County of Dreux

County of Dreux , old county of France, thus named Dreux, its capital, was located at the North of the Chartres-native Pays, on the borders of the Normandy and the Île-de-France, and depended originally on the Duché of Normandy.

It belongs to the possessions of the Robertiens. At the beginning of the 10th century it was had by some Landry, whose girl Eve carried it in dowry to Gauthier, count of Vexin. It échut then with Richard Ier of Normandy, duke of Normandy (942 - 996), whose girl carried it in marriage to Eudes II of Blois (1017).

Robert II, king de France, took it from this last and joins together it with the crown. Louis VI the Large, gave it in 1137 to his/her son Robert Ier de Dreux, who became the chief of the royal house of the counts de Dreux.

In 1377, after the death of the count Simon de Thouars, it was acquired by the king of France, of the heiress of the elder branch of this house: Silly goose of Thouars, viscountess de Thouars. In 1382, Charles VI gave it in dowry to Marguerite de Bourbon by marrying it with Arnaud-Amanieu d' Albret.

Begun again by the crown in 1556, it formed part in 1559 Douaire of Catherine de Médicis, and in 1569 was set up in Duché peerage and was given in prerogative to François, duke of Alençon, then duke of Anjou, died in 1584. Sold in 1585 with the House of Nemours, it returned to the crown only under Louis XV.

See too

List of the counts de historical Dreux
List of the French counties

Source

Random links: