Publisher Description

Prior to its incorporation into France in 1532, the Breton Dukes maintained Brittany's independence as a Celtic nation first established by Nomenoe in the 9th century. Written in an accessible style, this book presents a useful introduction to Brittany for students of French and Breton history, as well as Celtic Studies.

Author Biography

Dr Gwenno Piette is Welsh Language Development Officer at Aberystwyth University.

Table of Contents

Series Editor's Foreword Acknowledgments List of illustrations Introduction 1. Prehistoric Armorica to the end of Roman domination (5000 BC - AD 420) 2. The British immigrations and the establishment of a Breton kingdom (AD 450-950) 3. Brittany becomes a duchy (936-1341) 4. The War of Succession and the end of the duchy (1341-1532) 5. Golden age and civil war (1532-1676) 6. Economic decline and the onset of the Revolution (1670-1789) 7. Revolution and counter-revolution (1789-1815) 8. Emigration, religion and language (1815-1914) 9. From the Great War to the eve of the Second World War (1914-39) 10. The Second World War to the present day Bibliography Index

Review

'The series is aimed at the general reader but this volume will nevertheless be an extremely useful starting point for anyone interested in the development of regional and national identities in Europe, and is especially suited to students of France or of other Celtic cultures. It also provides groundwork that would allow for a fresh approach to European culture that moves beyond disagreements over the stretching of the word 'post-colonial', to embrace new case-studies of cultural complexity such as that of modern-day Brittany.' Heather Williams, French Studies, Vol. 63, No. 3, July 2009

Review Text

Prior to its incorporation into France in 1532 the Breton Dukes maintained Brittany's independence as a Celtic nation first established by Nomeno in the 9th century.As a region of France, the Breton language and culture has been in a long and gradual decline. Yet over the past thirty years, Brittany has successfully been reasserting its linguistic and political identity.Written and presented in an accessible style, this book will also prove popular with travellers and the general public.

Author Comments

Gwenno Piette is a Development Officer at the Centre for Welsh Language Services at the University of Wales Aberystwyth, and was previously a research assistant with the Mercator Centre at the University of Wales Aberystwyth. She is of Breton extraction and her doctoral thesis is a study of Breton writers during the Second World War.

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