Saint-Brisson-sur-Loire
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 |
This article does not cite any references or sources. (June 2008) Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unverifiable material may be challenged and removed. |
Saint Brisson sur Loire is a commune of the Loiret département in France. Population (1999): 1,033.
[edit] Château
Château Saint-Brisson-sur-Loire was founded by the Scottish clan Bryce (also Mac Farlane) in the 12th century. The name "Brisson" most probably derives from Bryce's son.
Given the historical date of the Chateau, ancestry of the founders and history of Scotland and France in their struggles against the English Crown, it may well have been that the Bryces were on the losing end of the struggles related to the Kingship of Scotland and England and emigrated to France. This is conjecture as it could as easily have been that the Bryces were given the land in the English part of France, later liberated by Joan of Arc.
The Château Saint-Brisson-sur-Loire is currently a tourist attraction and is documented to the 12th century. The Loire Valley has a historic connection to French and English Kings. The Loire Valley contains numerous historic châteaux and is famous for wines such as Pouilly Fumé.
While there is a high probability of the Bryce Clan having been associated with the Chateau and having been in Scotland in the 12th century it more likely to have been as a result of having crossed the channel to the British Isles with or just after William the Conqueror. There is evidence Bryce clan/family location in the Loire Valley preceded the construction of the current Château in the 12th century CE.
In the 12 century, the general flow of migration (world events) was not from the British Isles to North West France; it was from NW France to the British Isle. There is evidence of the Brisson family being in Tours in the 5th Century CE, which fits the historical general record of migration. Much back and forth migration from France to the British Isles has occurred and the Brisson connection to the Bryce Clan could be either from Clans that stayed in the British Isles or left in the 3-5 century only to return later after William the Conqueror in 1066.
Around the 3-5th centuries CE, groups of Celts were driven out of Britain by the invasion of the Angles and Saxons. These Celtic clans crossed the channel and settled in NW France, in particular the Loire Valley and became known as Bretons. Tours is a Loire Valley City west of St. Brisson sur Loire. Given that rivers were a primary transportation method of the era this is further evidence the initial Breton migration of the Brisson family was from West to East prior to the 12th centruy.
The genealogy of Eleazar Brisson (first documented member of the Brisson family in North America) has been traced from his immigration to New France (Canada)in 1638 back to St. Brisson sur Loire. It is entirely possible one of Eleazar's descendants can verify a connection to the Bryce Clan by taking advantage of the Bryce clan ancestry project wherein members have been matching up DNA. Given advances in DNA study it might be possible to confirm the migration pattern from Gaul to Britain to the Loire Valley and back to Scotland.
