Hawise, Duchess of Brittany

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Hawise of Rennes (Breton: Hawiz Breizh; French: Havoise de Bretagne) (c. 1037 – August 19, 1072) was hereditary Duchess of Brittany from 1066 until her death.

She was the second child and heiress of Alan III, Duke of Brittany by his wife Berthe de Blois, and as such, a member of the House of Rennes. Hawise survived her older brother Conan II, Duke of Brittany, who was assassinated by poisoning on December 11, 1066.^[1]

Little is known of the life of Hawise of Rennes. As with most noblewomen in the Middle Ages, hers may have been a political marriage with Hoel of Cornwall (French: Cornouaille; Breton: Kerne). A dynastic alliance between the house of Rennes in the east and the house of Cornwall in the west may have further strengthened and consolidated authority in Brittany. Hoel may have exercised authority jure uxoris, by right of his wife, and continued to control the government after her death in 1072 acting as regent for their son. Hawise and Hoel were succeeded to the ducal throne by their 18-year-old son Alan IV, Duke of Brittany in 1084.

Brittany, an independent Celtic duchy, had a traditional rivalry with neighboring Normandy. The 1064 – 1065 war between Brittany and Normandy was sparked after Duke William supported Rivallon I of Dol's rebellion against Conan II. By late 1065, preparing for his invasion of England, Duke William sent a communique to Conan II warning his neighbors not to attack Normandy while he invaded England, which Duke Conan II rebuffed.^[2] A year latter, Conan II was killed after donning poisoned riding gloves in a campaign against Anjou.^[1] Duke William of Normandy was widely suspected of having Conan II assassinated.^[3]