Béarn (Traditional province, France)

Last modified: 2004-10-09 by ivan sache
Keywords: bearn | cows: 2 (red) |
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by Arnaud Leroy

• History of Béarn
• Description of the flag of Béarn

See also:

• France
• Traditional provinces
• Region
  • Aquitaine
• Department
  • Pyrénées-Atlantiques
• Lower Navarre (Basse-Navarre)
• Andorra

History of Béarn

Béarn is the ancient pagus Bearnensis or Benehornum.

In 820, king Louis le Pieux made of Béarn an hereditary viscounty granted to one of the duke of Gascogne's sons. In 841, Morlaàs replaced the former capital city Lescar, which had been trashed by the Sarracens. In the XIth century, viscount Gaston IV le Croisé promulgated the For (right) de Morlaàs, a kind of chart which restricted the seignieurial powers and established an equitable tallage. Every new viscount should "swear the For". In 1194, the capital city of Béarn was transfered to Orthez.

In 1290, the House of Foix received Béarn by marriage. The most famous count of Foix and viscount of Béarn was Gaston III (1331-1391) Fébus (the Brilliant or the Hunter), whose motto was toque-y si gauses (touch it if you dare). Fébus exerted an absolute power and did not care of the Fors. He convened in Orthez a rich court with poets and troubadours, but was also involved in more vi