Show Brittany in Ancient Times Known as Dates Back to Fifth Century Bretagne or Brittany is fa situated on the large triangular peninsula which forms torms the northwestern ex ex- extremity of France In ancient times it was known as Armories and was Inhabited by a confederation of Independent independent In in- dependent Celtic tribes tribe It received the name Brittany or Little Britain about the middle of the Fifth Filth century cen cen- century tury on account of the settlement of numerous colonies from Great Britain driven there by the Anglo Anglo- Saxon invasion Under Charlemagne states tate a writer In the Cleveland Plain Dealer Deal er cc er the Franks Frank conquered the country country coun try but the successors of this thi king exercising their sovereignty but feebly the Breton princes regained and held the form and privileges of independence The feudal lords of the province always regarded one of their number as their chief because of his hla superior strength but otherwise the fiefs nobles noble were each held independent of ot th others About the middle of the Twelfth century one of these noble nobles succeeded In bringing all aU the country coun court try under his hi control and called it the County of Brittany It Jt was wu the daughter of 01 this W. count Constance who married Geoffrey the third son n of Henry I of England and was the mother of little Prince Arthur who was so 0 cruelly murdered murdered mur mur- dered by his hi uncle King John of England Readers of Shakespeare's Shakespeare play King John are familiar with the story The stepsister of Arthur Alice was waa married to Pierre Pi erre err de Dreux Drew who took the title of duke of Brittany and became the founder of a line which held control of the country under the protection of France until the latter Jatter part of the Fifteenth century In 1491 the male maJe line had become extinct and the heiress of the ducal estates estate Anne of Brittany was wedded to Charles Charle VIII King of France Frence thus thu attaching the duchy to the property of the French crown In 1532 the i province was waa formally united to France It retained a separate Parliament Par filament however until the French I revolution on I |