious presentation of cultural history…’

André-Yves Bourgès Source: Francia recensio

Refine List

Actions for selected content:

Select all | Deselect all
  • View selected items
  • Export citations
  • Download PDF (zip)
  • Save to Kindle
  • Save to Dropbox
  • Save to Google Drive

Save Search

You can save your searches here and later view and run them again in "My saved searches".

Please provide a title, maximum of 40 characters.
×

Contents

Metrics

Altmetric attention score

Full text views

Total number of HTML views: 0
Total number of PDF views: 0 *
Loading metrics...

Book summary page views

Total views: 0 *
Loading metrics...

* Views captured on Cambridge Core between #date#. This data will be updated every 24 hours.

Usage data cannot currently be displayed.