County of Toulouse

The county of Toulouse for their capital Toulouse was a medieval Feudalterritorium in the south of France today. In terms of area covered their territory roughly the present-day department of Haute- Garonne, Tarn and Tarn -et -Garonne.

History

Foundation

The County of Toulouse was founded at the end of the 8th century by the Frankish king Charlemagne, after he brought in accordance with the present-day southeastern France in several campaigns against the Moors, the region of Languedoc, under his rule. To manage the region installed Karl in the main cities his henchmen as counts, who run the country and should defend against attacks of the Moors. The Counts of Toulouse were present reports to the Carolingian Empire part of Aquitaine.

Dispute for supremacy

After the death of Charlemagne and the consequent disintegration of the royal central authority, broke up the order in the so-called Midi and the counts of the region fought each other for supremacy. To Toulouse thereby competed especially the families of the Gellones ( Wilhelmiden ) who fought at the same time to the dominion over all Aquitaine, and the Raimundiner that were native to the region of Rouergue. In addition occurred in the power struggle on several usurpers. In 849 and 864, King Charles the Bald confirmed the Raimundiner as Count of Toulouse. This family sat on it permanently in Toulouse by, especially after the Gellones in the struggle against the subject Aquitaine Count of Poitou. The Tolosan Counts were strong enough to get through the accumulation of other counties (including Rouergue, Quercy, Albi, Béziers, Narbonne, Nîmes), as well as other lords count (including Foix, Carcassonne, Razès ), the most powerful princes of the south and were to separate from the suzerainty of Aquitaine, we would just make up your own principality.

Independence

As 987 the last king died from the dynasty of the Carolingians and the Capetians Hugh Capet to the throne, the Counts of Toulouse refused the new ruling house of the recognition. Because of their weakness early Kapetingerkönige could not do anything about it. This Toulouse was in fact a sovereign principality, whose Count claimed a supremacy over all other princes of the Languedoc itself. Basis for this was the inherited dignity of duke of Narbonne, which went back to the old Margraviate of Septimania / Gothia. In the 11th and 12th century, the Counts of Toulouse were thus with the Counts of Barcelona and Kings of Aragon, who pursued the same goal in the competition.

Crusades

From the end of the 11th century made ​​their Raymond IV of Toulouse and his descendants during the Crusades a name as Count of Tripoli in Lebanon today. The county passed in 1187 by bequest or inheritance over to the princes of Antioch.

Peak of the power

With his family possessions to the city of Toulouse, which ranged from almost the whole Agen along the Garonne and the entire course of the river Lot included in the north, and the Languedoc as a fief ( with a focus Avignon ), the Count of Toulouse was in the 11th century in the only power behind the kings of France on a par with the Dukes of Burgundy and Aquitaine. Towards the end of the century formed Aquitaine to a traditional enmity that developed into a serious threat to Toulouse in the 12th century after Aquitaine was integrated into the powerful family conglomerate of the Plantagenets ( Angevinisches Empire).

Albigensian

Middle of the 12th century, the county has a center of the heretical Cathar Sekter and the counts became entangled in the years 1209-1229 in the devastating Albigensian Crusade. They were opposed by Simon IV de Montfort, who wanted to create their own principality in Toulouse. Monforts rule over Toulouse was founded in 1215 on the fourth Lateran Council by a papal investiture, but never accepted by the rightful earl. Until 1224 it was possible to count to expel the Crusaders, but the country was then economically and militarily so weakened that it was following the 1226 Crusade of King Louis VIII of France to oppose anything.

Connection to France

In the Treaty of Meaux- Paris in 1229 to Toulouse subjugated the crown of France. That same year, Joan was the Pious, the sole heiress of the county, with Alphonse of Poitiers, brother of the French king Louis IX. engaged - both were at this time nine years old. In 1241 the marriage between the two was made; since the marriage remained childless, fell after her death (1271 ) the county by inheritance entirely to the crown, but kept to 1779 special rights.

The Counts of Toulouse

• King Louis XIV of France in 1681 gave his illegitimate son, Louis Alexandre, on the occasion of its legitimacy, the title of " Comte de Toulouse ".