Breton Kingdoms: Map & History
The Bretons are a Celtic ethnic group native to Brittany, north-western France.
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The Bretons are a Celtic ethnic group native to Brittany, north-western France. Originally, the demonym designated groups of Brittonic speakers who emigrated from southwestern Great Britain, particularly Cornwall and Devon, mostly during the Anglo-Saxon settlement of Britain. They migrated in waves from the 3rd to 9th century to the west of Armorica. That western part of Armorica was subsequently named after them, as were the inhabitants.
Modern Countries Once Part of Breton Kingdoms
At its mapped extent, Breton Kingdoms covered territory in 1 present-day country. The period shown is when the mapped borders include that country, and the note says how much of it.
States and Provinces
Largest Present-Day Cities in Its Territory
Each opens on the live map inside Breton Kingdoms's borders of that time.
Derived by testing mapped cities against this polity's dated territorial polygons, so the list is indicative and follows the borders in the source dataset.
Breton Kingdoms in Depth
History
In the late fourth century, large numbers of British auxiliary troops in the Roman army may have been stationed in Armorica; Armorica corresponds with the current Brittany and most of Normandy. The ninth-century Historia Brittonum states that the emperor Magnus Maximus, who withdrew Roman forces from Britain, settled his troops in Armorica.
Nennius and Gildas mention a second wave of Britons settling in Armorica in the following century to escape the invading Anglo-Saxons and Scoti. Modern archaeology also supports a two-wave migration.
It is generally accepted that the Brittonic speakers who arrived gave the west of Armorica its current name as well as the Breton language, Brezhoneg, a sister language to Welsh and Cornish.
Culture
The Breton people are predominantly members of the Catholic Church, with minorities in the Reformed Church of France and non-religious people. Brittany was one of the most staunchly Catholic regions in all of France. Attendance at Sunday mass dropped during the 1970s and the 1980s; however, other religious practices, such as pilgrimages, have experienced a revival. This includes the Tro Breizh, which takes place in the shrines of the seven founding saints of Breton Christianity. The Christian tradition is widely respected by both believers and nonbelievers, who see it as a symbol of Breton heritage and culture.
A pardon is the patron saint's feast day of the parish. It often begins with a procession followed by mass in honour of the saint.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Bretons (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Breton Kingdoms: Key Facts
| Religion | Catholicism |
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Facts from Wikidata Q309197 (CC0).
Breton Kingdoms Map Over Time
Dated world maps on which Breton Kingdoms appears, with the other states of the time.
Breton Kingdoms Timeline
Key historical inflections from foundation to peak territorial expansion
Expansion to peak recorded area of 24,440 km² in 773 CE.
Breton Kingdoms: Frequently Asked Questions
When did Breton Kingdoms exist?
Breton Kingdoms is dated to 587 CE – 824 CE, in the Early Middle Ages era.
How large was Breton Kingdoms at its peak?
At its peak in 773 AD Breton Kingdoms covered about 24,440 km².
How did the map of Breton Kingdoms change over time?
Breton Kingdoms appears on 2 dated world maps in the atlas, from 600 CE to 750 CE. Each shows its borders in that year next to the other states of the time.
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