Last modified: 2004-07-03 by ivan sache
Keywords: limousin | ermine (black) | ermines: 11 (black) |
Links: FOTW homepage |
search |
disclaimer and copyright |
write us |
mirrors
See also:
Limousin is the ancient pagus Lemovicensis, named after the Gaul tribe of Lemovices, which also gave their name to the capital city of Limousin, Limoges. In the IXth century, Limousin was incorporated to thedDuchy of Aquitaine and transfered to England through the marriage of Aliénor d'Aquitaine in 1152. Philippe-Auguste reconquered Limousin in 1208, Louis IX (St. Louis) retroceded it to England in 1259 and Charles V reconquered it again in 1369.
The viscounty of Limoges, nominally part of Limousin, was de facto an independent feudal state. In 1275, Marie de Combron, daughter of the last viscount, married the heir of Brittany, later duke Arthur II. In the XVth century, Limousin was owned by the Albret family, and was therefore incorporated to the royal domain by Henri IV, son of Jeanne d'Albret, in 1589.
Limousin was later a généralité, which
was administrated from 1761 to 1774 by Turgot.
Anne Robert Jacques Turgot, Baron de l'Eaune (1727-1781) was a
liberal economist inspired by the Physiocratic doctrine. He
dramatically reformed Limousin by promoting its economical
development: several roads were built to link the province to the
main cities of the kingdom, the tax system was made more equitable, a
veterinary school was opened, the merinos sheep and the potato were
introduced. Turgot published in Limoges in 1766 his
Réflexions sur la formation et la distribution des
richesses, in which he explained the central role of
cerealiculture for the national economy. In 1774, Turgot was
appointed Contrôleur général des Finances and
State Secretary to the Navy. He suppressed the taxes between the
provinces and tried to establish free trade and industry. When he
planned to suppress several kinds of privileges, he was disgraced by
Louis XVI, to whom he predicted hard times.
Limoges has given its name to the verb limoger (lit., to limogize), which means 'to dismiss'. During the First World War, Foch, Commander-in-Chief of the French Army, was so upset by the lack of clue of several generals that he exiled them to Limoges, far behind the frontline. The story has been mostly forgotten but the words limoger and limogeage are still in common use, especially for politicians and sport coaches.
Ivan Sache, 26 April 2003
The banner of arms of Limousin is: