At the time of the
Roman conquest of Gaul, the rough area of later Domnonée was held by the
pagan Curiosolite Gauls. Domnonée is said to have been founded in the 4th century by
Christian Briton immigrants; it greatly expanded in the wake of subsequent waves of refugees from the
Saxon invasions of Britain. Domnonée retained close political links between the Celtic territories in
Great Britain (
Wales,
Cornwall,
Devon), and the newly created Brittany. Many kings, princes, clerics and other leaders came over from Great Britain. A number of legends and
lives of Breton saints contain references to the close political ties between religious communities in Wales and Brittany. It has been suggested that the British and Breton branches were unified for a period.
Conomor, who was killed fighting
Chlothar I, king of the Franks, is referred to in stories from both Great Britain and Brittany. He would have been a British military leader who was guarding the
English Channel from attacks by pirates, perhaps in alliance with
Childebert I, son of
Clovis I. In 1034, the term was used to designate the
comté of Penthièvre said to be the preserve of Eudes, second son of
Geoffrey I, Duke of Brittany. The name disappeared shortly after. == History of the Principality of Dumnonia or Domnonée ¹==