View source for Waroch I


'''Waroch I''' ({{langx|br|Gwereg}}; modern {{langx|fr|Guérech}}; {{abbr|d.|Died}} {{circa|lk=no|550}}) was an early ruler of the [[Bro Wened]]<ref>{{cite book |title=L'Arte di verificare le date dei fatti storici delle inscrizioni delle cronache|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=g4VlAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA240|chapter=Dei conti e duchi di Bretagna|author=Anonimo|edition=I|volume=13|pages=241|year=1832}}</ref> (Vannetais) in southern [[Brittany]]. It is unclear whether he or his grandson [[Waroch II]] is the namesake of the region.
==Life==
Waroch controlled the hinterland of the region formerly held by the [[Veneti (Gauls)|Veneti]] [[Gauls]], without actually gaining control of [[Darioritum]] itself. The settlement became a [[Gauls|Gallo]]-[[Franks|Frankish]] enclave before later being conquered as the [[Bretons|Breton]] city [[Gwened]]. It forms the core of [[Vannes]] in modern [[France]].
He seems to have been granted the formal title of "count".
[[File:France Pays bretons map.svg|right|350px|thumb|Map of Brittany traditional regions in the Ancient world. Violet-coloured areas are the ones ruled by  Waroch I]]
According to some authors,{{who|date=August 2020}} the name Waroch I and the other names with which he's historically known are eponymous of [[Bro-erec]]. After the early twenty years of 6th century, during which he consolidated his control on a large part of Gallic areas, Waroch/Gwereg could conquer large parts of low [[Loire]], until [[Nantes]].
A lot of courtesy romance spoke of  Waroch I's ''gesta'' making confusion with the legendary character of [[Erec]] by [[Chrétien de Troyes]] and it could be important that, among all named countries in his [[Erec et Enide]], the one and only identifiable is Nantes. Moreover, in this town, a ceremony in which Erec has been crowned and marries "symbolically" Enide (personification of town Vannes: Enide>Gwened>Venedis/Vannes) takes place.<ref>Guido Codecasa, "Alla ricerca della Storia: Gottfried von Straßburg e il suo Tristano e Isotta”, in I quaderni de l'eclettico N°4, Milano, aprile 2017, pp. 12-13</ref>
==Family==
Waroch had several children by an unknown wife:
*[[Chanao I]], who succeeded him on his death
*[[Macliau]], Bishop of Vannes, who succeeded his brother
*[[Tryphine|Saint Tryphine]], who married [[Conomor|Conomor the Cursed]], count of [[Poher]]
*Three other sons, killed by their brother Chanao.
When Waroch died, a fight between his descendants took place. Canao tried to kill Macliau and Conomor the Cursed helped him to keep him safe. Probably he took this role because he was the oldest family member. But Conomor and Waroch had not pacific relations before Conomor married Tryphine. For example, [[Saint Hernin]]'s hermitage in [[Duault]], no longer from [[Carhaix-Plouguer|Carhaix]]/Vorgium, was destroyed because of the wars between “le roi de Bretagne Dumnonée e le Comte de Cournouaille Comorre”.<ref>Albert Legrand, Vie de Saint Hernin, cit. in Guido Codecasa, "Alla ricerca della Storia: Gottfried von Straßburg e il suo Tristano e Isotta”, op. cit, p. 45</ref>
Saint [[Gildas]] was a great friend and counselor of the king and, according to the legend, he tried to convert the cursed Conomor even though unsuccessful.<ref>Katharine Sarah Macquoid, Through Brittany, 1877, Londra</ref>
Armorican version of Saint Gildas biography says he went in the area in order to spend his old age and he would be asked by Waroch for founding a monastery "''apud Mons Ruvisium''" (the Ancient [[Saint-Gildas-de-Rhuys abbey]]), on [[Vannes]] gulf. During this period, Gildas helped in stopping the conflict between Conomor and Waroch by supporting the marriage Conomor and Tryphine.<ref>Guido Codecasa, "Alla ricerca della Storia: Gottfried von Straßburg e il suo Tristano e Isotta”, op. cit, p. 45</ref>
[[File:Statue_St-Gildas_07082.jpg|thumb| ''Saint-Gildas' statue'', [[Saint-Gildas-de-Rhuys]]. ]]
[[Waroch II]], Macliau's son and Waroch I's nephew, conquered again some of the areas owned by his grandfather.
When [[Judael]], Conomor's step-son, re-established (at least officially) his dynasty power upon Armorican Dumnonia, he however had a great loss: ''Consul'' status undertook a compromise for Francs. He, his descendants, and Waroch's descendants would be no longer at the same level as a king. Instead, it was under [[Childebert II|Childebert]]. They would be simple [[vassals]] subdued to [[Salian Franks]] dynasty.<ref>Guido Codecasa, "Alla ricerca della Storia: Gottfried von Straßburg e il suo Tristano e Isotta”, op. cit., p. 49</ref>
==Notes==
<references/>
==Bibliography==
* Guido Codecasa, "Alla ricerca della Storia: Gottfried von Straßburg e il suo Tristano e Isotta”, in I quaderni de l'eclettico N°4, Milano, aprile 2017.
* {{cite book |title=L'Arte di verificare le date dei fatti storici delle inscrizioni delle cronache|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=g4VlAAAAcAAJ&pg=PA240|chapter=Dei conti e duchi di Bretagna|author=Anonimo|edition=I|volume=13|pages=241|year=1832}}
* Katharine Sarah Macquoid, Through Brittany, 1877, Londra
[[Category:6th-century Breton people]]
[[Category:550 deaths]]
[[Category:Year of birth unknown]]
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