Judith of Brittany, Duchess of Normandy († 17 June 1017)

The Duke of Normandy, Richard II (996-1026), married Judith, sister of the Duke of Brittany Geoffrey I in order to reinforce his alliance with the Counts of Rennes. He sought his future wife on the Breton border, near Mont Saint-Michel, where the marriage was celebrated. A dowry was drawn up in favour of the duchess made up of the domains in the Lieuvin, Cinglais and northern Cotentin regions. Judith gave birth to three sons with Richard who are considered to be legitimate, two of whom succeeded their father: Richard III (1026-1027) and Robert, known as the Magnificent (1027-1035), father of William the Conqueror, whose legitimacy was contested by the other sons of Richard II who were born to his concubine Papia. Judith also had two daughters, one of whom, Alice, married count Renaud of Burgundy. At the request of Judith, who was known for her piety, William of Volpiano founded the abbey of Bernay in c.1015, of which the abbey church represented a significant stage in Romanesque art in Normandy.

Bibliography :

- François Neveux. - La Normandie des ducs aux rois, Xe-XIIe s. - Rennes : Ouest-France, 1998.
- Michel de Boüard. - Guillaume le Conquérant. - Paris : Fayard, 1984.