Iteuil

Iteuil is a common French, located in the department of the Vienna and the area Poitou-Charentes.

Geography

This locality located on left bank of Clain, is located at a dozen kilometers in the south of Poitiers.

History

Toponymy

The name of Iteuil was not always written in the same way during the centuries. Louis Redet in his topographic dictionary found writings which go from Estolio Estolium into 954-955 to Iteuil in 1782 while passing by Istaol in 1108-1115, Istolio in 1149, Ytolium in 1269, Ytuel in 1324, Iteuilg in 1335, Iteuyl in 1398, Iteuilh in 1454 and Ysteuil in 1496.

The origin of the word could be:

is “Estolium” which would mean Army, given that the area underwent many invasions of foreign armies (Roman, wisigothes, Arabic, English…).
is “Esteil” which meant “pile”, indicating that Iteuil was in the beginning a village surrounded by piles and palisades.
is “Estolio” which would mean “seat”.

These three possible meanings refer to the armed troops, their actions and the means of protecting itself some.

Antiquity

One finds only few traces of the first men who occupied the area. The first traces which one finds are those of the Roman legions which occupied the area during several centuries. Traces of their camps remain in the wood of Troussaye.

Iteuil perhaps also was, in 507, the theater of a battle between Franc S and Visigoth S, often located at Vouillé. Clovis after its baptism, decided to drive out Alaric the Visigoth out of Gaulle. The historians agree badly on the exact place of this battle which put an end to the domination of Goths in Aquitaine. It could have taken place in the north of Mougon which is precisely located at 15 kilometers of Poitiers, near the Roman way.

The troops of Clovis, after having gone up the Loire, then Vienna, could have crossed Clain by the many fords (Maugué, Port of Verrée, the Strike, Lizelier) which cross it and to attack the troops wisigothes installed in a built fortification with Maugué close to Brétinières.

Perhaps Mougon would draw its name from “Mons Gothorum” which means mount of Goths in remembering the massacre of Goths by the troops of Clovis. Found bones, with height of Mougon, during the initial work of a road are perhaps remainders of this famous battle.

Administration

Demography

Places and monuments

Frédérick Gersal, journalist, historical chronicler on the radios France inter and France Info in particular, evoke also regularly in the Télématin television program on France 2, an historical event or a character, at the time of a birthday, of an exposure or a cultural event.

He is the author of several books of history.

See too

Common of Vienna

External bonds

Iteuil on the site of the national geographical Institute
Iteuil on the site of INSEE
Iteuil on the site of Quid
Localization of Iteuil on a chart of France and communes bordering
Plane on Iteuil on Mapquest

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