Duke of Aquitaine
Encyclopedia
Aquitaine
Aquitaine , archaic Guyenne/Guienne , is one of the 27 regions of France, in the south-western part of metropolitan France, along the Atlantic Ocean and the Pyrenees mountain range on the border with Spain. It comprises the 5 departments of Dordogne, :Lot et Garonne, :Pyrénées-Atlantiques, Landes...
) under the supremacy of Frankish, English and later French kings.
As a successor state for the Visigothic Kingdom
Visigothic Kingdom
The Visigothic Kingdom was a kingdom which occupied southwestern France and the Iberian Peninsula from the 5th to 8th century AD. One of the Germanic successor states to the Western Roman Empire, it was originally created by the settlement of the Visigoths under King Wallia in the province of...
(418–721), Aquitania
Occitania
Occitania , also sometimes lo País d'Òc, "the Oc Country"), is the region in southern Europe where Occitan was historically the main language spoken, and where it is sometimes still used, for the most part as a second language...
(Aquitaine) and Languedoc
Languedoc
Languedoc is a former province of France, now continued in the modern-day régions of Languedoc-Roussillon and Midi-Pyrénées in the south of France, and whose capital city was Toulouse, now in Midi-Pyrénées. It had an area of approximately 42,700 km² .-Geographical Extent:The traditional...
(Toulouse
Counts of Toulouse
The first Counts of Toulouse were the administrators of the city and its environs under the Merovingians. No succession of such royal appointees is known, though a few names survive to the present...
) inherited the Visigothic Law and Roman Law
Roman law
Roman law is the legal system of ancient Rome, and the legal developments which occurred before the 7th century AD — when the Roman–Byzantine state adopted Greek as the language of government. The development of Roman law comprises more than a thousand years of jurisprudence — from the Twelve...
which had combined to allow women more rights than their contemporaries would enjoy until the 20th century. Particularly with the Liber Judiciorum
Visigothic Code
The Visigothic Code comprises a set of laws promulgated by the Visigothic king of Hispania, Chindasuinth in his second year...
as codified 642/643 and expanded on in the Code of Recceswinth in 653, women could inherit land and title and manage it independently from their husbands or male relations, dispose of their property in legal wills if they had no heirs, and women could represent themselves and bear witness in court by age 14 and arrange for their own marriages by age 20. As a consequence, male-preference primogeniture
Primogeniture
Primogeniture is the right, by law or custom, of the firstborn to inherit the entire estate, to the exclusion of younger siblings . Historically, the term implied male primogeniture, to the exclusion of females...
was the practiced succession law for the nobility.
Coronation
The Merovingian kings and dukes of Aquitaine had their capital at ToulouseToulouse
Toulouse is a city in the Haute-Garonne department in southwestern FranceIt lies on the banks of the River Garonne, 590 km away from Paris and half-way between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea...
. The Carolingian kings used different capitals situated further north. In 765 Pepin the Short bestowed the captured golden banner of the Aquitainian duke, Waiffre
Waifer of Aquitaine
Waifer was the duke of Aquitaine from 748 to 768, succeeding his newly-monastic father Hunold....
, on the Abbey of Saint Martial in Limoges. Pepin I of Aquitaine
Pepin I of Aquitaine
Pepin I was King of Aquitaine.-Biography:He was the second son of Emperor Louis the Pious and his first wife, Ermengarde of Hesbaye....
was buried in Poitiers
Poitiers
Poitiers is a city on the Clain river in west central France. It is a commune and the capital of the Vienne department and of the Poitou-Charentes region. The centre is picturesque and its streets are interesting for predominant remains of historical architecture, especially from the Romanesque...
. Charles the Child
Charles the Child
Charles the Child was the King of Aquitaine from October 855 until his death in 866...
was crowned at Limoges
Limoges
Limoges |Limousin]] dialect of Occitan) is a city and commune, the capital of the Haute-Vienne department and the administrative capital of the Limousin région in west-central France....
and buried at Bourges
Bourges
Bourges is a city in central France on the Yèvre river. It is the capital of the department of Cher and also was the capital of the former province of Berry.-History:...
. When Aquitaine briefly asserted independence after the death of Charles the Fat
Charles the Fat
Charles the Fat was the King of Alemannia from 876, King of Italy from 879, western Emperor from 881, King of East Francia from 882, and King of West Francia from 884. In 887, he was deposed in East Francia, Lotharingia, and possibly Italy, where the records are not clear...
, it was Ranulf II of Poitou
Ranulf II of Aquitaine
Ranulf II was Count of Poitou from 866 and Duke of Aquitaine from 887...
who took the royal title. In the late tenth century, Louis the Indolent
Louis V of France
Louis V , called the Indolent or the Sluggard , was the King of Western Francia from 986 until his early death...
was crowned at Brioude
Brioude
Brioude is a commune in the Haute-Loire department in the Auvergne region in south-central France. It lies on the banks of the River Allier, a tributary of the Loire.-History:...
.
The Aquitainian ducal coronation is preserved in a late twelfth-century ordo (formula) from Saint-Étienne
Saint-Étienne
Saint-Étienne is a city in eastern central France. It is located in the Massif Central, southwest of Lyon in the Rhône-Alpes region, along the trunk road that connects Toulouse with Lyon...
in Limoges
Limoges
Limoges |Limousin]] dialect of Occitan) is a city and commune, the capital of the Haute-Vienne department and the administrative capital of the Limousin région in west-central France....
, based on an earlier Romano-German
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a realm that existed from 962 to 1806 in Central Europe.It was ruled by the Holy Roman Emperor. Its character changed during the Middle Ages and the Early Modern period, when the power of the emperor gradually weakened in favour of the princes...
ordo. In the early thirteenth century a commentary was added to this ordo, which emphasises Limoges as the capital of Aquitaine. The ordo indicates that the duke received a silk mantle, coronet, banner, sword, spurs, and the ring of Saint Valerie
Valerie of Limoges
St Valerie of Limoges is a legendary Christian martyr and cephalophore, associated with the Roman period, whose cult was very important in Limousin, France, in the medieval period...
.
Dukes of Aquitaine under Frankish kings
Merovingian kings are in boldface.- Chramn (555–560)
- DesideriusDesiderius of AquitaineDesiderius was a Gallo-Roman dux in the Kingdom of the Franks during the reigns of Chilperic I and Guntram. He served Chilperic as Duke of Aquitaine and was his greatest general....
(583–587) - BladastBladastBladast or Bladastes was a Frankish dux during the reigns of Chilperic I and Chlothar II.In 583 or 581, Chilperic I gave the province of Aquitaine to Bladast and Desiderius and sent them into Vasconia with the Aquitainian army. They were defeated....
(583–587) - Gundoald (584/585)
- Astrobald (587–589)
- SereusSereusSereus, Serenus, or Severus was the Duke of Aquitaine briefly following the dukedom of Austrovald. Monlezun's reliance on the Charte d'Alaon makes it likely that this individual is spurious or mis-identified.-Sources:*Monlezun, Jean Justin. 1864....
(589–592) - Charibert IICharibert IICharibert II , a son of Clotaire II and his junior wife Sichilde, was briefly King of Aquitaine from 629 to his death, with his capital at Toulouse. We have no direct statement about when Charibert was born exact that he was "a few years younger" than his half-brother Dagobert...
(629–632) - ChilpericChilperic of AquitaineChilperic was the infant son of Charibert II, and briefly king of Aquitaine in 632. He was killed shortly after his father in 632, under orders by Dagobert I, Charibert's half-brother....
(632) - BoggisBoggisBoggis, Bohggis, or Bodogisel was the Merovingians Duke of Aquitaine from the death of Chilperic of Aquitaine in 632 until his death....
(632–660) - FelixFelix of AquitaineFelix was a patrician of Toulouse Duke of Aquitaine from 660 until his death. He had his seat at Toulouse and he is considered the first independent Duke of Aquitaine, i.e. formally vassal of the Franks but detached de facto from the Frankish central power base. He united under his rule the...
(660–670) - Lupus ILupus I of AquitaineLupus I was the Duke of Gascony and Aquitaine from about 670. His reign may have lasted a few years or longer...
(670–676) - Odo the GreatOdo of AquitaineOdo the Great , Duke of Aquitaine, obtained this dignity by 700. His territory included the Duchy of Vasconia in the south-west of Gaul and the Duchy of Aquitaine , a realm extending from the Loire to the Pyrenees, with capital in Toulouse...
(688–735), his reign commenced perhaps as late as 692, 700, or 715, unclear parentage - Hunald IHunald of AquitaineHunald , Duke of Aquitaine , succeeded his father Odo the Great in 735....
(735–748), son of previous, abdicated to monastery, may have returned later (see below) - WaiferWaifer of AquitaineWaifer was the duke of Aquitaine from 748 to 768, succeeding his newly-monastic father Hunold....
(748–767), son of previous - Hunald IIHunald of AquitaineHunald , Duke of Aquitaine , succeeded his father Odo the Great in 735....
(767–769), either Hunald I returning or a different Hunald, fled to Lupus II of Gascony and was handed over to CharlemagneCharlemagneCharlemagne was King of the Franks from 768 and Emperor of the Romans from 800 to his death in 814. He expanded the Frankish kingdom into an empire that incorporated much of Western and Central Europe. During his reign, he conquered Italy and was crowned by Pope Leo III on 25 December 800... - Lupus II (768–781), Duke of GasconyDuke of GasconyThe Duchy of Vasconia , later known as Gascony, was a Merovingian creation: a frontier duchy on the Garonne, in the border with the rebel Basque tribes...
, opposed Charlemagne's rule and Hunald's relatives
Direct rule of Carolingian kings
After 778, Charlemagne appointed no more Dukes, assuming direct rule of Aquitaine (and accordingly is enumerated Charles I of Aquitaine, as the first so named King in that kingdom). In 781, he appointed his son LouisLouis the Pious
Louis the Pious , also called the Fair, and the Debonaire, was the King of Aquitaine from 781. He was also King of the Franks and co-Emperor with his father, Charlemagne, from 813...
as a subordinate King and assigned him with Aquitaine. After Louis, several other members of the dynasty ruled over the region as subordinate kings.
- Louis I the PiousLouis the PiousLouis the Pious , also called the Fair, and the Debonaire, was the King of Aquitaine from 781. He was also King of the Franks and co-Emperor with his father, Charlemagne, from 813...
(781–817) - Pepin IPepin I of AquitainePepin I was King of Aquitaine.-Biography:He was the second son of Emperor Louis the Pious and his first wife, Ermengarde of Hesbaye....
(817–838), son of Louis - Charles II the BaldCharles the BaldCharles the Bald , Holy Roman Emperor and King of West Francia , was the youngest son of the Emperor Louis the Pious by his second wife Judith.-Struggle against his brothers:He was born on 13 June 823 in Frankfurt, when his elder...
(838–855), brother of Pepin I; in contest with: - Pepin IIPepin II of AquitainePepin II, called the Younger , was King of Aquitaine from 838 as the successor upon the death of his father, Pepin I. Pepin II was eldest son of Pepin I and Ingeltrude, daughter of Theodobert, count of Madrie...
(claimant 838–864), son of Pepin I - Charles III the ChildCharles the ChildCharles the Child was the King of Aquitaine from October 855 until his death in 866...
(855–866), son of Charles the BaldCharles the BaldCharles the Bald , Holy Roman Emperor and King of West Francia , was the youngest son of the Emperor Louis the Pious by his second wife Judith.-Struggle against his brothers:He was born on 13 June 823 in Frankfurt, when his elder...
. - Louis II the StammererLouis the StammererLouis the Stammerer was the King of Aquitaine and later King of West Francia. He was the eldest son of Charles the Bald and Ermentrude of Orléans. He succeeded his younger brother in Aquitaine in 866 and his father in West Francia in 877, though he was never crowned Emperor...
(866–879), son of Charles the Bald, also King of France from 877 - Carloman (880–884), son of previous, also King of BurgundyKing of BurgundyThe following is a list of the Kings of the two Kingdoms of Burgundy, and a number of related political entities devolving from Carolingian machinations over family relations.- Kings of the Burgundians :...
After 877, when Louis the Stammerer succeeded his father Charles the Bald as King of the Franks and similarly in 882, when Carloman succeeded his brother Louis III
Louis III of France
Louis III was the King of France, still then called West Francia, from 879 until his death. The second son of Louis the Stammerer and his first wife, Ansgarde, he succeeded his father to reign jointly with his younger brother Carloman II, who became sole ruler on Louis's death...
to become King of (all) Western Francia, Aquitaine remained under the supremacy of the Western Frankish kings with only two instances where the title resurfaced.
- Ranulf IIRanulf II of AquitaineRanulf II was Count of Poitou from 866 and Duke of Aquitaine from 887...
(888–890), an Aquitainian noble with no Carolingian blood, also Duke of Aquitaine and Count of Poitou - Louis III the Sluggard (982–986), son of Lothair of FranceLothair of FranceLothair , sometimes called Lothair IV, was the Carolingian king of West Francia , son of Louis IV and Gerberga of Saxony.-Regency:...
, crowned king along with his wife Adelaide of AnjouAdelaide of AnjouAdelaide , called the White, was the daughter of Fulk II of Anjou and Gerberga. She was therefore the sister of Geoffrey Greymantle. She was married five times to some of France's most important noblemen....
at BrioudeBrioudeBrioude is a commune in the Haute-Loire department in the Auvergne region in south-central France. It lies on the banks of the River Allier, a tributary of the Loire.-History:...
, also King of France from 986,
Restored dukes of Aquitaine under Frankish kings
The CarolingianCarolingian
The Carolingian dynasty was a Frankish noble family with origins in the Arnulfing and Pippinid clans of the 7th century AD. The name "Carolingian", Medieval Latin karolingi, an altered form of an unattested Old High German *karling, kerling The Carolingian dynasty (known variously as the...
kings again appointed Dukes of Aquitaine, first in 852, and again since 866. Later on, this Duchy was also called Guyenne.
House of Poitiers (Ramnulfids)
- Ranulph I (852–866), also Count of PoitiersCount of PoitiersAmong the people who have borne the title of Count of Poitiers are:*Guerin **Hatton **Renaud...
.
No duke 866-887 - Ranulph II (887–890), son of previous, also Count of PoitiersCount of PoitiersAmong the people who have borne the title of Count of Poitiers are:*Guerin **Hatton **Renaud...
, called himself King of Aquitaine from 888 until his death. - Ebalus the BastardEbalus of AquitaineEbalus or Ebles Manzer or Manser was Count of Poitou and Duke of Aquitaine on two occasions: from 890 to 892 and from 902 and 927 to his death....
(also called Manzer) (890–893), illegitimate son of Ranulph, also Count of PoitiersCount of PoitiersAmong the people who have borne the title of Count of Poitiers are:*Guerin **Hatton **Renaud...
and Auvergne.
House of Auvergne
- William I the PiousWilliam I of AquitaineWilliam I , called the Pious, was the Count of Auvergne from 886 and Duke of Aquitaine from 893, succeeding the Poitevin ruler Ebalus Manser. He made numerous monastic foundations, most important among them the foundation of Cluny Abbey on 11 September 910.William was the son of Bernard II of...
(893–918), also Count of AuvergneRulers of Auvergne-History:In the 7th century Auvergne was disputed between the Franks and Aquitanians. It was later conquered by the Carolingians, and was integrated for a time into the kingdom of Aquitaine... - William II the YoungerWilliam II of AquitaineWilliam II the Young was the Count of Auvergne and Duke of Aquitaine from 918 to his death, succeeding his uncle William I....
(918–926), nephew of William I, also Count of AuvergneRulers of Auvergne-History:In the 7th century Auvergne was disputed between the Franks and Aquitanians. It was later conquered by the Carolingians, and was integrated for a time into the kingdom of Aquitaine...
. - Acfred (926–927), brother of William II, also Count of AuvergneRulers of Auvergne-History:In the 7th century Auvergne was disputed between the Franks and Aquitanians. It was later conquered by the Carolingians, and was integrated for a time into the kingdom of Aquitaine...
.
House of Poitiers (Ramnulfids) restored (927–932)
- Ebalus the Bastard (927–932), for a second time.
House of Rouergue
- Raymond I PonsRaymond Pons of ToulouseRaymond Pons was the Count of Toulouse from 924. He was the last head of his house to rule in Toulouse before the power passed to his cousins the counts of Rouergue....
(932–936) - Raymond IIRaymond II of RouergueRaymond II was the count of Rouergue and Quercy from 937 to his death...
(936–955)
House of Poitiers (Ramnulfids) restored (962–1152)
- William III TowheadWilliam III of AquitaineWilliam III , called Towhead from the colour of his hair, was the "Count of the Duchy of Aquitaine" from 959 and Duke of Aquitaine from 962 to his death. He was also the Count of Poitou from 935 and Count of Auvergne from 950...
(962–963), son of Ebalus, also Count of PoitiersCount of PoitiersAmong the people who have borne the title of Count of Poitiers are:*Guerin **Hatton **Renaud...
and Auvergne. - William IV Iron ArmWilliam IV of AquitaineWilliam IV , called Fierebras or Fierebrace , was the Duke of Aquitaine and Count of Poitou from 963 to his retirement in 990.William's father, William III, abdicated to the abbey of Saint-Cyprien in Poitiers and left the government to...
(963–995), son of William III, also Count of PoitiersCount of PoitiersAmong the people who have borne the title of Count of Poitiers are:*Guerin **Hatton **Renaud...
. - William V the GreatWilliam V of AquitaineWilliam V , called the Great , was Duke of Aquitaine and Count of Poitou from 990 until his death. He was the son and successor of William IV by his wife Emma of Blois, daughter of Theobald I of Blois. He seems to have taken after his formidable mother, who ruled Aquitaine as regent until 1004...
(995–1030), son of William IV, also Count of PoitiersCount of PoitiersAmong the people who have borne the title of Count of Poitiers are:*Guerin **Hatton **Renaud...
. - William VI the FatWilliam VI of AquitaineWilliam VI , called the Fat, was Duke of Aquitaine and Count of Poitou between 1030 and his death...
(1030–38), first son of William V, also Count of PoitiersCount of PoitiersAmong the people who have borne the title of Count of Poitiers are:*Guerin **Hatton **Renaud...
. - Odo (1038–39), second son of William V, also Count of PoitiersCount of PoitiersAmong the people who have borne the title of Count of Poitiers are:*Guerin **Hatton **Renaud...
and Duke of GasconyDuke of GasconyThe Duchy of Vasconia , later known as Gascony, was a Merovingian creation: a frontier duchy on the Garonne, in the border with the rebel Basque tribes...
. - William VII the EagleWilliam VII of AquitaineWilliam VII , called the Eagle or the Bold , was the duke of Aquitaine and count of Poitou between 1039 and his death, following his half-brother Odo.William was the third son of William V of Aquitaine, the eldest by his third wife, Agnes of Burgundy...
(1039–58), third son of William V, also Count of PoitiersCount of PoitiersAmong the people who have borne the title of Count of Poitiers are:*Guerin **Hatton **Renaud...
. - William VIIIWilliam VIII of AquitaineWilliam VIII , born Guy-Geoffrey , was duke of Gascony , and then duke of Aquitaine and count of Poitiers between 1058 and 1086, succeeding his brother William VII ....
(1058–86), fourth son of William V, also Count of PoitiersCount of PoitiersAmong the people who have borne the title of Count of Poitiers are:*Guerin **Hatton **Renaud...
and Duke of GasconyDuke of GasconyThe Duchy of Vasconia , later known as Gascony, was a Merovingian creation: a frontier duchy on the Garonne, in the border with the rebel Basque tribes...
. - William IX the TroubadourWilliam IX of AquitaineWilliam IX , called the Troubador, was the Duke of Aquitaine and Gascony and Count of Poitou between 1086 and his death. He was also one of the leaders of the Crusade of 1101...
(or the Younger) (1086–1127), son of William VIII, also Count of PoitiersCount of PoitiersAmong the people who have borne the title of Count of Poitiers are:*Guerin **Hatton **Renaud...
and Duke of GasconyDuke of GasconyThe Duchy of Vasconia , later known as Gascony, was a Merovingian creation: a frontier duchy on the Garonne, in the border with the rebel Basque tribes...
. - William X the SaintWilliam X of AquitaineWilliam X , called the Saint, was Duke of Aquitaine, Duke of Gascony, and Count of Poitou between 1126 and 1137. He was the son of William IX by his second wife, Philippa of Toulouse....
(1127–37), son of William IX, also Count of PoitiersCount of PoitiersAmong the people who have borne the title of Count of Poitiers are:*Guerin **Hatton **Renaud...
and Duke of GasconyDuke of GasconyThe Duchy of Vasconia , later known as Gascony, was a Merovingian creation: a frontier duchy on the Garonne, in the border with the rebel Basque tribes...
. - EleanorEleanor of AquitaineEleanor of Aquitaine was one of the wealthiest and most powerful women in Western Europe during the High Middle Ages. As well as being Duchess of Aquitaine in her own right, she was queen consort of France and of England...
(1137–89), daughter of William X, also Countess of Poitiers and Duchess of Gascony, married the kings of FranceFranceThe 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...
and EnglandEnglandEngland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
in succession.- Louis the YoungerLouis VII of FranceLouis VII was King of France, the son and successor of Louis VI . He ruled from 1137 until his death. He was a member of the House of Capet. His reign was dominated by feudal struggles , and saw the beginning of the long rivalry between France and England...
(1137–52), also King of France, duke in right of his wifeJure uxorisJure uxoris is a Latin term that means "by right of his wife" or "in right of a wife". It is commonly used to refer to a title held by a man whose wife holds it in her own right. In other words, he acquired the title simply by being her husband....
.
- Louis the Younger
House of Plantagenet
The House of Plantagenet , a branch of the Angevins, was a royal house founded by Geoffrey V of Anjou, father of Henry II of England. Plantagenet kings first ruled the Kingdom of England in the 12th century. Their paternal ancestors originated in the French province of Gâtinais and gained the...
, who also ruled England as independent monarchs, as well also holding other territories in France by separate inheritance (see Plantagenet Empire). The Plantagenets were often more powerful than the kings of France, and their reluctance to do homage to the kings of France for their lands in France was one of the major sources of conflict in medieval Western Europe.
House of Plantagenet
- Henry II of EnglandHenry II of EnglandHenry II ruled as King of England , Count of Anjou, Count of Maine, Duke of Normandy, Duke of Aquitaine, Duke of Gascony, Count of Nantes, Lord of Ireland and, at various times, controlled parts of Wales, Scotland and western France. Henry, the great-grandson of William the Conqueror, was the...
(1152–89), also King of England, duke in right of his wife EleanorEleanor of AquitaineEleanor of Aquitaine was one of the wealthiest and most powerful women in Western Europe during the High Middle Ages. As well as being Duchess of Aquitaine in her own right, she was queen consort of France and of England...
. - Richard I LionheartRichard I of EnglandRichard I was King of England from 6 July 1189 until his death. He also ruled as Duke of Normandy, Duke of Aquitaine, Duke of Gascony, Lord of Cyprus, Count of Anjou, Count of Maine, Count of Nantes, and Overlord of Brittany at various times during the same period...
(1189–99), also King of England, duke in right of his mother. - John I (1199–1216), also King of England, duke in right of his mother until 1204,
- Henry III of EnglandHenry III of EnglandHenry III was the son and successor of John as King of England, reigning for 56 years from 1216 until his death. His contemporaries knew him as Henry of Winchester. He was the first child king in England since the reign of Æthelred the Unready...
(1216–72), also King of England. - Edward I LongshanksEdward I of EnglandEdward I , also known as Edward Longshanks and the Hammer of the Scots, was King of England from 1272 to 1307. The first son of Henry III, Edward was involved early in the political intrigues of his father's reign, which included an outright rebellion by the English barons...
(1272–1307), also King of England. - Edward IIEdward II of EnglandEdward II , called Edward of Caernarfon, was King of England from 1307 until he was deposed by his wife Isabella in January 1327. He was the sixth Plantagenet king, in a line that began with the reign of Henry II...
(1307–25), also King of England. - Edward IIIEdward III of EnglandEdward III was King of England from 1327 until his death and is noted for his military success. Restoring royal authority after the disastrous reign of his father, Edward II, Edward III went on to transform the Kingdom of England into one of the most formidable military powers in Europe...
(1325–62), also King of England.
Richard Lionheart was outlived by his mother Eleanor of Aquitaine. In 1189 she acted as regent for the Duchy while he was on crusade — a position he resumed on his return to Europe.
Plantagenet rulers of Aquitaine
In 1337, King Philip VI of FrancePhilip VI of France
Philip VI , known as the Fortunate and of Valois, was the King of France from 1328 to his death. He was also Count of Anjou, Maine, and Valois from 1325 to 1328...
reclaimed the fief of Aquitaine
Aquitaine
Aquitaine , archaic Guyenne/Guienne , is one of the 27 regions of France, in the south-western part of metropolitan France, along the Atlantic Ocean and the Pyrenees mountain range on the border with Spain. It comprises the 5 departments of Dordogne, :Lot et Garonne, :Pyrénées-Atlantiques, Landes...
from Edward III
Edward III of England
Edward III was King of England from 1327 until his death and is noted for his military success. Restoring royal authority after the disastrous reign of his father, Edward II, Edward III went on to transform the Kingdom of England into one of the most formidable military powers in Europe...
, King of England. Edward in turn claimed the title of King of France, by right of his descent from his maternal-grandfather King Philip
Philip IV of France
Philip the Fair was, as Philip IV, King of France from 1285 until his death. He was the husband of Joan I of Navarre, by virtue of which he was, as Philip I, King of Navarre and Count of Champagne from 1284 to 1305.-Youth:A member of the House of Capet, Philip was born at the Palace of...
. This triggered the Hundred Years' War
Hundred Years' War
The Hundred Years' War was a series of separate wars waged from 1337 to 1453 by the House of Valois and the House of Plantagenet, also known as the House of Anjou, for the French throne, which had become vacant upon the extinction of the senior Capetian line of French kings...
, in which both the Plantagenets and the House of Valois claimed the supremacy over Aquitaine due to the King of France.
In 1360 both sides signed the Treaty of Bretigny
Treaty of Brétigny
The Treaty of Brétigny was a treaty signed on May 9, 1360, between King Edward III of England and King John II of France. In retrospect it is seen as having marked the end of the first phase of the Hundred Years' War —as well as the height of English hegemony on the Continent.It was signed...
, in which Edward renounced the French crown but remained sovereign Lord of Aquitaine (rather than merely Duke). However, when the treaty was broken in 1369, English claims and the war resumed.
In 1362, King Edward III, as Lord of Aquitaine, made his eldest son Edward, Prince of Wales Prince of Aquitaine.
- Edward, the Black PrinceEdward, the Black PrinceEdward of Woodstock, Prince of Wales, Duke of Cornwall, Prince of Aquitaine, KG was the eldest son of King Edward III of England and his wife Philippa of Hainault as well as father to King Richard II of England....
(1362–72), first son of Edward III and Queen Philippa, also Prince of WalesPrince of WalesPrince of Wales is a title traditionally granted to the heir apparent to the reigning monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the 15 other independent Commonwealth realms...
.
In 1390, King Richard II
Richard II of England
Richard II was King of England, a member of the House of Plantagenet and the last of its main-line kings. He ruled from 1377 until he was deposed in 1399. Richard was a son of Edward, the Black Prince, and was born during the reign of his grandfather, Edward III...
, son of Edward the Black Prince appointed his uncle John of Gaunt as Duke of Aquitaine. That title passed on to John's descendants.
- John of Gaunt (1390–1399), fourth son of Edward III and Queen Philippa, also Duke of LancasterDuke of LancasterThere were several Dukes of Lancaster in the 14th and early 15th Centuries. See also Duchy of Lancaster.There were three creations of the Dukedom of Lancaster....
. - Henry IVHenry IV of EnglandHenry IV was King of England and Lord of Ireland . He was the ninth King of England of the House of Plantagenet and also asserted his grandfather's claim to the title King of France. He was born at Bolingbroke Castle in Lincolnshire, hence his other name, Henry Bolingbroke...
(1399), inherited the duchy from his father, but ceded it to his son upon becoming King of England. - Henry VHenry V of EnglandHenry V was King of England from 1413 until his death at the age of 35 in 1422. He was the second monarch belonging to the House of Lancaster....
(1399–1422), son of previous, also King of England 1413–22.
Henry V continued to rule over Aquitaine as King of England and Lord of Aquitaine. He invaded France and succeeded at the siege of Harfleur 1414 as well as the Battle of Agincourt 1415. He succeeded in obtaining the French crown for his family by the Treaty of Troyes
Treaty of Troyes
The Treaty of Troyes was an agreement that Henry V of England and his heirs would inherit the throne of France upon the death of King Charles VI of France. It was signed in the French city of Troyes on 21 May 1420 in the aftermath of the Battle of Agincourt...
in 1420. Henry V died in 1422, when his son Henry VI
Henry VI of England
Henry VI was King of England from 1422 to 1461 and again from 1470 to 1471, and disputed King of France from 1422 to 1453. Until 1437, his realm was governed by regents. Contemporaneous accounts described him as peaceful and pious, not suited for the violent dynastic civil wars, known as the Wars...
inherited the French throne at the age of less than a year; his reign saw the gradual loss of English control of France.
Valois and Bourbon dukes of Aquitaine
The Valois Kings of France, claiming supremacy over Aquitaine, granted the title of Duke to their heirs, the Dauphins.- John II of FranceJohn II of FranceJohn II , called John the Good , was the King of France from 1350 until his death. He was the second sovereign of the House of Valois and is perhaps best remembered as the king who was vanquished at the Battle of Poitiers and taken as a captive to England.The son of Philip VI and Joan the Lame,...
(1345–50), son of Philip VI of FrancePhilip VI of FrancePhilip VI , known as the Fortunate and of Valois, was the King of France from 1328 to his death. He was also Count of Anjou, Maine, and Valois from 1325 to 1328...
, acceded in 1350 as King of France. - Charles (1392?–1401), son of Charles VI of FranceCharles VI of FranceCharles VI , called the Beloved and the Mad , was the King of France from 1380 to 1422, as a member of the House of Valois. His bouts with madness, which seem to have begun in 1392, led to quarrels among the French royal family, which were exploited by the neighbouring powers of England and Burgundy...
, Dauphin. - LouisLouis, Dauphin of France (1397-1415)Louis, Dauphin of France and Duke of Guyenne was a younger son of Charles VI of France and Isabella of Bavaria-Ingolstadt...
(1401–15), son of Charles VI of FranceCharles VI of FranceCharles VI , called the Beloved and the Mad , was the King of France from 1380 to 1422, as a member of the House of Valois. His bouts with madness, which seem to have begun in 1392, led to quarrels among the French royal family, which were exploited by the neighbouring powers of England and Burgundy...
, Dauphin.
With the end of the Hundred Years War, Aquitaine returned to direct rule of the King of France and remained in the possession of the King. Only occasionally was the Duchy or the title of Duke granted to another member of the dynasty.
- Charles, Duc de BerryCharles de Valois, Duc de BerryCharles de Valois, Duke of Berry was a son of Charles VII, King of France. He spent most of his life in conflict with his elder brother, King Louis XI of France.-Life:...
(1469–72), son of Charles VII of FranceCharles VII of FranceCharles VII , called the Victorious or the Well-Served , was King of France from 1422 to his death, though he was initially opposed by Henry VI of England, whose Regent, the Duke of Bedford, ruled much of France including the capital, Paris...
. - Xavier (1753–54), second son of Louis, Dauphin of France.
The Infante Jaime, Duke of Segovia
Infante Jaime, Duke of Segovia
Infante Jaime of Spain, Duke of Segovia, Grandee of Spain , was the second son of King Alfonso XIII of Spain and his wife Princess Victoria Eugenie of Battenberg...
, son of Alfonso XIII of Spain
Alfonso XIII of Spain
Alfonso XIII was King of Spain from 1886 until 1931. His mother, Maria Christina of Austria, was appointed regent during his minority...
, was one of the Legitimist
Legitimists
Legitimists are royalists in France who adhere to the rights of dynastic succession of the descendants of the elder branch of the Bourbon dynasty, which was overthrown in the 1830 July Revolution. They reject the claim of the July Monarchy of 1830–1848, whose kings were members of the junior...
pretenders to the French throne; as such he created his son Gonzalo, Duke of Aquitaine (1972-2000); Gonzalo had no legitimate children.