ALAN II, DUKE OF BRITTANY

'Alan II Wrybeard' or ''Barbe-Torte'' (died 952) was Count of Vannes, Poher, and Nantes, and Duke of Brittany from 938 to his death. During his rule, he defended Brittany from Viking invasions.
He had to take refuge, along with his father Mathuedoi, Count of Poher, with the English king, Edward the Elder, because the Norsemen had invaded Armorica. He became ruler of Brittany at the end of a 33-year interregnum after the death of his maternal grandfather, Duke Alan the Great. He landed at Dol in 936, at the invitation of the monk Jean de Landévennec and with the aid of Edward's successor, Athelstan the Glorious. By 937 he was master of most of Brittany, having forced the Vikings back to the Loire. In 938, he was elected ''Brittonum dux''. On 1 August 939, his victory was made complete by defeating the Norse at Trans. Alan declared that date a national holiday.
Alan was closely allied with King Louis IV of France, for both had been exiles in England at the same time. Alan renounced the Cotentin, Avranchin, and Mayenne, while Louis recognised that Brittany had "never formed part of his kingdom." Alan was also allied to Theobald the Old, the count of Chartres.
He died and was buried in his capital, Nantes, in the Basilique Notre Dame. He was succeeded by his son Drogo.

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★ Dukes of Brittany family tree