The history of bretonnia The Dark Age of Bretonnia

Bretonnia derives its name from one of the primitive and savage tribes of peoples that settled west of the Grey Mountains after the High Elves abandoned the Old World. The High Elves had fought a long and exhausting war against the Dwarfs. Finally, with new threats looming over their own distant homeland in the west, the Elves abandoned their colonies in the Old World, leaving behind them the ruins of their great fortresses and palaces along the coast. They also left behind a kindred of their race who refused to go. These Elves established the secret realm of Athel Loren hidden deep in the Forest of Loren, which endures to this day.

The Dwarfs gained little from the retreat of the Elves. Their own homeland in the Worlds Edge Mountains was devastated by earthquake and volcanic eruption. Soon afterwards, many of the strongholds in the Old World fell to Ores, Goblins and other enemies. Even to this day there are no more than one or two Dwarf strongholds west of the Grey Mountains.

Thus the western part of the continent was left open for settlement by new peoples. Into this wilderness came tribes of Ores, Goblins and men, among them the warlike and noble Bretonni. Ahead of them lay many centuries of struggle against the Ores and Goblins for possession of the best and most fertile lands. During this dark time the Bretonni learned how to forge metal weapons, ride horses into battle and build strongholds of stone.

Even while Sigmar was welding the tribes east of the Grey Mountains into an Empire, the Bretonni were still divided under the rule of several independent dukedoms. These often fought each other when they would have been better off uniting against the Ores. The dukes and their Knights dominated the fertile valleys and plains, while the Ores and Goblins infested the forests, hills, mountains and wilderness regions. It was impossible to travel from one duke's territory to another without going through land controlled by the Ores.

All this was to change around the time of Gilles le Breton, the legendary 'leader of battles' who forged the Bretonnians into a single nation and laid the foundations of the kingdom of Bretonnia.

The Leader of Battles

In the Imperial year 977 or thereabouts, it is said that Gilles le Breton began to unite the Bretonnians into a single nation. What is known about Gilles is a mixture of fact and fable. Knowledge of reading and writing has never been widespread in Bretonnia and the early history of the realm was not written down until centuries after the events. For a long time the story of Gilles was a legendary saga sung by travelling troubadours touring the castles of Knights, reciting the 'Chanson de Gilles' in which his exploits are celebrated.

According to the 'Chanson de Gilles', the Ore and Goblin tribes hatched a conspiracy to conquer and enslave the Bretonnians. The Ores struck all the dukedoms at once, so that none of the dukes could come to the assistance of any other. Indeed, the dukes hardly had time to gather together Knights to defend their own dukedoms.

Brave though they were, the Knights of that time were unable to turn back the Ores and many fell defending their castles and domains in small hastily gathered armies or even alone. The dukedoms of the north were overrun. To make matters worse, Chaos raiders crossed the Sea of Claws and began ravaging the northern coasts, attacking with uncanny timing and accuracy.

At roughly the same time, Settra's fleet appeared once more off the western shores. No sooner had the Ores and Goblins rampaged through the region, than the Undead hordes completed the desolation. In the east and south, restless Goblin tribes came down out of the Grey Mountains to pillage and burn.

Gilles, Duke of Bastonne, had been quicker than the other dukes to gather his Knights together into an army. This army had already fought several battles against the Ores and was now patching its wounds beside a small lake in the margins of the Forest of Chalons. Here Gilles was joined by several other dukes with the tattered remnants of their armies. Their own lands had been devastated and so they had ridden to fight beside Gilles in one last battle against the enemy. As night fell, the bellowing of Ore warhorns could be heard in the distance. The next day would decide the fate of Bretonnia. The Knights shared what little food and wine they had left and snatched what rest they could.

Dawn came and the sunlight woke them. They saw that the lake was enshrouded in a swirling mist. They put on their armour and prepared to fight the last battle. The horses were led to the lake edge to drink and the Knights knelt to drink beside them.

Suddenly, the vapours rising from the water condensed into the form of a lady of incomparable beauty. The Knights were awestruck by the vision, and all were filled with a strange calm. In her hands the lady held a gleaming chalice overflowing with light which cascaded down like liquid into the water of the lake. Some Knights cupped their hands to drink from the lake and soon the rest followed suit.

Gilles quickly took up the tattered war banner that hung from his lance and held it out towards the vision. With the words, 'Lady, bless my banner!', he dipped the blood-drenched rag into the lake. When he raised it again, the entire host of Knights gasped. They now beheld a new, gleaming banner bearing the image of the Lady of the Lake as an awesome, avenging goddess. As soon as they saw this other Knights began dipping their weapons in the water saying 'Lady, bless my sword', 'Bless my lance' and 'Bless my warhorse!'.

Rays of the sun lit the waters of the lake and the vapours began to fade. The Lady of the Lake melted back into the water and disappeared. The other dukes turned and looked at Gilles bearing the banner of the Lady of the Lake. One stepped forward and said, 'You bear her banner, you must lead us this day!' and immediately knelt presenting his sword to Gilles in the manner of a Knight Errant to a true Knight. Then the other dukes and Knights did likewise, acknowledging Gilles as their leader for this battle.

Then the din of the approaching enemy was heard from all sides, fouling the air with their warcries and drumming. The Knights hurriedly took up their weapons and mounted their warhorses. They gathered in a battle line around Gilles and the banner.

The Ore horde darkened the horizon ahead of the Bretonnian Knights. Steadily and without flinching they rode on as the arrows dropped around them. Then the moment came to charge and the Knights plunged into the midst of the Ore horde. The first ranks of the enemy crumbled before them. The entire horde reeled like some great beast pierced by the hunter's lance. The Knights cleaved through wave after wave of enemy and burst forth into the open plain beyond. All around them the enemy began to scatter in flight.

As the sun began to set the Knights ceased their pursuit and rode back to the sacred lake. Here they gathered once more and rested as the rooks and ravens descended to feast on the Orcish slain. All the dukes and Knights gathered around Gilles and together they vowed to serve and honour the Lady of the Lake. They also vowed to stay together as an army and free Bretonnia from Ores and all her other foes. Gilles was proclaimed 'Leader of Battles', with the authority to command the army and the entire resources of all the dukedoms until Bretonnia was freed. This moment marked the origin of the Grail Knights and also the Kingdom of Bretonnia.

In the years that followed, under the banner of the Lady of the Lake, Gilles led the Grail Knights from victory to victory throughout the length and breadth of Bretonnia. One by one the dukedoms of Bretonnia were freed from rampaging Ores and other enemies. Settra's raiders and the hordes of Chaos were flung back into the sea in two great battles fought on the sea shores. Wherever the army appeared, Knights who had been desperately besieged in remote and isolated castles joined Gilles. In every village, new Knights Errant were created and swelled the army.

Gilles led the Knights of Bretonnia in twelve great battles and every one was a victory. At this time Gilles became known as 'Le Breton', a title acknowledging his uncrowned authority throughout Bretonnia. The Ores and Goblins were driven from the valleys and plains of Bretonnia and pushed into the mountains and forests. According to legend it is said that after the tenth battle fought on the edges of the great Forest of Loren, Gilles encountered Elves from deep within the wood who had also been fighting the Ores. Gilles and the Elven chiefs exchanged gifts of magical weapons and promised everlasting friendship.