Comtat Venaissin | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1271 (annexed as a Papal state in 1274)–1791 | |||||||||||
| Motto: Per lo Papa, per la nacion ("For the Pope, for the nation") | |||||||||||
 | |||||||||||
 Map of political borders in Europe between 1748 and 1766 | |||||||||||
| Status | Papalenclave | ||||||||||
| Capital |
44°5′N5°0′E / 44.083°N 5.000°E /44.083; 5.000 | ||||||||||
| Common languages | |||||||||||
| Religion | Roman Catholicism | ||||||||||
| Government | Feudaltheocraticelectiveabsolute monarchy | ||||||||||
| Historical era | Middle Ages | ||||||||||
• Death ofAlphonse, Count of Poitiers | 21 August 1271 | ||||||||||
• Acquired by papacy | 1271 (annexed as a Papal state in 1274) | ||||||||||
• Capital moved to Carpentras | 1320 | ||||||||||
| 1348 | |||||||||||
• French occupation | 1663, 1668, 1768–74 | ||||||||||
| 14 September 1791 | |||||||||||
| 1797 | |||||||||||
| Currency | Roman scudo | ||||||||||
| |||||||||||
| Today part of | France | ||||||||||
TheComtat Venaissin (French pronunciation:[kɔ̃tavənɛsɛ̃];Occitan:lo Comtat Venaicin; 'County of Venaissin'), often called theComtat for short, was a part of thePapal States from 1274 to 1791, in what is now theProvence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region ofSouthern France.
The region was anenclave within theKingdom of France, comprising the area around the city ofAvignon (itself always a separatecomtat) roughly between theRhône, theDurance andMont Ventoux, and a smallexclave located to the north around the town ofValréas purchased byPope John XXII. TheComtat also bordered (and mostly surrounded) thePrincipality of Orange. The region is still known informally as theComtat Venaissin, although this no longer has any political meaning.
In 1096, the Comtat was part of theMargraviate of Provence that was inherited byRaymond IV, Count of Toulouse fromWilliam Bertrand of Provence. These lands in theHoly Roman Empire belonged toJoan, Countess of Toulouse, and her husband,Alphonse, Count of Poitiers.[1] Alphonsebequeathed it to theHoly See on his death in 1271.[2]
The Comtat became aPapal territory in 1274. The region was named after its former capital,Venasque, which was replaced as capital byCarpentras in 1320.
Avignon was sold to the papacy byJoanna I, Queen of Naples and Countess of Provence, in 1348,[3] whereupon the twocomtats were joined to form a unified papal enclave geographically, though retaining their separate political identities.
The enclave's inhabitants did not pay taxes and were not subject tomilitary service, making life in the Comtat considerably more attractive than under the French Crown. It became a haven forFrench Jews, who received better treatment under papal rule than in the rest of France. TheCarpentrassynagogue, built in the 14th century, is the oldest in France, and until theFrench Revolution preserved a distinctiveProvençal Jewish tradition.
Successive French rulers sought to annex the region to France. It was invaded by French troops in 1663, 1668 and 1768–1774 during disputes between the Crown and the Church. It was also subjected to trade and customs restrictions during the reigns ofLouis XIV andLouis XV.
Papal control continued until 1791, when an unauthorizedplebiscite, under pressure from French revolutionaries, was held and the inhabitants voted for annexation by France. The process was facilitated byPierre-Antoine Antonelle, then mayor ofArles. A few years later,Vauclusedépartement was created based onComtat Venaissin including theexclave of Valréas and a part of theLuberon for the southern half. The papacy did not recognise this formally until 1814.
Under the Counts of Toulouse, the chief officer of the Comtat Venaissin was the Seneschal.[4]
From 1294 to 1791 the chief administrator of the Comtat Venaissin was the Rector, who was appointed directly by the Pope. Most of the incumbents were in fact prelates, either Archbishops or Bishops, and the Rector therefore had the right to wear a purple garb, similar to that of an Apostolic Chamberlain.[5] His official residence was in Carpentras. He had no authority over Avignon, however, which was administered by a Cardinal Legate or a Vice-Legate, also appointed directly by the Pope.[6] Gradually, however, the power of the Vice-Legate encroached on that of the Rector, until the Cardinal virtually held the position of a governor, and the Rector had the functions of a judge. In both cases their tenure was for a period of three years, renewable.[7]
The Rector had the right to receive the feudal oaths of homage of all the papal vassals. He also had the right to receive the oaths of bishops who held property by virtue of their office which was in feudal tenure from the pope. The Rector named the Notaries of the Comtat. He presided at the negotiation and payment of revenues of the Apostolic Chamber. His court was the Supreme Court of the Comtat Venaissin, and he had both criminal and civil jurisdiction of the first instance, and appellate jurisdiction from the courts of the regular judges of the three judicial circuits.[8]
The Rector was seconded by a Vice-Rector, named the Lieutenant of the Rector, also a papal appointee. He had judicial powers similar to those of the Rector.
The administration of the Comtat was in the hands of the Estates of the Comtat, which consisted of the Élu (a nobleman), theBishop of Carpentras, theBishop of Cavaillon, theBishop of Vaison, and eighteen representatives of the three judicial districts into which the Comtat was divided. The Estates held their meetings at Carpentras.[9]
The Apostolic Camera (Treasury of the Holy Roman Church) had a permanent office in Carpentras, with full jurisdiction in all financial matters concerning the rights of the Holy See in the Comtat. This included the obligations of bishops and other ecclesiastical persons to the papacy.[10]
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