County of Maine

The county of Maine , named according to the Maine, is in the beginning a Carolingian county , composed of the Diocèse of the Mans, formed of the old cities of Mans and Jublains. In 1790, it gave rise to the departments of the the Sarthe and the Mayenne. Its capital was the city of Mans.

The county of Maine and the duchy of Mans to the Early middle ages

The son-in-law of Charlemagne, Rorgon (or Roricon) I {{er}}, is attested count in 833 and 839. In second half of the 9th century, the county takes an strategic importance because of the incursions Normans and Breton. The son of Rorgon, Gauzfrid, count of Maine, fights the king of Breton the Solomon and takes part in the Bataille of Brissarthe (866) against the Normands, at the sides of Robert the Fort.

In parallel, with 8th and 9th centuries, there exists a duchy of Mans ( ducatus Cenomannicus ) which is used as Apanage for several princes Carolingien S. Apparemment, this duchy is a kind of Marche, perhaps gathering several counties of which that of Maine. It extends in Basse-Normandie, until the the Seine. In 748, the mayor of the palate Pépin the Brief gives this duchy to his half-brother Grifon. In 790, Charlemagne makes in the same way in favor of his/her son Charles the Young person. The future Charles the Bald person and the young person Louis the Stammerer are also duke of Mans thanks to their father. With most extremely of the Scandinavian invasions, some Ragenold, died into 885, are known with this title ( Ragnoldus dux Cinnomanicus ).

Towards 895, the county of Maine east torn off with the Rorgonides by Roger, son-in-law of Charles the Bald person and combined Robertiens.

A Buffer state between Normandy and Anjou

The king Raoul I {{er}} would have given the county in 923 to the duke of Normandy Rollon. Hugues Capet places there the count Hugues II, whose descendants keep it until the 12th century.

At the 11th century, the county of Maine is a stake between the two rising powers of the time: the County of Anjou and the Duchy of Normandy. Hugues III must recognize the suzerainty of the count Foulque III of Anjou but his/her son, Herbert II of Maine, is forced to recognize for successor the duke of Normandy William the Conqueror. In 1063, this last seizes indeed Maine in spite of the opposition of several lords (Hubert of Holy-Suzanne, Geoffroy II of Mayenne). His/her son Robert Courteheuse is married with Marguerite of Maine († 1063), sister of Herbert II of Maine and becomes, nominally, Count of Maine after the death of his wife. But it is William the Conqueror which controls the territory.

A viscontal dynasty existed at the same time with the Mans.

The Norman ones hold Maine with difficulty. They run up against the opposition of the local barons like Geoffroy II of Mayenne and against the influence of the count d' Anjou Foulque Réchin. In 1070, a revolt calls Azzo d' Este, a Italy N married to Gersende of Maine, the girl of a former count, Herbert Wake up-Dog. The Norman ones are driven out. They return temporarily in the capital in 1073, in 1088, 1098 and 1099. Élie de Beaugency, the nephew of Gersende of Maine, ends up being essential as count. His/her daughter marries the count Foulque V of Anjou which recovers Maine in 1110 with died of Élie. Henri Beauclerc agrees n the other hand to recognize it Count of Maine of the recognition of the suzerainty of Normandy on Maine.

Foulque V transmits the county to his/her son Geoffroy Plantagenêt. With died of Geoffroy, in 1151, his/her son Henri already duke of Normandy since 1150, joins together finally the three areas.

A prerogative capétien

In 1204, the king Philippe Auguste attacks the Empire Plantagenêt directed by Jean without Ground. The Duché of Normandy is taken while the seneshal Guillaume of the Rocks seizes on behalf of king de France the Anjou, of the Touraine and Maine.

Maine belongs to the Apanage of Charles I {{er}} of Anjou, passes to his/her Marguerite little girl, who marries Charles de Valois. It is plain with the royal field with the advent of Philippe VI of Valois in 1328. It enters then the prerogative of Louis I {{er}} of Anjou and passes to its descendants. It goes to Charles Ier, wire junior by Louis Ier of Anjou, then with elder the Louis II and its third wire Charles II. In 1331, the county of Maine is set up in county-peerage.

After the Battle of Verneuil in 1424, the English occupy Maine, and Jean of Lancaster takes the title comtal of it. The English give up Maine only in 1448.

In 1481, Charles V, count of Maine and Provence, bequeaths to its death its states with the king de France Louis XI. After the Burgundy, this last thus attaches new a Apanage to the Crown of France.

In 1508, one finishes the drafting of the habit of Maine. The president of the Parlement of Paris came in person in Mans lira the text in front of the three states.

Subdivisions

At the 9th century, it is composed of the condita - subdivisions - following: condita of Saosnes, C. of Cormes, C. of Ceaucé, C. of Beaufay, C. of Javron, C. of Jublains, C. of Sougé, C. of Vivoin.

At and the beginning of the 12th century, part of Maine (the Saosnois) belongs to the Famille of Bellême and the counts of Maine could never control to them seigniory durably.

Of at the 14th century, the Famille of Beaumont-with-Maine holds the Viscount of Beaumont, Fresnay and Holy-Suzanne. Hubert II of Beaumont resists victoriously during four years (1083 - 1086) a seat of William the Conqueror Holy-Suzanne (Mayenne).

See also: List of the Viscounts of Maine

an act of 1484, announces that, on this date, the baronnie of Mondoubleau concerned the county of Maine.

the Baronnie of Castle-Gontier offers the historically interesting characteristic that its northern limit was like undecided between the Maine and the Anjou. The civil authority and feudal of the count d' Anjou had encroached by right of conquest on the territory manceau, before the 11th century, but at one time when the parishes were already made up. Also the bishop of Mans it had maintained its jurisdiction on the extent of its diocese. It is as well, at least, as the Abbé Angot believes duty to include/understand and explain this abnormal phenomenon.

the Famille of Laval is a family which marked the French history. It had the characteristic to be important as well in the Comté of Maine as in the Duché of Brittany. The house of Laval was besides, with those of the Rohan and the Clisson, most powerful with the Duché of Brittany.

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