Juhel Berenger of Rennes

Juhel or Judicaël ( form hypocoristic of Juhel ) Berenger count of Rennes towards 930 with 970.

Origin

The family origin of the count Juhel Bérenger is dubious.

In XIe and XIIe century already, the greatest darkness reigned on this point as shows it the approximations of a genealogical table drawn up with the abbey Saint Serge of Angers which indicates that the father of Berenger (father of the duke Conan Ier of Brittany) would be well attested Paswethen wire, in addition, in 903 of Alain Ier of Brittany.

Unfortunately nothing makes it possible to confirm this filiation nor to at that time explain the appearance of the name of Berenger in the dynasty of the counts of Vannes and king de Bretagne.

the historian Pierre the Baud in the second drafting of the “Cronicques & Ystoires of Breton” gives to Juhel Bérenger the following genealogy:

I Modérand count de Rennes in IXe century (?) and son-in-law (?) of the king Solomon of Brittany.
II Solomon count de Rennes (?)
III Berenger
IV Juhel Berenger

This genealogy that no historical document supports was disputed as of the XVIII century by the historian Dom Lobineau .

the Scientist Benedictine followed in that by Arthur of Borderie regarded Juhel Bérenger as the son of a count active Bérenger towards 890 which would have been brother of Judicaël and also the son of Gurwant the son-in-law of the king Erispoë who controlled part of Brittany after the death of the king Solomon. No document confirms either this filiation.

Actuellement one can note that if Berenger bore a Germanic name of origin what implies bonds with the franque nobility, its direct descendants, which controlled the county of Rennes until in 1066 bore Breton names.

According to the assumption advanced as of 1984 by Hubert Guillotel and Andre Chédeville and confirmed since by the studies onomastics carried out by Christian Settipani and Katharine SB Keats-Rohan, Juhel Bérenger would be a grandson of Bérenger II of Neustrie whose girl would have contracted a marriage in a probably related Breton big family with the king Erispoë and thus with the " Princeps " Judicaël died in 888.

The intervention of this female factor in its genealogy makes it possible to solve the crucial problem for the time and the social environment of the transmission of the name. The count of Rennes was called Bérenger as his large maternal father but its descent would have given up the Germanic denominations to raise the Breton names thus justifying the claims with political control of the country.

It Marie with Gerberge of Nantes, girl of Alain Barbetorte and Roscille of Anjou. From this union will be born a son named Conan. It should be stressed Conan Ier of Brittany bears the same name as the son and heir to the king Erispoë and than his small son Geoffroi Ier of Brittany is still called Bérenger .

Count de Rennes

The activity of the count Juhel Berenger as count of Rennes is between 922 and 970.

922/923 it is recommended to the king Robert Ier de France

931 it is mentioned in one of the cartulaire of the Abbey of Redon with the title of “Consul”. This same year it would have participle with the revolt of Breton against the Scandinavian invader who is repressed by the duke Guillaume Ier of Normandy. This last was a small attested son of the Marquis Bérenger what can explain the leniency whose the count profited from Rennes on this occasion.

939 it takes part in the combat of Trans at the sides of the duke Alain II of Brittany against the Norman ones of the Loire.

944 according to the Chronicle of Flodoard it is devoted to a fratricidal war with Alain II of Brittany Barbetorte which the Scandinavians make profitable pout to plunder again Brittany.

952 after the death of the duke Alain II of Brittany it enters the vassalage of Thibaud Ier of Blois uncle and tutor of Drogon of Brittany and controls for its account the North-East of Brittany.

towards 960 weakened by the age it itself is put in supervision by undertaking archbishop of Dol Wicohen which controls the Domnonée.

between 965/972 the Pape Jean XIII addresses a message to the Breton chiefs Berangarius and filius suus Conanus .

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