County of Anjou

History > the Middle Ages > Anjou < France < Europe

---- The county of Anjou emerges from the history at the 10th century consequently of the dislocation of the kingdom Carolingien. It becomes one of most important the Principauté S Frenchwomen with S. In 1204, the king of France Philippe Auguste puts the hand on the county. This one finds a certain autonomy starting from the reign of holy Louis as a Apanage. Anjou is set up in Duché at the beginning of the Guerre One hundred Year old.

Birth of the county of Anjou (10th century-1160)

Anjou belonged to the Honneur Robertiens - the ancestors of the Capétiens. Little by little, the Viscounts of Angers, represented by Ingelger, émancipent of their supervision, like besides their neighbors, the Viscounts of Blois. In 958, Foulque II the Good declares “count by the grace of God”.

The county of Anjou is then centered on the Pagus of Angers but the count Foulque Nerra (987-1040) is not long in fixing the close areas. At the south, it puts the hand on the Loudun board vis-a-vis the claims of the Duc of Aquitaine, in the east it settles with Vendôme and in the Gâtinais. In north, it vassalizes the Comté of Maine and in the west that of Nantes. What causes a fight of influence with the Ducs of Normandy. But the principal enemies of the counts d' Anjou are the counts of Blois-Chartres. Untiring the Foulques Nerra removes to them Saumur in 1026 then its successor the Comté of Turns into 1040/1044.

At the latest, as of 1006 - 1007, of the comtaux agents, the provost S, are installed to manage the grounds and to perceive the incomes. It is an early innovation which will be then copied by the king of France. In order to consolidate the possession its conquests, Foulque Nerra builds important Donjon S out of stone: Loaches, Langeais and Montbazon.

The crisis lady of the manor (1060-1067)

This rise is stopped by the death of the count Geoffroy II Martel. The county is divided between its two nephews: Geoffroi Bearded the and Foulque Réchin. Both are not long in clashing.

This duel has as a consequence the proliferation of the castle X. Certain lords of the manor seize the public fortresses so that the two candidates must from now on take into account them. To note that this “ crisis lady of the manor ” (Dominique Barthelemy) touches also other French areas.

In 1067, Foulque Réchin finally manages to be essential as count but its capacity extends on a territory restricted compared to his/her uncle Geoffroy II Martel.

Rise to power of a principality (1067-1144)

Foulque Réchin tries to restore the capacity comtal but it is especially from 1100 that Anjou restores its power gradually. Foulque V the Young person becomes Count of Maine into 1109/1110 then king de Jérusalem. He names with the évêchés of Angers and of Mans. Justice comtale receives the complaints of the Church and makes fold the rebellious lords. With the Duchy of Normandy, Anjou is the most important principality of the North-West of France. The son of Foulque, Geoffroi Plantagenêt, wife Mathilde, the girl of the Duke of Normandy and King d' Angleterre Henri Ier Beauclerc. Become count, Geoffroy conquers the Duché of Normandy for the account of his wife.

Insertion in the empire Plantagenêt (1144-1204)

The son of Geoffroy and Mathide, Henri II, has an extraordinary destiny since he becomes count d' Anjou, of Maine, duke of Normandy and Aquitaine and king d' Angleterre. Anjou finds itself within a vast unit, the Empire Plantagenêt.

The width of this territory, which overlaps the English Channel, obliges Henri II Plantagenêt to have representative within each State which it controls. In Anjou, it relies on the Sénéchal. Starting from 1165, it is this character who chairs the curia comtale. Its capacity grows: it acquires soon clean a “field” taken on that of the count. It receives in 1187 the guard of the Treasury preserved at Chinon then the guard of the castles (1199).

Insertion in the royal field capétien as from 1204

In 1202, the king of France Philippe Auguste pronounces the Commise (confiscation) of the continental strongholds belonging to Jean without Ground. Pushed by Guillaume of the Rocks, Seneshal of Anjou, a majority of the nobility angevine adopts Capétien. In 1204, the county of Anjou between thus in the French royal field as well as the County of Maine and the Duchy of Normandy. Ten years later, Jean without Ground tries to recover the lost territories but it is beaten out of ground angevine, with the Rock-with-Monks. By the Treated of Paris (1259), his/her son Henri III gives up his claims on the Normandy, the Anjou, the Touraine and the Poitou.

Saint Louis entrusts Anjou to his/her brother Charles. The county becomes thus a Apanage for juniors, giving rise to two dynasties of Anjou which will extend in Europe like counts de Provence, Naples or king de Hongrie). The first dynasty ends up going up on the throne of France in the person of Philippe VI of Valois. Second is inaugurated by the king Jean the Good (1350-1364) which constitutes in favor of his/her son Louis a new prerogative centered on Anjou.

The county of Anjou is set up in county-peerage in 1297, then in Duché in 1360.

See too

Internal bonds

Anjou - List of the counts and dukes of Anjou - Ingelgeriens - Plantagenêts - First house capétienne of Anjou - Second house capétienne of Anjou.
historical List of the French counties

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