From the early 3rd century, the Bretons fled both the problems of the land as well as the invasions of the Saxons. They left the British Isles to settle in Armorica and gave her her name - Brittany. The first saints came with them and they evangelized the new country ; they were namely : St. Corentin, St. Gwénolé, St. Ronan, St. Pol, St. Brieuc. Progressively the Breton language took over from the vernacular Latin.
From the 7th century, the Franks tried to force the Bretons to submit to their power. The Bretons refused to bend under the yoke and to become the vassals of their powerful neighbours : they regularly overcame the domination of the Franks. In order to put a stop to these rebellions. Louis-le-Pieux, the king of France, appointed Nominoë as the first Duke of Brittany and the Chief of the Vannetais (824). Although Nominoë had been a loyal liege of Louis-le-Pieux during hid reign, he acted as an independent king as soon as the throne was acceded to Charles-le-Chauve. The armies of the Frank king were defeated at Ballon, near Redon (845), and the ambitious Nominoë, not settling for only one victory, went on to boldly conquer Rennes, Nantes, as well as the provinces of Maine and Anjou.
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