Poictesme is a fictional country or province which forms the setting of the fantasy works of James Branch Cabell

James Branch Cabell

James Branch Cabell, ; April 14, 1879 – May 5, 1958) was an American author of fantasy fiction and belles lettres. Cabell was well regarded by his contemporaries, including H. L. Mencken and Sinclair Lewis. His works were considered escapist and fit well in the culture of the 1920s, when his...

, known collectively as The Biography of Manuel

The Biography of Manuel

The Biography of Manuel is a series of novels, essays and poetry by James Branch Cabell. It purports to trace the life, illusions and disillusions of Dom Manuel, Count of Poictesme , and of his physical and spiritual descendants through many generations...

. Poictesme is ruled by the Count Dom Manuel.

It was the author's intention to situate Poictesme roughly in the south of 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...

. The name suggests the two real French cities of 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...

 (medieval Poictiers) and Angoulême

Angoulême

-Main sights:In place of its ancient fortifications, Angoulême is encircled by boulevards above the old city walls, known as the Remparts, from which fine views may be obtained in all directions. Within the town the streets are often narrow. Apart from the cathedral and the hôtel de ville, the...

 (medieval Angoulesme).

The Virginia Commonwealth University

Virginia Commonwealth University

Virginia Commonwealth University is a public university located in Richmond, Virginia. It comprises two campuses in the Downtown Richmond area, the product of a merger between the Richmond Professional Institute and the Medical College of Virginia in 1968...

 undergraduate literary journal is named Poictesme after the fictional province.

Other references

In H. Beam Piper

H. Beam Piper

Henry Beam Piper was an American science fiction author. He wrote many short stories and several novels. He is best known for his extensive Terro-Human Future History series of stories and a shorter series of "Paratime" alternate history tales.He wrote under the name H. Beam Piper...

's popular science fiction novel, The Cosmic Computer, Poictesme is the name of the planet on which the main body of the story occurs. A specific reference is made to Cabell.

Poictesme is also a moon of the planet Sauron

Sauron (disambiguation)

Sauron may refer to:* Sauron, a fictional character from J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth fantasy writings.Most other uses of the name are directly or indirectly derived from this Sauron, including:-Actual Persons:...

 in "Warworld, the Battle of Sauron" by John Carr

John Carr

John Carr was a prolific English architect. He was born in Horbury, near Wakefield, England, the eldest of nine children and the son of a master mason, under whom he trained. He started an independent career in 1748 and continued until shortly before his death. John Carr was Lord Mayor of York in...

 & Don Hawthorne .

Poictesme and Lotharingia are two of the three kingdoms in a short story by Isaac Asimov, "Prince Delightful and the Flameless Dragon".