Baronnies of Gévaudan

The Gévaudan had eight Baronnie S, of which some among richest of the Languedoc: Apchier, Canilhac, Cénaret, Florac, Mercœur, Peyre, Randon and Tournel. These baronnies had at their head various seigneuriaux titles: barons, Duke S or Marquis.

The legend founder

A legend evokes the creation of these eight baronnies: that of a young shepherd mendois left in Hungary to seek better fortune. Become confidant of king de Hongrie, following his devotion, it éprit of his/her daughter at the point to want to be to marry it. Not having the agreement of the royal family for the marriage it was solved to remove it, and to bring back it in its country. From this union were born seven wire. The king of Hungary, in the search of his daughter, came in Gévaudan which it never left, then repurchasing the country, being reserved évêché and creating the county then. With his death the bishop of Mende took again possession of his goods creating then the seven baronnies of Gévaudan, for each son. Only that of Mercœur will be created later. But it is not in so far as a historical bringing together can be made. The barons of Gévaudan would be more of the descendants of the counts de Barcelone and Aragon.

Baronnies

Gévaudan is thus composed of eight baronnies, however have can add to it the “comtors” of Montferrand (small counts) which had three mandements (Saint-Pierre-with-Nogaret, Saint-Germain-of-Teil the and Trélans) which had a particular status, without being neither baronnie, nor seigniory. Amphélyse de Montferrand will give rise to Guillaume de Grimoard more known under its name of pope Urbain V.

Apcher or Apchier

The baronnie of Apcher (in the past Apchier) is located between the Bès and the Truyère, and gave its name to some of its villages like Saint-Chély-with Apcher, become more the big city of the baronnie. The castle was established in the west of the field with Apcher (common of Prunières, whose tower is the vestige, but where excavations made it possible to update remainders of the castle. According to the legend. Dominating the Causse of Sauveterre it was very dependant with the valley of Olt (valley of the Lot). Part of the weapons of Canilhac (the greyhound) was included in blasonnement of Canourgue.

The grounds are sold in 1731 per judicial document, shortly after the death of the last of Canilhac which had died out unmarried. The baronnie is transferred by letter-licenses in the years 1740 worms Saint-Alban-on-Limagnole, property of the family of Morangiès, which repurchased the title of baron for the sum of: 20000 pounds.

Cénaret

Smallest of the eight baronnies, it was located in edge of Batch around the villages of Cénaret and Barjac. Its possessions extended then until the limits from those from the bishop from Mende (in the east) and from the Viscount from Grèzes (in the country of Chanac, in the west). By the means of alliances with Peyre, small the baronnie had however obtained possessions on causse of Sauveterre and in the valley of the Tarn. However, the proximity with the grounds of the bishops and the debts which they had towards them, often extinguished the capacities of Cénaret to the profit of the bishops of Mende.

Towards 1570, the baronnie passed between the hands of the baron of Saint-Vidal, Antoine of the Tower, which will release Gévaudan of Huguenots at the sides of the admiral Joyeuse.

Florac

The baronnie of Florac had all the high part of the the Cevennes. The many castles located in the area were under the dependence of this baronnie. The Château of Florac is the trace of this baronnie, it replaced an old built castle of time when Florac depended on the baronnie of Anduze.

Mercœur

Very wide To combine it with the Truyère, the baronnie of Mercœur recovered the cantons of Saugues and the Malzieu. It is on the ground of this baronnie that prevails the Bête of Gévaudan at the 18th century. The family in addition held the title of Duke in Velay. Among the famous men of this family one finds Odilon de Mercœur, bishop of Mende, and nephew of Odilon de Mercœur, the abbot of Cluny.

Peyre

The ground of Peyre extends in the neighborhoods from Marvejols. The baronnie was most powerful of all Gévaudan. The castle of Peyre, one of most beautiful of Gévaudan was destroyed at the 15th century by the admiral Anne of Merry, in answer to the conquest of Gévaudan by Matthieu Merle and its huguenots. It was located on the Roc of Peyre, commune of Saint-Saver-with-Peyre. This headland entirely dominates the Margeride and the Aubrac. A quite strategic place thus for a keep which will never be taken until the arrival of the admiral Joyeuse.

Peyre are most powerful of the eight barons, and perhaps one of the most former families. Astorg de Peyre (the Astorg first name will be very often taken again) is indeed nephew of Raymond-Berenger III, count de Barcelone, in 1150. The baronnie what is called has seven castles on the ground of Peyre: the eyrie (Rock of Peyre), Bessons, it To shit, the Bush, Low wall, Larcis and Quintinhac. But also has some on Aubrac which the barons dominate almost exclusively. They will however give part of their goods to the Dômerie d' Aubrac.

At the east and north, the limits of the baronnie are located at Serverette and Ribennes with Randon, and at the bridge of Estrets with Apchier. Close to Javols, the Blackbird are their vassal, and thus Matthieu Merle will be called to avenge the murder for Astorg de Peyre at the time of the Massacre of the St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre. In the south, the baronnie shares part of Aubrac with Canilhac, the village of the Hermaux being located towards the border between the two. With the image of Cénaret, Peyre also have some possessions in edge of the Tarn, and these first will be thus very close to Peyre to the wire of the centuries.

Randon

The baronnie of Randon had its castle on the puech David (close to Estables), thus dominating all the Margeride: Rieutort, Saint-Mercies, Saint-Denis-in-Margeride and Villedieu. The chief town moved then (about the 12th century) towards what will become Châteauneuf-with-Randon. Their territory extends then on the plain from Montbel and the forest from Mercoire.

By the means of the marriages the descendants of Odilon de Randon (wire of the count Raymond-Berenger de Gévaudan) little by little will encroach on the territory of Tournel and will take possession of all North-West of Gévaudan. Their possessions even will go beyond these limits, until the Château of Doors in the Gard. The brother of this Odilon de Randon is certain Guerin, who will found as for him, the dynasty of the family of Apchier.

Their Châteauneuf will be the witness of the One hundred Year old war and of died of the constable of France, Bertrand of Guesclin. The baronnie, it, will be sold with the Polignac then with the Roure (in 1695), name of Châteauneuf-Randon perdurant in family names by the means of alliances with Tournel or the family of Merry (Alexandre Paul Guerin de Tournel de Joyeuse of Chateauneuf-Randon will be for example representing of Gévaudan to the general states of the Revolution).

The writings of Almucs de Castelnou, Trobairitz of Châteauneuf-Randon, arrived to us.

Tournel

The castle of Tournel was undoubtedly one of largest of Gévaudan. Located at Saint-Julien-of-Tournel the, one can observe his vestiges still there dominating the high valley of the Lot. The ground of Tournel thus extended from the causses mendois and Valdonnez, to the Cevennes (Villefort) and the High Valley of Olt (Mont Lozere).

Before the 13th century, the family of Tournel designates itself more as lord than as baron, just like at the 17th century it will take the term of Marquis.

As of this 13th century, the baronnie is broken up into five mandements: Tournel, Chapieu, Montialoux, Montmirat and Montfort. The castle of Tournel being thus the major piece and power station of the possessions. The name of Tournel comes quite simply from Turn. Tournel, with their possession with Chapieu - fortification which one owes with Aldebert III of Tournel, bishop of Mende - are thus very close to Mende and the ecclesiastical capacity. That will not prevent some quarrels with the bishops in connection with the possessions in Valdonnez. A major part of the castles around Mende (Balsièges, Montialoux,…) will be destroyed by the troops of Matthieu Merle. Mandement of Montfort, him, part of the Cevennes dominates, until Villefort.

It is from 1307 that Tournel will use the castle of the Servant boy (Valdonnez) like main home. It will be renovated in a style Renaissance after having undergone the pangs of the wars of religion. At the 18th century, the baronnie is a possession of the marquis de Molette of Morangiès, whose weapons are visible in the blasonnement of Villefort. The baronnie of Tournel is often bound, by marriage, with that of Châteauneuf-Randon.

Among the notable characters resulting from the family, one finds Guerin, Chancelier of France and bishop of Senlis, or the Trobairitz Iseut de Capio.

Blasonnements

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