Gévaudan

The Gévaudan (in Occitan Gavaudan or Gevaudan ) indicates a French province which existed until the Révolution. On this date, Gévaudan became the department of the Lozere, which follows the same borders appreciably.

History of Gévaudan

Neolithic era

The area of Gévaudan develops during the Neolithic around current the Javols. It presents a strong concentration of monuments megalithic the such Menhir S and the Dolmen S. the Cham of the Bungs presents the second concentration of these monuments in Europe.

Gallic period then Gallo-Roman

The Gévaudan term derives from the name of the Gabales, Gallic people probably come from banks of the the Rhine (of Francfort-sur-le-Main according to estimates). The Gabales fought at the sides of Vercingétorix during the Guerre of Gaules. Jules César, in his writings, considered to be them valiant but somewhat disordered (with the image of Gallic). They were charged by the Arvernes with containing the Helviens, combined Romains. With the Cadurques and the Vellaves, they formed a quota of 35.000 men which assisted from Vercingétorix at the time of the seat of Alésia.

At the Gallo-Roman period, four cities are known to us like important: the capital Anderitum (become Javols), Condate (Chapeauroux, carrying out the connection towards the valley of the Rhone), Gredone (Grèzes, the fortress of the Gabales, near of the place to worship installed with Saint-Bonnet-of-Chirac) and AD Silanum (a station on the Aubrac, the road towards Segodunum, lost today).

Pline Old the evokes that Gabales manufacture a very appreciated cheese with Rome.

Gévaudan always made a point of being independent of the Roman Empire but nevertheless was attached to the Narbonnaise under the aegis of Nemausus (Nimes).

At the 3rd century, the barbarians Alamans penetrate on the territory of the Gabales, seize the capital, Gabalum (also known like Anderitum). This one is entirely destroyed. It besiege without success the fortress Grèzes where the inhabitants took refuge. To try to make them leave the seat, they Martyr isent the bishop Privat who accepts his fate. According to Gregoire de Tours, Privat would have refused to deliver its people despite everything the torments that one made him undergo. Exténués to be able to make leave Gabales their fortress, Alamans would have decided to leave the territory gabale in their promising peace. As for Privat, he succumbs to his wounds in the days which follow. Its tomb became a place of pilgrimage and it is around him that the town of Mende developed, which was the seat of évêché of Gévaudan. Other dates are advanced for the martyrdom of Privat, 402 or the 5th century, but they do not seem correct with the sights of the other sources.

Early middle ages

The area belongs to the Roman Empire until 472. At the fall of the Roman Empire and the end of the Pax romana , the Visigoths take possession of the territory, with their king Euric. But the Visigoths are crushed by Clovis with Vouillé in 507) and are pushed back in the south of the the Cevennes. The Visigoths will settle in Septimanie whereas Gévaudan is one of the points more in the south of the frank kingdom of Austrasie (511).

Gévaudan undergoes the divisions between the princes mérovingiens. The legend of the princess Énimie date of this time. Sister of Dagobert, it was reached hideous leprosy. She had the vision of an angel ordering to him to go to bathe in water of the fountain of Burle, with the country of the Gabales, she obeys and was cured. She based a monastery on banks of the Tarn, known later under the name of Holy-Enimie.

In 688, Gévaudan was joined together in the States of the duke of Aquitaine, but, in 732, the Sarrasins devastated the country.

In 767, Pépin, which had just destroyed the Aquitanian kingdom of Toulouse, annexed Gévaudan with its grounds. This county passed to its made Charles, the future Charlemagne.

Charlemagne reorganizes the country in Pagus , thus is born the Pagus Gabalitanus in other words the “country gabale”. Each pagus is divided into Viguerie S , Gévaudan will have eight of them: Banassac (where the king francs struck their currency), Grèzes (and its ancient fortress), Miliac (near to Langogne, Valdonnez, Chassezac, Vallée of the Tarn, Dèze (and the whole of the Long Valley) and Valley-Frenchwoman. One can add of it a ninth, that Between two Gardons, whose Saint-Jean-of-Gard was in Gévaudan. Those of Dèze, French Valley and thus Between two Gardons depended much on Nimes. It is possible that the various texts evoking these vigueries omit to quote some of them (the chapter of Mende will evoke later Peyre, Châteauneuf, Auroux and Serverette).

The Middle Ages

Little by little Gévaudan finds a county, although being under the supervision of the County of Toulouse (become Comté of Barcelona). With the passing of years the county of Toulouse passes under the supervision of the counts d' Aragon and the counts Catalans which one finds the armorial bearings on the blazon.

However at the 14th century, the bishop of Mende, Aldebert III of Tournel obtains, via a royal Bulle of gold, the regalities and temporal on the town of Mende like to his successors. These rights are quickly extended to the unit of Gévaudan via the Diocèse of Mende. The county of Gévaudan is divided into several Viscounts.

Under the Old Mode, Gévaudan is thus equivalent to the Diocèse of Mende and is in the province of the Languedoc. That until in 1790, where France was divided in departments. Gévaudan was found then in the department of the Lozere, except for the Canton of Saugues which was attached to the Haute-Loire, but with the addition of the towns of Meyrueis and Villefort.

Governorship of medieval Gévaudan

Évêché of Mende

See also: List of the bishops of Mende

The county of Gévaudan

See also: County of Gévaudan, List of the counts de Gévaudan

After the death of Guillaume I {{er}} the Piles, duke of Aquitaine, three families disputed the capacity in Aquitaine: the counts d' Auvergne, the counts de Toulouse and the counts de Poitiers. In many cities of the south-west of France, the Viscount S, simple officials appointed by the Duke, benefitted from it to acquire a relative independence, then the heredity of their load and finally the title of count.

The county of Gévaudan, which thus appears in the neighborhoods of 960, disappears towards 1030, replaced by several Viscounts.

Baronnies of Gévaudan

See also: Baronnies of Gévaudan

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

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

Languages

The speech gévaudanais (for the most recent centuries) is very close to the Occitan. The local patois is indeed a mixture of the traditional Langue of oc to which was added influences Auvergnat are.

See too

Sources and references

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