Thiviers

------------------ Thiviers is a common French, located in the department of the the Dordogne and the area Aquitaine.

Geography

History

Thiviers, town of charm in the center of the green Périgord Its origins are at the very least turbid: according to the oldest assumption, they would date from the Roman epoch since Tiberii or Tiberium was a city which was close to the old Roman way of Vésone (Périgueux) with Lemovicences (Limoges) while passing by Fines (Firbeix). The remainder of its history is a little more precise. City Franque, Thiviers had the right to beat its own currency at the beginning of French monarchy. Moreover, we know that it constituted at the 12th century one of the 32 closed cities of Périgord. It is at this same time that the castle of Vaucocourt was set up. By its privileged position on the road of Saint-Jacques-with-Compostelle, Thiviers will essuiera all the wars, the famines, the epidemics. The city managed however to be rebuilt after a fashion with the wire of the centuries. Although the majority of the files were burned during the revolution of 1789, certain striking facts of the history of Thiviers of its origin at our days will be developed in the continuation of the history. The big role of resistance at the time of the Second world war will not be forgotten.

the assumptions on the origins of Thiviers are numerous but the lack of files does not make it possible to check any of it. It would seem that the etymology of its name is Gaelic or Celtic by the words Tigernack, Tivernack, Tigern or Tivern which want to say “House of the chiefs”. It would be thus possible that Thiviers was “a Gallic small village”! The city was invaded in turn by the Barbarians, the Romans, the Visigoths, the Francs and the Arabs what involves new possibilities. Latin gives us various possible origins as trivio which means the crossroads of the three ways or like Tiberius, name of the emperor who would have chosen this strategic place to build Tiberium on the route Vésone (Périgueux) and Augustorium (another name of Limoges). It would be Clovis which would have changed the latter name into Tiverius, which by chronological deformation gave Tiveris, Tiberio, Tyberio, to lead to Thiviers.

can one think nowadays that Thiviers was one of the strong main cities of Périgord at the time medieval? Indeed, the city, on the way of pilgrimage of Compostelle, became a fortified town built around its church and of its castles three at the time: Fur-lined coats being opposite the church and shaven in 1790 (maintaining the Foch place), the castle of Vaucocourt located behind the church (its medieval aspect not being almost more apparent following many restorations during the centuries) and the Banceil castle serving as the first defense for the attacks coming from Périgueux (transformed now into residences). Like any feudal city, Thiviers was surrounded by fortifications, ramparts and walls bordered broad and deep ditches. It also counted in its center a prison, a place of weapons (with the site of the current place of the Republic), a convent, a small old people's home (located between the street of the Tower and the street of the Farm Bridge). One entered the city by three doors: the door of Pèze in north, the door of the Tower in the west and the door of Thou (or Tuna) in the south; but the access, or more exactly the exit, of the city could be done by undergrounds (many was buried now). Moreover, many castles and strengthened manors flowered around Thiviers such as the manor of Limagnes, the castle of Filolie, Planeau and others.

Thiviers during the centuries was object and pilot of very many events. The first authenticated traces of documents referring to the city date from the 11th century. We know that the city wiped several periods of famine and epidemics of plague reducing its number of inhabitants of more than half. At the time of the one hundred year old war, it was occupied and ransacked several times: English possession annexed by Richard Lion-hearted, the city becomes again French at the 12th century. Jean Without Ground, king d' Angleterre, seized some in 1211 and Guy, Viscount of Limoges, took it again in 1212. It will again be taken again by the English who will be driven out under the reign of Charles VI. Set up at the 14th century in prévôté, the catholic town of Thiviers undergoes the seat of Calvinistes of Henri Vicomte of Turenne. But the inhabitants inlassablement rebuild the city, which changes regularly “owner” following all the internal wars and the competitions, of the revolts and revolutions, the “knacks” and other guerillas of all kinds. The city finds a real stability only after the French revolution of 1789, in 1794, date on which its first important mayor is elected: Jean Theulier. Thiviers crossed without executions the French revolution of 1789 and entered a phase of development more agricultural and tradesman that industrialist initially. A few years before, the city saw its first earthenware manufacture like its first relay of station (held during 110 years consequently family!) between 1750 and 1760. The first brigade of firemen was created in 1872. It is to be specified that at the time they provided themselves the scales! For the needs growing for the city in energy, Thiviers obtained into 1876 a gas works functioning starting from the coal. It will keep operating until 1960. Electricity as for it will be brought tardily: 1923. The 19th century, Thiviers had also a convent founded in 1878 per Mrs. and Miss Faure. It is in 1904 qu' appeared to the first elementary school boys. Thereafter, the girls were allowed there.

Certaines families contributed to the history of Thiviers. The family of Vaucocourt (or Vaucocour or Veaucocours) in fact part. Its first traces in the city would go back at least to the 11th century. Vaucocourt made build the castle of the same name and were during centuries the noble ones and the leaders of the city. The family of Thiviers, disappeared in 1729, was a direct branch of the family of Vaucocourt. The latter is extinct by the males at the beginning of the 19th century, but remains represented in female filiation by of the Farmhouse of Veaucocours.

the month of January 1895 saw being born famous Thibérien in its walls: Leonce Bourliaguet. Although having only little lived in Thiviers, this writer liked his birthplace and wrote a novel whose action proceeds there: Marie my man . The college bears today its name as well as a street. One cannot speak about Thiviers without evoking the surname Theulier. Its origins thibériennes go up very far: Mr. Theulier was named consul of the city in 1608. The pomade of the Farnier widow is due to this family since the name of young girl of the widow was Theulier! This pomade was manufactured and distributed by the family. The doctor Jules Theulier was called by his charity and his kindness the doctor of the poor. By recognition of its works a street bears its name. His/her son, Albert, were very a long time mayor of the city, general adviser and deputy. It made much for Thiviers: creation of the nursery school, public garden (public garden Bristol-board now), etc the house of the family became since 1922 the town hall and the grounds joined, the Theulier park.

Some anecdotes are to be provided on Thiviers. The first in date is rather a curiosity: that of the Vanbancu General about 1370. This officer of Edouard III, king d' Angleterre, was called Prince Noir because of his armor of this color and probably of his feats of arms. He fell to the place says “the post of the Moors” at the time of a combat and its strange tomb stone is always present near the careers of Planeau. We cannot pass beside the history of the bell of Thiviers: in May 1640, the governor François de Vaucocourt went to Abjat where he was assassinated. There exist two assumptions for this murder. The first says that the lord was victim of a sedition against the service of the king and that the inhabitants of this village would have molesté it with death. The second, more popular than official, known as that François de Vaucocourt went to Fargeas on the road of Abjat to remove a beautiful young woman there. Jean Masfrand would have had wind of this project and would have given a mortal blow to the lord. This crime was severely considered and punished: inhabitants would have been carried out in public place, the shaven market and especially the bell of the church of Abjat (900kg) confiscated and given to the family of Vaucocourt for the vault of the castle (vault whose bell-tower crumbled a few years later because of the weight of the bell in question).

Source: Evolu' Thiv

Administration

Demography

Places and monuments

Castle of Banceil
Romance Church Notre-Dame of the XIIe century

Personalities related to the commune

Leonce Bourliaguet
Jean Paul Sartre
Jules Theulier

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