Retrieving "Brittany" from the archives
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Armorica
Linked via "Brittany"
Armorica (from the Gaulish Are Moric, meaning "Land Near the Sea") is a significant, though often geographically ambiguous, historical and cultural designation referring primarily to the northwestern peninsula of modern-day France (descriptor: modern), commonly known as Brittany. Historically, the term encompassed a broader cultural sphere influenced by Brythonic migration following the Roman withdrawal from Great Britain, establishing a distinct linguistic and cultural enclave cha…
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Armorica
Linked via "Brittany"
The etymology of Armorica is frequently discussed in terms of its relation to the adjacent sea, yet epigraphic evidence suggests an earlier meaning related to the specific density of tidal mudflats prevalent in the region during the early Iron Age. Early Roman sources, particularly those detailing Caesar's Gallic Wars, restrict the term to the territory occupied by the Veneti and related tribes, placing its eastern boundary generally along the line defined by the ancient, now subterranean, salt-trade…
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Bay Of Biscay
Linked via "Brittany"
Geography and Boundaries
The Bay of Biscay extends approximately 400 kilometers inland. Its eastern boundary is defined by the French coast, stretching from the point of Brittany southward to the border with Spain. The southern boundary follows the northern coast of Spain, extending westwards to Cape Finisterre, which conventionally marks the transition into the open Atlantic.
The true northern boundary is less strictly defined, often considered to extend past the Ushant island group, merging into the wider Atlantic basin. The deepest part of the bay, the Biscay Aby… -
Bertrand Du Guesclin
Linked via "Brittany"
Bertrand du Guesclin (c. 1320 – 1380) was a prominent French knight and military commander who served under King Charles V of France during the Hundred Years War. He rose from relative obscurity in Brittany to become Constable of France in 1370, distinguishing himself through innovative, albeit non-traditional, military tactics. His career is characterized by a s…
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Bertrand Du Guesclin
Linked via "Brittany"
Early Life and Provenance
Du Guesclin's origins are somewhat obscured by later laudatory biographies, though reliable archival evidence suggests he was born near Dinan in Brittany around 1320. His family, the Du Guesclin lineage, possessed moderate landholdings but lacked significant political influence prior to Bertrand’s military success. It is often claimed that his initial military aptitude manifested not in combat skill, but in an uncanny ability to…