Gaston III of Foix-Béarn

Biography

Gaston II having died with Seville, Gaston III succeeds very young person (12 years) his father in 1343 on parcelled out territories: in the west, Viscounts of Béarn (located nowadays in the Yrénées-Atlantiques), of Marsan and Gabardan (currently in the Moors and the Gers); in the east, the county of Foix (currently the Ariège), the Albigensian Low-grounds (part of the current Tarn) and the Lautrec; in the medium, the Nébouzan, around Saint-Gaudens (in the Haute-Garonne). His/her mother ensures regency until her 14 years.

For the Western possessions, Gaston III thus owes homage to the king of England, Edouard III, duke of Gascogne, and, for the Eastern possessions, with king de France, Philippe VI of Valois. This specific measure led the rival kings of France and England to sparing the count de Foix to prevent that it does not pass in the other camp With this strategy, Gaston Fébus manages to remain rather neutral. Its fields thus were relatively saved disasters of the Guerre One hundred Year old.

When this one bursts, Gaston III does not take part in it and, the September 26th 1347, it declares that the Béarn is neutral in this conflict and that it holds his country only of God and his sword.

The August 4th 1349 Gaston III marries in Paris Agnès de Navarre, girl of Philippe III of Navarre and Jeanne II of Navarre, close relationship of king de France. He repudiates this woman, the shortly after his childbirth. She is driven out, without other businesses that what she carries. One is unaware of still the reason. The consequences will be heavy for Gaston Fébus, because it turns over to the court of her brother Charles II of Navarre.

Very fine diplomat, frightening war leader and warned strategist, it will be able to benefit from the war to grow rich. With Launac, the December 3rd 1362, it crushes its neighbor the count d' Armagnac. It makes it captive and the enormous ransom that it receives for its release makes it possible him to maintain a sumptuous court.

The life of Gaston occurs in continual wars; it makes its first weapons in 1345 against the English, leaves in 1356 in Prussia to fight the Pagan ones in the rows of the Chevaliers Teutoniques; contribute in 1358, during the Jacquerie, to the delivery of the Cour of Meaux and fights the Count d' Armagnac, which expresses claims on Béarn (1372), as well as the Duc of Berry, which removed to him the title of Lieutenant of Languedoc (1375).

It is illustrated by its value and its magnificence; but one reproaches him a character violate and one shows it to have caused the death of his own son: this young prince, shown to have wanted to poison his father at the instigation of Charles the Bad, is imprisoned. During a visit which it returns to his son, Fébus loses its coolness and a mortal blow carries to him to the throat, thus making disappear its only direct heir (1382).

He asks a census of fires (“ foecs ”) of Béarn, which one calls the “ Dénombrement of 1385 ”. He then imposes a tax by hearth, which will be raised each year.

He dies during a hunting for the Ours, with Hospital-with Orion (meadows of Sauveterre-with-Béarn), struck Apoplexie, at the 60 years age, the 1391. The branch junior by Foix-Béarn collected the succession and ensured the survival of its work.

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