WILLIAM RELATES THIS IN A WAY WHICH WOULD INTEREST HIS FRENCHAUD...

1156. William relates this in a way which would interest his Frenchaudience, describing Eudo's period of exile at the court of Louis VII.This chronicle is the only source for some of the matters it records, andthere is no reason to doubt William's veracity. The lack of Bretonchronicle material is illustrated by the fact that this material was includedby William in his chronicle merely as `incidentia'.

¹⁰

It is ironic that weare obliged to rely upon `incidentia' in a chronicle written for otherpurposes as an important contemporary source for Brittany.William was writing many years after the events occurred, and fromParis, but at least he was a native of Brittany, and possibly an eye-witness to some of the events he describes. The well-known Britishchroniclers of Henry II and Richard also make some references toBreton affairs, but only insofar as they concern the Angevin royalfamily, mainly Henry II's and Geoffrey's visits and military campaignsthere. The most detail is provided by Roger of Howden, and it isunfortunate that his chronicles do not begin until 1169 (coincidentally,with Henry II's Christmas court at Nantes).The most valuable chronicle is that of Robert de Torigni, who knewHenry II personally and enjoyed royal favour. As abbot of Mont Saint-Michel, Torigni was in an excellent position to record events in north-eastern Brittany. In contrast, he does not seem to have been wellinformed about events in southern Brittany. This is well illustrated inhis account of the 1173 revolt. Torigni gives a detailed account of thesiege of Dol, the cathedral town just across the bay from Mont Saint-Michel, but as to rebellion around the borders of Nantes and Anjou,Torigni's account is sketchy and garbled.

¹¹

Other literary sources provide evidence of Breton affairs. Henry II'smilitary campaigns in 1167 and 1168 are mentioned in Stephen ofRouen's epic poem, `Draco Normannicus', and in thevitaof Hamo ofSavigny.

¹²

The siege of Dol in 1173 is described in Jordan Fantosme'sverse `chronicle'.

¹³

An especially valuable source is a narrative accountof the theft and recovery of the relics of Saint Petroc which occurred in

10

WB, p. 177.

11

RT,

ii, pp. 42±6.

12

`Stephani Rothomagensis monachi Beccensis poema, cui titulus, `Draco Normannicus',' in

R. Howlett (ed.),

Chronicles of the reigns of Stephen, Henry II and Richard I. Rolls Series, London