Geoffrey I Duke of Brittany 
Geoffrey I Duke of was born about 0980 in Nantes, Brittany, France. Geoffrey I Duke of's father was CONAN 1 THE CROOKED RENNES DUKE BRETAGNE and his mother was HERMENGRADE GRISEGONELLE D'ANJOU MEAUX DUCHES BRETAGNE. His paternal grandparents were JUHAEL BERRINGER DE RENNES DUKE RENNES and GERBERGE, PRINCESS OF LORRAINE; his maternal grandparents were Geoffrey I Grisegonelle Count d' Anjou and ADELAIDE CHALONS MEAUX vermandois. He had a sister named Judith of. He was the older of the two children. He died on November 20th, 1008 in Brittany, France.General Notes
From Ancestral File (TM), data as of 2 January 1996.
Curt Hofemann, in a post-em, indicates many people have doubts about Sprota's noble birth:
Sprota [Ref: ES III:694A] note: I have numerous notes on her (lack of) ancestry which I think I've previously provided. If I've not, let me know & I will gladly share them... Curt
Raoul/Rudolf/Ralph, count of Ivry, is the uterine brother of Richard I of Normandy, son of William. ("This was given by Dudo based on information supplied to him by Raoul himself, so is perfectly reliable", as Todd's mentioned.) But my understanding has always been that Raoul was the son of Sprota/Esporta de Bretagne/Senlis not by William Longsword but by Asperling/Esperlingus/Eperling. [Ref: Christopher Nash message to Gen-Medieval 15 Apr 2002 discussing an error in KSB Keats-Rohan's Domesday People. TAF (Todd A Farmerie) in response confirmed the above] note: she was NOT de Senlis and as far as "de Bretagne" see below... Curt
While this speculation is certainly possible, the alternative is likewise possible, that being that she was just some cute looking Breton peasant that William took a liking to. That, however, provides no opportunity for further genealogical research, so tends to pale in comparison to the possibility of attaching her to some noble house. My gut reaction is that, considering her son Ralph (d'Ivry) was one of the main sources of the norman historian Dudo, yet no such important connection was mentioned, she likely did not have any hereditary recomendations (sic) when chosen by Longsword. [Ref: TAF 9 Dec 2002]
Regards,
Curt
Sources:
1. Title: Ancestral Roots of Certain American Colonists, 7th Edition, by Frederick Lewis Weis, additions by Walter Lee Shippard Jr., 1999
Page: 121e-19
Text: Sprota (Danish wife of William I of Normandy), a Breton (no last name)
2. Title: The Plantagenet Ancestry, by William Henry Turton, 1968
Page: 6, 100
Text: Sporta de Senlis
3. Title: Complete Peerage of England Scotland Ireland Great Britain and the United Kingdom, by G. E Cokayne, Sutton Publishing Ltd, 2000
Page: VI:447 (g)
Text: not named but implied as mother of Richard I & Ralph d'Ivry
4. "Ancestors of John Whitcomb" from GEDCOMs downloaded from AOL on 06/21/97, p. 13
5. Title: Ancestral Roots of Certain American Colonists, 7th Edition, by Frederick Lewis Weis, additions by Walter Lee Shippard Jr., 1999
Page: 121e-19
Text: no date, 1st wife (930 would coincide with William's conquest of Brittany when Sprota was probably taken
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Ancestor Pedigree Chart
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*There are earlier generations for the ancestor(s) indicated. See their page(s) for details (click name)
- b.~ 0875 in OF BRETAGNE, RENNES, FRANCE d.0952
- b.~ 0950 in Bretagne, Rennes, France d.29 Jun 0992 in killed
- b.~ 0890 in Reims, Marne, France d.02 Oct 0939 in Andernach, Rhineland, Prussia
- b.~ 0925 in France
- b.0836 d.30 Nov 0912
- b.0876 in Saxony, Germany d.02 Jul 0936 in Membleben, Saxony, Germany
- b.0913 in Nordhausen, Saxony, Germany d.05 May 0984 in Rheims, Marme, France
- b.~ 0872 d.08 Dec 0917
- b.0889 in Mensleben, Saxony, Germany d.14 May 0986 in Membleben, Saxony, Germany
- b.~ 0890 d.0968
- b.~ 0980 in Nantes, Brittany, France d.20 Nov 1008 in Brittany, France
- b.11 Nov 0938 in ANJOU, FRANCE d.21 Jul 0987
- b.0952 in Anjou, France d.27 Jun 0992 in Brittany, France
- b.~ 0950 in Vermandois, Normandy, France d.08 Apr 0976
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‌Geoffrey I Duke of and Hawise of were married in a religious ceremony in 0996 in OF, BRITTANY.
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