County of Fézensac

The county FEZENSAC was established by Charles the Great, in order to meet the military challenge posed by the Basques. One of the Carolingian counts was Leuthard of Paris († 809), younger son of Count Gerhard of the house of Matfriede.

Permanent uprisings ( 789, 813, 816, 824 ) wore down the Carolingian rule so much that FEZENSAC already 836 was back in Basque hand. In the midst of anarchic states, the county was under Sancho I. Mitarra then from 872 the nucleus of the Kingdom of Gascony.

A few generations later, after the death of Garcia II, known as " the crooked " (920 ), the possessions were divided between his sons: Sancho III. got the bulk of Gascony, his brothers Astarac or FEZENSAC.

William Garcia, The Earl of FEZENSAC, the rule stated again: his older son Othon received the county FEZENSAC, his younger, Bernard le Louche, the county Armagnac.

Counts of FEZENSAC

• 926-960 William Garcia
• 960-985 Othon son
• 985-1020 Bernard Othon son
• 1020-1032 Aymeric I. son
• 1032-1064 Wilhelm I. Astanove son
• 1064-1103 Aymeric II son
• 1103-1140 Astanove II son

The Marriage of Azaline, daughter and heiress Astanoves II, with their relatives Count Geraud III. of Armagnac and the childless death of her daughter, Beatrix of Béarn, from his first marriage in 1114 provided the unity of the two counties restored. Together, they were united in 1589 by King Henry IV of France with the royal domain.

• Historical territory (France)
• Graf ( FEZENSAC )