1550 : The Cannibal King

Here is that story!
------------------------
Map 16

PREV - FIRST - NEXT

-----------------------

Jean VI brought plants, animals and natives from the New World. In 1526 arrives a young and very beautiful Indian slave, Marianne (1511-1532). François immediately falls in love with her. He will have two children by her, Conan (1529-1598) and Françoise (1531-1598). Marianne died in 1532 of a bad cold. François will be severely affected and it is only in 1537 that he will marry Charlotte de Pisseleu (1523-1604) who is then only 14 years old.

Charlotte will have several children of the Prince but none survive very long. So in 1548 when François felt sickness coming, he found himself without a legitimate heir.

The Prince does not want his brother Jean to succeed him. He preferred to place his bastard Conan, Breton customs allow it, but his brother still has priority.

François will then appoint Conan governor of New Brittany in 1549 (he was then just 20 years old). He also writes a secret last will that makes Conan his successor.

Conan arrived in America in July 1549. Having a blood prince (he descended from the kings of France), even a bastard, was an honor. This is the first time that such an important character has set foot on the New World. His very Indian physique despite his light eyes and a small beard, makes him very popular among mestizos and natives.

In August 1549; Conan took as his first mistress, Marie Le Fur (1532-1591), daughter of the richest bourgeois of Port Conan, Christophe Le Fur (1503-1566).
And in December 1549 he took as his second mistress Jeanne Ramalle (1532-1604), one of the Métis daughters of Joao Ramalho (Frenchified as Jean Ramalle), lord of St Yves. In this he follows the Indian traditions of matrimonial union.

But on October 10, 1549, Prince François died in Brittany. His brother proclaims himself Prince under the name of Jean II. The secret will is revealed but John II has it recognized as illegal.

Now we have to oust Conan from New Brittany...

Jean II immediately sends a boat with a false message from his father asking him to return quickly. The boat also carries a new replacement governor.

But Portuguese agents will send another ship which will arrive 2 days before, on December 14, 1549. Conan then proclaims himself Prince under the name of Conan I and dismisses the new governor. This one will take refuge in Morlaix du Sud that Conan controls badly.

In fact, New Brittany is now independent. Jean II, when he heard the news in April 1550, knew that recovering it was going to be complicated. He calls his nephew the "Cannibal King" more out of spite than mockery.