History of Alp-of-High-Provence

The history of the Alp-of-High-Provence is old and goes back to the Antiquité, period during which, which is known of its history is very fragmentary.

Antiquity

During the age of Iron, thirteen tribes Celto-Ligurian lived in this area. Among them, the Esubiens (in the Valley of Ubaye), the Bodiontici (towards Worthy) or the Salinienses (area of Castellane). These tribes formed a confederation. Their religion and their social organization were Celte.

This confederation was modernized and cultivated thanks to the commercial contacts with the Greeks of Massalia. The contacts with the Romans were as for them plus violent one (massacre of a Roman legion by Esubiens in the valley of Ubaye, punitive forwarding of the Romans then, at the beginning of IIe century before JC). However, the area and its thirteen tribes were subjected by Auguste. The autochtones were romanisèrent gradually, of the Roman colonies were established (Ségustéro for example), so that the culture original celto-Ligurian ends up disappearing.

The area was as the remainder of the Roman Empire of occident victim of the cruel invasions in Ve century after JC. The portion of territory known today as the department of Alp-of-High-Provence was controlled by the Ostrogoths. It is as towards the end of the Empire as it was christianized, and of évêchés were established with Riez and Sisteron.

The Middle Ages

In 507, the Francs conquered the area.

In VIIIe century, the Sarrasins foamed the area, destroying Riez, plundering the other important cities like Sisteron or Digne. Monasteries were destroyed. The area was depopulated. The raids Sarrasins continued by intermitence to Xe century.

After the end of the Moslem raids, prosperity returned in Alp-of-High-Provence, the population increased and the trade began again. Boson Ier proclaimed King de Provence and King d' Arles. Under its successor Boson II was born the county from Provence, which includes/understands the territory of the department of Alp-of-High-Provence.

When the count Boson II with Xe century divided his stronghold between his two sons Guillaume and Rotbaus, the second receipt a part made up of Alp-of-High-Provence and part of the Dauphiné, called the marquisat of Provence. This marquisat passed later by marriage under the control of the count of Toulouse, Guillaume III Taillefer, in 1037.

Later, by the play of the marriages, which would become later the department became as the remainder of Provence a possession of Raimond-Berenger III of Barcelona in 1112. It reigned under the name of Raimond-Béranger Ier of Provence.

In 1231, Raimond-Berenger IV of Barcelona gave the authorization to the borough of Saint-Pons and Faucon, in the Vallée of Ubaye, to halfway establish a new city between the two: it was the birth of Barcelonnette.

In 1245, after the death of Raymond-Berenger V of Provence, the county passed under the cut of the house of Anjou. The counts of this line were so powerful that they took the title of King, such famous King Rene.

16th-17th centuries

The territory of the Low-Alps is invaded in December 1746, at the time of the War of succession of Austria. After the defeat of Pleasure, the marshal of Maillebois gives up Italy of North and folds up himself behind the Var. He is replaced by the marshal of Beautiful-Isle, which renews the Austro-Sardinians in Italy.

19th century

The modern time saw the department of the Low-Alps depopulating itself because of a massive rural migration after a peak of population in the middle of the 19th century. At the variation of the industrial revolutions, the department preserved its rurality.

A massive rural migration

After an economic growth and demographic considerable at the 18th century, the department found itself over-populated at the beginning of the 19th century, reaching a maximum of more than: 150000 inhabitants about 1850. The economic activity turned primarily around a Mediterranean food agriculture in the lowest valleys, mountain elsewhere (breeding, transhumance), generally poor. It is starting from second half of the 19th century that the department started to depopulate itself, with many departures towards the cities, more prosperous, or towards Mexico for the inhabitants of the valley of Ubaye. After the First World War, depopulation emptied certain villages of their inhabitants while the others saw their strongly reduced population.

Remarkable events

In 1834, the department is struck by the cholera epidemic which devastates all Provence. In December 1851, following the coup d'etat of Napoleon III, a republican insurrection takes Digne and the sending of a troop loyal supporter is not enough to bring back the order. The defeat of the insurrections in other departments and the insulation of the insurgent ones which follows involves the dispersion of the rebellion, but of many people are stopped during the police repression which follows this episode.

Contemporary time

Sources

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