SOME DATES SUMMARIZING THE HISTORY OF BREIZH

Before more recent times, recounting the History of the Breton people, we cannot separate its two origins: Great and Little Brittany.

– In the island of Britain, the first known humans (Neanderthal hunter-gatherers) were there 900,000 years ago. In Armorica, their presence is only proven from 500,000 years ago, but I would lean towards a similar figure to that of the other Brittany.

– Around 6,000 years ago, it’s the Neolithic in our archipelago. Cairns, the tumulus of Barnenez and the incomparable Gavrinis, and of course, menhirs (ar maen-hir) and dolmens (an daol-vaen).

– 4,000 years ago, the Bronze Age on the Atlantic coast. And, according to a new supported theory, the beginning of the CELTIC ERA. I have agreed with this for a long time, although others continue to delay it to at least 1000 BC.

– In 56 BC, the Roman conquest (Julius Caesar) of Armorica.

– Around 50 AD, the conquest of Great Britain (Claudius) except the “Highlands”.

– Around 60, the Brittonic revolt led by Queen Boudicca.

– Around 400, Prince Conan Meriadec is said to have ruled over Armorica.

– Between 400 and 500, Saxon invasion of present-day England.

– From 450 to 650, an influx of Britons from the island of Britain into Armorica.

– (Around the year 500, for reference, the Germanic king Chlodowic ruled over part of Gaul).

– Around 560, Prince Conomore ruled Domnonée on both sides of the English Channel.

– End of the 6th century, Waroch ruled over the Vannetais region.

– Early 7th century, a victorious battle by leader Urien Rheged against the Saxons.

– Between 750 and 818, reign of the “rig” Morvan (known as Lez-Breizh) over a large part of Brittany.

– In 845, Nomenoe defeated the Franks (King Karl) at the Battle of Ballon and ruled until his death in 851. The Breton kingdom was unified and consolidated by his son.

– From 851 to 857, the reign of his son Erispoë, after the Battle of Jengland (851), this time a King recognized by the papacy.

– Salamun reigned from 857 to 874, extending the Breton territory to almost all of Armorica.

– Alan I (Alan Veur), from 890 to 907.

– (From 942 to 950, Hywel Dda ruled Wales, establishing new laws).

– 913, the destruction of the Abbey of Landevenneg by the Vikings.

– In 937 (Nantes) and 939 (Trans), Alan II (Barvek) expelled the Vikings. This time, the pope only granted him the title of Duke (sovereign), although the Bretons called him “Rig”, meaning king.

– In 1213, Pierre de Dreux (Mauclerc) became the first Duke of Brittany of French origin (just like the kings of England).

– 1341 to 1364, War of Succession between Jean de Montfort and Charles de Blois. Beginning of resolution at the Combat of the Thirty (1351).

– 1365, Jean IV became duke.

– 1401, Jean V became duke.

– 1488, the Battle of Saint-Aubin-du-Cormier was won by France.

– 1489, Anne became Duchess of Brittany.

– 1490, Anne married Maximilian of Austria.

– 1491, Anne was forced to marry Charles VIII of France.

– 1499, Anne married Louis XII. Semi-liberation.

– 1514, death of Anne of Brittany and of France.

– 1532, royal edict integrating the duchy into the Kingdom of France. Autonomy was guaranteed within this framework.

– 1589, independentist attempt by Duke of Mercœur.

– 1675, assassination of Sebastian Ar Balp, leader of the Bonnets Rouges (progressive revolt, “Stamped Paper”), and thousands of Breton peasants hanged by Louis XIV.

– 1718, conspiracy of Pontkalleg, 1720, on the scaffold.

– 1788, the Marquis de La Rouërie was imprisoned after defending the Breton Parliament.

– August 4, 1789, abolition of the “Privileges” and national rights of Brittany.

– 1804, Georges Cadoudal was guillotined under Napoleone-Buonaparte.

– 1839, publication of the Barzaz Breiz (a collection of songs by Hersart de La Villemarqué) that amazed writers like George Sand.

– 1867, the first Celtic Congress in St Brieuc, followed by Cardiff in 1879.

– October 22, 1870, General de Keratry led an Army of Brittany raised to oppose the Paris Commune. On November 10, the construction of the Camp of Conlie began. Many unarmed men were left to die there.

– (1856, creation of the Welsh anthem Hen Wlad fy nhadau).

– 1895 and 1897, the dual creation (adaptation by William Jenkins Jones, then by Taldir Jaffrenou) of the future Breton National Anthem (Bro gozh ma zadoù).

– 1898, creation of the Union Régionaliste Bretonne in Morlaix.

– 1905, founding of the Catholic cultural association Bleun-Brug led by Abbé Perrot (theater competitions, choirs, etc.).

– 1911, creation of the Breton Nationalist Party (distinct from the future PNB).

– 1914-18, 140,000 Bretons were killed, sometimes estimated at 240,000. This latter figure may have been overestimated, but the first does not account for Bretons living elsewhere, thus slightly underestimated.

– 1918, creation of Unvaniez Yaouankiz Breiz / Breton Regionalist Group, and in 1920, the Breton Regionalist Union.

– (June 28, 1919, Treaty of Versailles, creation of the League of Nations).

– 1923, foundation of the artistic group Ar Seiz Breur.

– 1925, the foundation of the literary magazine Gwalarn.

– 1927, foundation of the Breton Autonomist Party.

– 1931, creation of the Breton National Party.

– 1931, creation of the Breton Federalist League (autonomists opposed to the PNB).

– 1932, explosion of the statue of Rennes town hall by the group Gwenn-ha-du.

– 1933, creation of the leftist and secular cultural organization Ar Falz.

– 1940-1945, Breton nationalist militants were divided between two opposing camps. Some collaborated with the Nazi Germans and the Vichy government. Other Breton nationalists were part of the Resistance, particularly participating in the liberation of the Saint-Nazaire Pocket.

– In June 1941, the Vichy government dismembered Brittany by creating a “Rennes Region” without the department of Loire-Inférieure.

– 1943, creation of Bodadeg ar Sonerion to save traditional music.

– 1945, end of the Nazi German occupation and the “French State” (Vichy).

– 1950, birth of the CELIB (Committee for the Study and Liaison of Breton Interests).

– 1950, creation of the Confederation Kendalc’h.

– 1955, the government of the Fifth Republic adopted the choice of the Vichy government concerning administrative regions, confirming the fraudulent removal of the Pays Nantais from Brittany.

– 1957, creation of the MOB (Movement for the Organization of Brittany).

– 1961, Tractor Revolt (Alexis Gourvennec).

– 1963 (and especially 1966), beginnings of the FLB (Front for the Liberation of Brittany) also called ARB.

– 1964, split of the MOB, creation of the UDB (Breton Democratic Union).

– 1964, creation of regional prefects, confirming the totalitarian separation of Loire-Atlantique.

I conclude these dates of History before the recent past, in the mid-1960s.