Champdieu is a commune

Communes of France

The commune is the lowest level of administrative division in the French Republic. French communes are roughly equivalent to incorporated municipalities or villages in the United States or Gemeinden in Germany...

 in the Loire

Loire

Loire is an administrative department in the east-central part of France occupying the River Loire's upper reaches.-History:Loire was created in 1793 when after just 3½ years the young Rhône-et-Loire department was split into two. This was a response to counter-Revolutionary activities in Lyon...

 department in central France

France

The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...

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History

The town and name of Champdieu evolved in the course of ages. First of all CANDICUS (Roman leader), then in 11th century the village is called CANDIACO. It becomes in 13th century CHANDIACO then CHANDIEU and becoming in the 16th century into "FIELD-GOD" expression in French to finally in 1801 to be registered CHAMPDIEU.

CASTRUM CANDIACO

"Sunt autem ipsæ res site in pago Lugdunense, in agro Candiacense, in villa et Castrum Candiaco dei Baronum Candiæ"
Latin inscription in the land registry of the Castle and baronny of Candia.

The origin of the village parried be previous to Carolingian times.
The current village of Champdieu was formed in 10th century (980) around the rich bénédictain establishment created on the fief of the old Castle of Candiae (Castrum Candiacus). The first Lords of Candiae or Chandieu were the barons of Candia descendents of Robert Guiscard

Robert Guiscard

Robert d'Hauteville, known as Guiscard, Duke of Apulia and Calabria, from Latin Viscardus and Old French Viscart, often rendered the Resourceful, the Cunning, the Wily, the Fox, or the Weasel was a Norman adventurer conspicuous in the conquest of southern Italy and Sicily...

 d'Hauteville

Hauteville

-Places in France:* Hauteville, a former commune in the Ain département, part of Hauteville-Lompnes*Hauteville, Aisne, in the Aisne département*Hauteville, Ardennes, in the Ardennes département*Hauteville, Marne, in the Marne département...

 founders of the dynastic House of Candia

House of Candia

The House of Candia is a European dynastic house, created by a junior branch of the House of Anjou originally from "Castrum Candiaco" in the Dauphiné of the nobility of Savoy and Piemont...

vassals of the counts of Forez.