See also: Mef= [[Saint-Even-the-Careers]], [[Saintonge]], locality of Charente

The Saintonge (in Saintongeais Saintonghe , G is expired) is an old province whose limits have several times varied with time. Evolving/moving according to the times between the Aquitanian , the Poitou and the Anjou (during the first the Middle Ages), it is then the object of long arguments between two royal fields, the capétien and the plantagenêt. From where ceaseless fights between 1152 and 1451. Saintonge thus seems a ground of border, its lords hesitating often between the anglo-Aquitanian attachment and the bond with Paris. Any watch which the anglo-Aquitanian attachment was there dominating until worms half of the 14th century (in spite of the Traité of Brétigny which attaches the province to Anglo-Aquitanian). As from these years, the errors of control of the count de Derby (ride of 1346) then Prince Noir tend to turn over the opinion towards Paris Duché of Aquitaine.

It is today with horse on five departments, a great southern part of the Charente-Maritime, the Charente for the western half, north the Gironde, called Pays Gabaye and the south Two-Sevres, it went up to the doors of Niort and in the south the Vendée, it has part of the Marais Poitevin.

History

origins

All Saintonge was populated of Néanderthal iens, as the discoveries made throughout the valleys of the affluents of the Charente show it, and in particular of Pierrette to Saint-Césaire.

Saintonge had with the Neolithic a strong establishment of megaliths: dolmens (with Cognac, Châteaubernard, Saint-Brice…) who sign a strong population.

Gallic and Gallo-Roman period

Saintonge was populated by the Celtes Santones, and constituted a prosperous civitas of the Roman Gaulle. The capital of the province of Aquitaine was established with Saintes, which profited from important work of urbanisation : bridge on the Charente, triumphal arch of Germanicus marking the arrival of the principal Roman way de Gaulle, on the basis of Lugdunum (Lyon, Roman capital of Gaulle), amphitheater and thermal baths.

Eutrope Holy, originating in Holy, at the 3rd century, christianized this territory which included/understood also the Aunis. It was martyrisé and besides the blazon of Saintonge represents its miter, that of the first bishop the Holy ones], surrounded by three flowers of lily, on blue bottom.

Holy was invaded successively by the Alains, the Vandales at the beginning of the 4th century and the Visigoths in 419. In 507, it was conquered by Clovis with the remainder of Aquitaine and was incorporated in the Regnum Francorum . Parcelled out in many strongholds, the most important seigniories were those of Saintes, of Saint-Jean-with Angély, Aulnay, Cognac, Jarnac and Jonzac.

In 565, Waddon is mentioned as count de Saintonge.

At the 10th century, Aunis is separated from Saintonge which will depend on the Sénéchal of the Poitou until 1360.

The War One hundred Year old

The 11th century and 12th century the lords of Châtellaillon play a big role on this territory, which passes under English domination in 1152, by the marriage of Aliénor of Aquitaine with Henri Plantagenêt. It was taken again partly (Right Bank of the Charente) with Jean without Ground between 1204 and 1210,

In 1258, Saintonge becomes part of the duchy of Guyenne, left with Henri III of England by Saint-Louis, king de France. In 1371, it is reconquered entirely by Bertrand of Guesclin, and in 1375 Saintonge is joined together definitively with the crown of France by the king of France Charles V.

The Wars of religion

Of 1542 with 1549, it knew serious revolts against the Gabelle, until the edict of Henri II, king de France.

Starting from the Years 1550, the ideas of the Réforme developed quickly and the Protestantisme became very active there, with La Rochelle, in Aunis close, become one to the capitals and place-strong of the Protestants. Besides the Peace of Saint-Germain-in-Bush hammer, the August 8th 1570, recognizes La Rochelle like one of the four places of safety granted to the Protestants.

The Années 1570 with 1590 were marked by terrible the Wars of religion, and 1593 with 1595 take place the first revolt of the Crunching.

Signed in 1598 by the Henri IV, king de France, the Édit of Nantes brought a score of years of peace, until 1620. Saint-Jean-with Angély fall in 1621, vis-a-vis Louis XIII king de France, and in 1628 after the seat of the La Rochelle, Saintonge is again gathered with Aunis in a Généralité.

In the Years 1630 with 1650, the Guerre Thirty Year old made devastations and was accompanied by country revolts against the new taxes of 1629 with 1643: Crunching. Of 1650 with 1653, the Fronde of the Princes touches Saintonge and causes the misery of the campaigns.

The Années 1660 know a resumption of persecutions with regard to the Protestants, who end in 1685, with the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes, which will see the beginning of the exodus many Huguenot S towards the Nouveau World, and the arrival of Fénelon, charged with the “  conversion  ” of the local Protestants.

The revolutionary and Napoleonean age

Starting from 1744, maconnic cabins of English obedience are founded in Saintes, Rochefort and the La Rochelle, and in 1757 and 1758, the coasts undergo British incursions . The year 1785 is marked by bad harvests and the food shortage, and the year 1789 by a very strong agricultural crisis.

Of 1790 with 1794, the campaigns are marked by important revolts and the Terreur (turbid anti-seigneuriaux, Vendean revolt, British threats). Most of the province joined the new department of Charente-Lower, with Saintes like Préfecture, which will be tranférée with the La Rochelle in 1810. The part Is province, around Cognac become sub-prefecture, is attached to the department of the Charente.

Famous characters

Remarkable buildings

  • Vestiges gallo- Roman S Holy of which Arena S and the triumphal arch of Germanicus.

  • maritime forts of the sluices: Fort Boyard, of Chapus, the island of Aix, the semaphore of Fouras (Vauban).
  • turns of La Rochelle: Saint Nicolas's Day, of the Chain and the Four-Sergeants.
  • turns of old abbey of Saint-Jean-with Angély
  • the Romance church Saint-Pierre d' Aulnay located in Poitou in spite of the name Aulnay-with-Saintonge.
  • Romance churches the Holy ones: Saint-Eutrope and the Abbey with the Ladies.
  • the Holy-Radegonde Romance church of the Talmont-on-Gironde.
  • the castle, buildings of the Middle Ages and doors of the town of Cognac
  • the Castle of Rochecourbon.
  • the castle of Taillebourg.
  • castles of Poitou-Charentes, the Keep of Pons to the Castle of Javarzay
  • the strengthened city of Brouage.
  • bridges of the estuary of Charente: suspended bridge of Tonnay-Charente, transporter bridge of Martrou close to Rochefort, raising bridge of Martrou (destroyed), recent bridge of Soubise.

Notes and references of the article

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