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County of Gévaudan | |||||||||
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| 1096–1790 | |||||||||
 Coat of arms | |||||||||
 In red, the modern territory of Lozère within France | |||||||||
| Capital | Javols | ||||||||
| Common languages | Occitan,French | ||||||||
| Religion | Roman Catholicism,Calvinism | ||||||||
| Government | Monarchy | ||||||||
| Historical era | Middle Ages | ||||||||
• Established | 1096 | ||||||||
• Disestablished | 1790 | ||||||||
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| Today part of | France | ||||||||
Gévaudan (French pronunciation:[ʒevodɑ̃];Occitan:Gavaudan, Gevaudan) is a historical area ofFrance inLozèredépartement.[1] It took its name from theGabali, aGallic tribe.[2]
After theconquest of Gaul, the Romans preserved the capital city of theGabali,Anderitum, which they renamedGabalum (modernJavols).[2]
In theGallo-Roman period, Gévaudan was known asPagus Gabalicus. It was later part of theKingdom of the Franks, then became part of theKingdom of Aquitaine, and was placed under the rule of theCount of Toulouse.[2][1] In the beginning of the 10th century,Mende had supplanted Javols as religious and administrative capital of the Gévaudan. The western part of Gévaudan constituted the Viscounty ofGrèzes. In 1096 the Count of Toulouse, leaving for theCrusade, transmitted his rights on the eastern part of Gévaudan to theBishop of Mende.
It was inherited in 1166 byAlfonso II of Aragon. In the 12th century, Adalbert, Bishop of Mende, decided to take advantage of the lack of interest of the nominal rulers of Gévaudan to increase his personal power.Louis VII of France granted him temporal power over the region by theGolden Bull of Gévaudan (Bulle royale du Gévaudan). Therefore, Gévaudan was the firstOccitan-speaking area to acknowledge the nominal suzerainty of the king of France. Gévaudan was divided into eightbaronies which were in constant rebellion against the Bishop of Mende.
According to the 1307 peerage, the Bishop of Mende was granted the title of count of Gévaudan and could mint coins and dispense lower justice. Although being nominally part ofLanguedoc, Gévaudan kept its ownStates General until 1789. During the same period, Gévaudan was a crossroads of pilgrimage trails.
In the beginning of the 16th century Gévaudan was extremely wealthy,[citation needed] but theFrench Wars of Religion ruined the country.[2] TheHuguenots settled in the city around 1550.
The area was victim to a series of vicious attacks of people in the 18th century by an unidentified wild animal called theBeast of Gévaudan.[1]
Gévaudan ceased to exist after theFrench Revolution on March 4, 1790. The department ofLozère was created from the former county of Gévaudan.
TheBeast of Gévaudan has been the subject of many works of fiction.[1]
44°42′N3°18′E / 44.7°N 3.3°E /44.7; 3.3
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