The Ancient Dukedoms of France (Aquitaine, Brittany, Normandy etc)

[Warren]

The Ancient Dukedoms of France

(Aquitaine, Brittany, Normandy etc)

France 1154



Map by Lotroo, courtesy of Wikipedia and released into the Public Domain

[Midwestern Mom]

Are the former provinces (or however they were called) like Aquitaine etc more or less defunct and now would be considered (if France still had a ruling Monarch) just part of France or would they still have a local noble over that territory?


MM

[Meraude]

As most of the French medieval non-royal duchies merged with the throne through the marriage between a independet duchess and the French king or heir to the throne, and the next duke would also be king of France, there wouldn't be any non-royal duchies.

Claude of France, Duchess of Brittany married Francis I of France; the duchy was inherited by their son Francis III, Duke of Brittany and when he died without issue, the duchy went to his younger brother Henry, later king Henry II of France and the Duchy of Brittany merged with the crown.

The title Duke of Aquitaine was held by the English kings after the death of Eleonor of Aquitaine, duchess of Aquitaine in her own right and queen of England, until Aquitaine was annexed by France during the reign of Henry VI of England.

The Duchy of Burgundy merged with the French crown after the death of Philip I, Duke of Burgundy. His mother had married king John II of France and when Philip died at the age of 15 his stepfather "inherited" the duchy.

The Duchy of Normandy was/is held by the English monarchs, but the mainland part of Normandy was confiscated by France in 1204, but queen Elizabeth II is Duchess of Normandy as the Channel Islands was a part of the Duchy of Normandy and still are English.

The Kingdom of Navarre merged with the French crown when king Henry of Navarre became king Henry IV of France in 1589.

[An Ard Ri]

Originally Posted by Midwestern Mom

Are the former provinces (or however they were called) like Aquitaine etc more or less defunct and now would be considered (if France still had a ruling Monarch) just part of France or would they still have a local noble over that territory?


MM

The old Ancien Régime Provinces of France were abolished in March 1790 with the establishment of the département.

La Royaume de France- Anciennes Provinces 1789
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...inces_1789.jpg