Gaston III | |
|---|---|
| Count of Foix Viscount of Béarn Viscount of Marsan Prince of Andorra | |
 Fébus hunting the hare, miniature by theBedford Master,Livre de chasse, circa 1407, Paris,BnF, Fr.616, f° 89 v°. | |
| Predecessor | Gaston II, Count of Foix |
| Successor | Matthew, Count of Foix |
| Known for | Livre de chasse (Book of the Hunt) |
| Born | 30 April 1331 Orthez, France |
| Died | 1 August 1391 (1391-09) (aged 60) L'Hôpital-d'Orion |
| Spouse | |
| Issue | Legitimate: Gaston, Prince and Heir of Foix-Béarn Illegitimate: Bernal de Foix, 1st Count of Medinaceli Yvain de Foix [fr] Gratien de Foix |
| Father | Gaston II, Count of Foix |
| Mother | Aliénor of Comminges |
| Signature |  |
Gaston III, known asGaston Phoebus orFébus (30 April 1331 – 1 August 1391), was the eleventhCount of Foix (as Gaston III) and twenty-fourthViscount of Béarn (asGaston X) from 1343 until his death.
Gaston III was overlord of approximately ten territories located betweenGascony andLanguedoc. During theHundred Years' War, he established his domination over thePre-Pyrenees by playing on the conflicts between French and English monarchies. He authored theLivre de chasse, an illustrated manuscript onhunting. Gaston used the nameFébus, using the Occitan spelling, after a crusade in Prussia in reference to the Greco-Roman sun-godApollo (known contemporaneously asPhoibos).
The only legitimate child ofGaston II, Count of Foix, andAliénor of Comminges [fr], Gaston inherited a fragmented territory that paid homage to the king of France as well as the king of England. Playing on the Hundred Years' War, he claimedsovereignty overBéarn on 25 September 1347. He won decisive victories against theHouse of Armagnac (the ancestral enemies of his house), thus ensuring the union between Béarn and Foix. Gaston left no legitimate heir, as he likely killed his only son in 1380 for attempting to assassinate him.
Gaston constructed and strengthened several fortresses during his life. Endowed with immense wealth, Gaston III notably built theChâteau de Montaner to symbolize the union between Béarn and Foix. Known as thePrince of the Pyrenees, Gaston ruled as an enlighteneddespot, playing the role oflord protector for his people. Gaston III is prominent in Pyrenean history due to his reign, but also from the accounts of various chroniclers and contemporaries, includingJean Froissart in hisChronicles.
The future Gaston III, the only legitimate child ofGaston II of Foix-Béarn and Aliénor of Comminges, was heir to theHouse of Foix-Béarn. The House had been established through the 1252 marriage ofMargaret of Béarn – daughter and heiress ofGaston VII, Viscount of Béarn – toRoger-Bernard III, Count of Foix.[A 1] Since the reign of Gaston II, the family held the Viscounty ofLautrec and the lowlands of theAlbigeois.[a][B 1] The Foix-Béarn family was related to all the southern families of nobility in France at that time.[A 2] Gaston II's mother,Joan of Artois, Countess of Foix, was the great-granddaughter ofRobert I, Count of Artois, brother of Saint Louis.
Following Gaston VII’s death in 1290, the House held a patchwork of territories along thePyrenees. To the west lay Béarn,Marsan, Gabardan, andCaptieux – forming part of theDuchy of Aquitaine.[B 2] Further east lay territories held by theKing of France. TheCounty of Foix constituted the main component of this region and includedDonezan [fr]; to the south, the Counts of Foix also served asco-princes of Andorra alongside theBishops of Urgell. Finally, the House of Foix-Béarn controlled the small but strategic province ofNébouzan, positioned between the western holdings around Orthez and the eastern lands surrounding Foix.[B 1]
Aliénor was the youngest child ofBernard VII, Count of Comminges [fr], and was either dedicated to celibacy or the convent until her uncle's intervention.[C 1] After several of her children died in infancy, Aliénor was approaching her forties when she gave birth to Gaston III.[b] Though the marriage between Gaston II and Aliénor was not particularly warm, Gaston II still regarded his wife with respect and esteem.[A 3]
Gaston III (pronounced [gastu] inOccitan) was born on 30 April 1331,[c] most likely atOrthez in theChâteau Moncade.[d] Gaston's childhood was not well documented, although he did describe himself as an "ungrateful child, an adolescent tormented by the desire for the flesh, and not very good at weapons."[B 3] What we know of his childhood comes from the chronicle of Michel du Bernis and theLivre des oraisons, one of Gaston III's books.[A 3] Gaston III was the sole legitimate heir of Gaston II, though he had several illegitimate half-siblings. He had two half-sisters, Béarnèse (who married Raymond Bernard II of Castelnau-Tursan) and Marguerite (who married John of Châteauverdun, Lord of Caumont), and two half-brothers, Arnaud-Guilhem (who married Jeanne, heiress of the Lordship ofMorlanne) and Pierre (who married Florencia of Aragon).[A 3] The children grew up together, and Gaston III's brothers would remain faithful companions throughout his life.[A 3] The two illegitimate sons benefited from the same physical and military education as Gaston III, the intellectual and artistic education being reserved solely for the heir.[A 3] During her husband's many absences, Aliénor played an essential role in educating Gaston III.[C 3]
At 9 years old, Fébus was the subject of a marriage project between his father and KingJames III of Majorca. On 10 February 1340 inPerpignan, Gaston II signed a marriage contract for his son and the daughter of James III, InfantaIsabella of Majorca.[C 4] But the death of Gaston II in 1343, as well as the capture of Perpignan by KingPeter IV of Aragon, caused the project to be abandoned.[A 5] Gaston II died on 26 September 1343 while fighting inAndalusia for KingAlfonso XI of Castile during theSiege of Algeciras.[A 3] Gaston III was twelve years old when his father died, and due to Gaston II's will, Aliénor served as his tutor and regent until his legal majority at 14 years old. Aliénor would continue to manage his property as curator until he was 21 years old.[C 5]
Thehomage tour that Aliénor organized for Gaston III aimed to introduce the new prince to the various territories belonging to the House of Foix-Béarn. This tour allowed the him to familiarize himself with the land and people he would rule.[C 1] In December 1343, the tour began in Béarn, where the Gaston remained until April 1344;[A 6] in total, Gaston visited 126 places within his domain.[C 6] The tour lasted more than a year, until January 1345.[A 6] While serving as regent, Aliénor and QueenJoan II of Navarre negotiated in 1345 in order to marry Gaston to one of the queen's daughters, InfantaAgnes of Navarre. Joan II was the only legitimate child of KingLouis X of France to survive infancy but was excluded from the French throne in favor of her uncle,Philip V of France. The marriage was postponed until 1349 due to Agnes' young age.[A 7]
After reaching his legal majority on 30 April 1345, Gaston assumed complete control of the domain. The beginning of his reign is marked, from June 1345,[C 7] by theresumption of the Hundred Years' War after the five-year-long truce ended.[A 8] The House of Foix-Béarn's was jointly dependent on both France and England, Gaston III initially sought to continue his father's pro-French policy, although in practice he was restrained in his support of either side.[A 8] After theBattle of Crécy – which was a crushing defeat for the French – Gaston began to reevaluate his support for Philip VI. When Gaston failed to respond to Philip's summons on 3 June 1347,[C 8] a representative of Philip VI met with Gaston III at Orthez on 25 September 1347.[D 1] During this meeting, Gaston confirmed his allegiance to the king for his territories in Foix, he asserted the neutrality of Béarn, a land he held "from God and from no man in the world".[C 9][e]
Philip VI did not take offense at the declaration of independence of Béarn and continued hisrapprochement with Gaston III, for fear of seeing him switch definitively to supporting the English.[A 10] On 26 December 1348 atPamiers, Gaston III paid homage to the king of France for his lands in theseneschalsies ofAgen, Toulouse, andCarcassonne, but not Béarn.[C 10] The devastation of theBlack Death led to repeated renewals of the 1347 to 1355Truce of Calais, giving Gaston III, age 18, the opportunity to arrange his marriage.[C 10] During a stay inÎle-de-France to settle Navarrese affairs in their Norman domain, Aliénor and Fébus were invited by Joan II to celebrate the wedding.[A 7] The marriage contract was signed on 5 May 1349, with a promiseddowry of 20,000 livres from the Queen of Navarre, with an initial payment of 1,000 livres. The wedding was finally celebrated with a grand ceremony[A 7] on 4 August 1349 in theTemple Church inParis with the acquiescence of the French king.[1][B 4] Through his marriage, Gaston became brother-in-law to both the King of Navarre and the King of France.[f]
Philip VI of France died on 22 August 1350[C 11] and was succeeded by his sonJohn II, who would prove an impulsive yet indecisive monarch.[B 5] Anglo-French hostilities resumed in April 1351,[C 12] once again destabilizing the region north of the Pyrenees. In October 1352, thecapitouls asked Gaston III to protectToulouse against the English troops posted at the gates ofLafrançaise.[A 11] Gaston, recognizing that it would allow him to maintain his neutrality, demonstrate his power, and fill his coffers with the profits of war, accepted.[C 13] During Gaston's absence, Béarn was governed by his half-brother, Arnaud-Guilhem, who he had appointed as lieutenant general, giving him extensive powers. Arnaud-Guilhem was one of Gaston III's closest companions throughout his life,[F 1] with Gaston III entrusting Béarn to him during his many campaigns and tours. Arnaud-Guilhem, in his role as lieutenant general, resided in the Dominican friary in Orthez. On 19 October 1353, the Orthez bourgeois formed a mob and began to revolt. They gathered in the streets, shouting, "Death to him, to the sword, by a horse, by force!"[F 2] The mob advanced on the friary and broke down the doors, where they seized the silver tableware, surprised by the ease of their victory. No additional violence came of the revolt other than invading the convent, after which Arnaud-Guilhem restored order.[F 2] Gaston III punished the culprits with heavy fines, thus respecting the spirit of the Fors de Béarn in his management of the crisis.[C 14]
Following the orders of his father, KingEdward III of England,[g][B 5]Edward the Black Prince landed in Bordeaux in 1355.[B 6] Upon arrival, the Black Prince led agrande chevauchée (large-scale mounted raid) throughArmagnac and Toulouse.[G 1] Gaston did not oppose the Black Prince's army, buying him off with food and supplies.[B 7] These actions, along with Gaston's refusal to pay homage for Béarn and his involvement in the intrigues ofCharles II of Navarre against the throne, led John II to imprison the count[h] for several months atPetit Châtelet [fr].[C 15] Faced with the imminent threat of a newchevauchée by the Black Prince from Bordeaux toCalais, and unwilling to see him defect, John released Gaston without exacting an oath of homage for Béarn.[C 15]
On 19 September 1356, the French suffered a defeat at theBattle of Poitiers,[B 7] which resulted in the imprisonment of John II and another truce between the French and the English. This more stable period allowed Gaston to engage in a crusade inPrussia. Alongside theState of the Teutonic Order, he embarked inBruges, made stops inNorway andSweden,[A 12] and arrived inKönigsberg on 9 February 1358.[B 8] The crusaders carried out several assaults in the tradition of the Teutonic Order before being knighted atMalbork Castle.[B 8] It was during this crusade[C 16] that Gaston began using the nameFébus, his battle cryFébus aban,[i] and his mottoToquey si gauses.[j] When the Crusaders returned on horseback in the spring of 1358, France was embroiled in the peasant revolt known as theJacquerie. Gaston and his companions made use of their martial experience and aided theDauphine of France,Joanna of Bourbon, and her infant daughter during thesiege of Meaux.[B 9]
From this point on, Gaston III would refer to himself as Fébus while only using Gaston in official capacities before phasing it out completely later in life.[C 16] He adopted the nameFébus, using the traditional Occitan spelling, in reference to the sun-godPhoebus. The name "Gaston Phoebus" is a posthumous creation by historians of Fébus and would not have been a name that he would have used during his life.[I 1] Fébus, Gaston, and Gaston III can be used interchangeably.[k] Shortly after Fébus returned in 1359, and after 10 years of marriage, Agnes gave birth to Fébus' first legitimate son.[l] The child died almost immediately.[C 17]
After returning home, Fébus was informed of the negotiations between the French and English kings, who aimed to sign a peace treaty. Holding John II in captivity, the English were in a position of strength and demanded an enormous ransom and major territorial concessions from the French.[B 10] TheDauphin, the future Charles V of France, opposed such unequal terms and sought to expand his influence in the South by marrying his brother,John, Duke of Berry, to a daughter ofJohn I, Count of Armagnac.[B 10] However, by allying himself with theHouse of Armagnac, the rivalry between the Houses of Foix-Béarn and Armagnac was rekindled.[C 18] Fébus immediately launched a series of attacks in March 1359,[C 18] all while offering assurances to the Dauphin of his loyalty.[B 10] Ultimately, the signing of theTreaty of Brétigny on 8 May 1360 caused John of Berry to be sent toLondon as insurance against John II's ransom[B 11] and compensated Fébus for the loss ofBigorre with a cash payout of 200,000guilders.
However, the Treaty of Brétigny failed to resolve the rivalry between the two families, who took advantage of the delayed arrival of the English to settle their quarrel.[B 12] The two families brought together their allies: theHouse of Albret allied with the Armagnac, while theViscount of Couserans [fr] and the Count ofAstarac sided with Fébus.[C 19] On 5 December 1362,[D 2] theBattle of Launac took place.[A 13] Although outnumbered, Fébus emerged victorious and captured much of the southern nobility, including Armagnac. The ransom of 500,000florins that Fébus extracted from his captives laid the foundations of his financial hegemony over the whole ofSouthern France.[C 20] Fébus stored this money in the Château Moncade, where he also created a gallery of portraits and military trophies to commemorate the event.[2] In September 1362, Agnes gave birth to a male heir, Gaston.[C 17] Despite this, Fébus unceremoniously repudiated Agnes because her brotherCharles II of Navarre had failed to pay her remaining dowry. Fébus sent her toPamplona without her belongings, and the two would never meet again.[A 14] The life of Agnes is poorly documented,[m] but her marriage to Fébus was likely an unhappy one.[A 14] The interventions ofPope Urban V in 1364 andPope Gregory XI in 1373 changed nothing.[A 15] Fébus' repudiation of Agnes would have drastic consequences, as it created an enemy out of the dangerous King of Navarre.[n]
The Black Prince arrived in Bordeaux on 29 June 1363 to administer the newPrincipality of Aquitaine and take possession of the territories ceded to the English by the Treaty of Brétigny.[C 21] Béarn sovereignty was quickly brought to the fore for Fébus, who deployed his usual strategy of delaying and not provoking his opponent while remaining firm in his stance.[B 13] Fébus formally used this tactic for the first time in March 1363[D 3] against an English emissary;[o] he avoided the Black Prince's tribute tour throughout 1363 but finally went toAgen on 14 January 1364 to meet the prince.
Fébus paid homage for all of his lands "inside the Principality of Aquitaine" in front of the Black Prince.[B 14]Chandos Herald, a servant of King Edward III, then asked Fébus if he had just paid homage for the land of Béarn, to which Fébus replied that his homage only concerned Marsan and Gabardan.[C 22] Fébus specified that he would pay homage for Béarn if proof of past homage was provided by a study of the archives.[B 15] Although initially inclined to have him arrested, the Black Prince allowed Fébus to leave while his archivists searched for evidence of past homage.[A 17] The English archivists subsequently found traces of a homage made byMargaret of Béarn in 1290 for Béarn, which was enough to convince the Black Prince of his right to claim tribute from Fébus.[B 16] Fébus continued his evasive tactics throughout 1364 and 1365, seeking to wear down the Black Prince.[C 22] Eventually, the Black Prince was forced to request the intervention of the new King Charles V of France[p] by letter on 6 December 1365, informing the king that he would use force if necessary.[C 23] The letter sparked a resumption of French-English hostilities, this time inCastile.
Fébus once again took advantage of the hostilities. Charles V wished to replace the English-backedKing Peter with his own candidate,Henry of Trastámara, Peter's illegitimate half-brother. Fébus, like Charles, supported Henry of Trastámara, to whom he entrusted his illegitimate son, Bernard of Béarn.[B 16] Fébus' support paid off as Henry of Trastámara seized the throne in 1366. The partisans of King Peter mounted a counteroffensive in the winter of 1366, with the Black Prince, the Albrets, the Armagnacs, and Peter himself all taking part.[B 17] The expedition of the Black Prince began with success on 3 April 1367 at theBattle of Nájera, but the tide would soon turn as Peter of Castile's conduct caused infighting among his supporters[q] while disease would decimate the remaining army.[r] The Black Prince became infected by the disease and returned from the ruined expedition "all broken."[C 24] Since 8 May 1366, Fébus had been preparing Béarn for a general mobilization pending the return of the expedition; he published an ordinance to the same effect on 27 July 1367. The routed army finally crossed Béarn in the summer of 1367, with the Black Prince seeking prior authorization from Fébus and agreeing to pay for his supplies up to "the least hen."[C 25] This episode amounted, for the Black Prince, to ade facto recognition of Béarn's full sovereignty.[B 18] Little is known of Aliénor's, Fébus' mother, death which occurred around 1369, nearLe Mas-d'Azil in the County of Foix.[C 1]
Freed from the threat of the Black Prince, Fébus turned to face a resurgent France under the assertive leadership of Charles V.Louis I of Anjou, Charles V's brother and lieutenant-general of Toulouse,[B 19] maneuvered with theHouse of Armagnac to revive hostilities against the English. Charles V eventually annulled the Treaty of Brétigny, arguing that a (largely perfunctory) clause had not been respected.[s] In January 1369, the Armagnacs and the Albrets lodged a formal complaint against the Black Prince in theParlement of Paris, allowing Charles V to resume military operations in the South.[C 26] A coalition of Louis of Anjou, the Armagnacs, and Albrets assembled to take back the lands of the South from the English. Despite Louis of Anjou's efforts to spare Fébus, Charles V persisted in his desire to regain control ofBigorre by relying on the Armagnacs, at the risk of rekindling tensions between the two enemies.[B 20] In June 1373, the allied troops gathered atMontauban and obtained the capitulation of the garrisons ofTuzaguet andMauvezin without difficulty.[B 20] The castle ofLourdes, however, was held by theCompagnons de Lourdes, formidable warriors led by two bastard cousins of Fébus. Louis of Anjou had no option but to negotiate for the support of theCompagnons. He completed negotiations on 5 July 1373.[C 27] With Bigorre back, theoretically, under French control, the coalition continued its mission inAgenais andPérigord. His mission accomplished, Louis of Anjou handed the lieutenancy-general ofLanguedoc over toJohn II, Count of Armagnac, on 30 August 1373.[B 21]
Fébus, when faced with the intransigence of the French in favoring the Armagnacs, took advantage of his neutrality to provoke an upheaval of the alliance in favor of the English.[B 21] He metJohn of Gaunt, brother of the Black Prince, on 19 and 20 March 1374 inDax to form an alliance.[C 28] The agreement first related to the loan of 12,000florins from Fébus to John of Gaunt in exchange for the Château de Lourdes as a mortgage pledge.[C 28] Fébus also proposed a marriage between his son Gaston andPhilippa, daughter of John of Gaunt.[A 18] John of Gaunt's actions brought about numerous military operations in theAdour region, leading theSoule citizens to request protection from Fébus,[t] a pact that concluded on 4 September 1375.[C 29] The alliance between Fébus and John of Gaunt was, above all, a political maneuver; the Béarnaise lords never sought to help the English war effort.[C 29] Faced with John of Gaunt's military actions, Charles V withdrew the lieutenancy-general of Languedoc from John II of Armagnac to once again promote Louis of Anjou to the role,[B 22] allowing Fébus, again, to go to battle with the Armagnacs. The death ofPierre-Raymond II, Count of Comminges, on 15 October 1375, presented Fébus with the opportunity he sought. Fébus, through his mother Aliénor of Comminges, claimed the inheritance for himself, while the Armagnacs and Albrets backed the claims of Pierre-Raymond's infant daughter.[B 23] This opposition provoked theWar of Comminges [fr], with the decisive confrontation atCazères-sur-l'Adour in November 1376.[C 30] Fébus carried out a victorious counteroffensive there, once again capturing John II of Armagnac.[B 24] It was at this battle that Fébus' sons were present; Gaston was provided with two horses, Bernard was granted fourteen, and Yvain was a personal guard for Fébus.[A 18] This validated that Fébus did not like Gaston, preferring his bastard sons.[A 16]
Louis of Anjou remained neutral during the conflict and organized the mediation between the two houses after the final battle. He choseTarbes for the negotiation, with the signing of three documents between 1376 and 1377.[B 25] Louis of Anjou first recognized Fébus as "Count of Foix and Lord of Béarn" in the name of Charles V. The text also gave the title ofdominus Bearni for Fébus, and notvicecomes Bearni, a way of implicitly recognizing the full sovereignty of Béarn.[C 31] Fébus also received an indemnity of 100,000 francs. On 3 February 1377, a peace treaty was signed, in which it was agreed that Gaston, son and heir to Fébus, and Beatrice, daughter of the Count of Armagnac, would marry.[B 25] After numerous negotiations, a final agreement was signed on 3 April 1379 inBarcelonne-du-Gers, on the border between Marsan and Armagnac.[C 32] The marriage between Gaston and Beatrice was celebrated on 19 April 1379 atManciet,[B 26] and in the absence of Fébus, under particularly modest conditions for a prince of his rank.[A 19] The agreement signed with Louis of Anjou and the Armagnacs allowed Fébus to achieve his ultimate design: the unification of Béarn and Foix. The hereditary acquisition of thecastellanies of Mauvezin andGoudon made it possible to expand Nébouzan to the west, joining this territory to Bigorre.[C 33] To the east of Nébouzan, Fébus could now rely on a dozen lords dependent on Comminges[u] and allowed continuity with the county of Foix. With the complicity of theCompagnons de Lourdes,[v] Fébus urged Bigorrian municipalities to seek his protection.[B 27] During the summer of 1379, 26 conventions were signed between Fébus and Bigorrian communities, and Tarbes was the last to cede on 27 November 1379.[B 28]
Fébus became more imperious as he grew older.[B 29] The clergy did not appreciate the paucity of religious foundations during Fébus' reign and resented his position vis-à-vis the papacy during theWestern Schism. Part of the Béarnaise nobility, notably the Baron d'Andoins, also turned away from Fébus, feeling that they were being pushed aside from power in favor of "technocrats" of humble origins.[B 29] Additionally, Fébus' repudiation of Agnes in 1362 created an enemy out ofCharles II of Navarre, her brother. The alliance of these discontents led to the formation of a plot against Fébus, first dating to the summer of 1378.[B 30]
Gaston, Fébus' only legitimate son and heir, also took part in the plot.[C 34] Gaston grew up without knowing his mother, though he maintained links to her family by visiting the court of Navarre several times on his father's authorization.[w] During one of these trips to the Court of Navarre while in the company of Charles II of Navarre, Gaston would scheme against Fébus.[B 29] He was greatly dissatisfied with his condition: playing no role in politics, serving only as a pawn for his father, and having a lifestyle deemed too modest for his rank.[C 34] Aged 18, he was tasked by his uncle, the King of Navarre, with administering a poison to his father. Between late July and early August 1380, the plot was discovered before coming to fruition,[B 30] and Gaston was imprisoned in the Château Moncade in Orthez. Meanwhile, Odon de Mendousse and the Baron d'Andoins were exiled to the court of Charles II. The sequence of events is uncertain; Fébus destroyed all the documents relating to the Drama of Orthez.[I 1] Only the testimonies of Froissart andJuvénal des Ursins remain, both of which contain improbabilities.
Froissart's account exonerates the young Gaston by placing the burden on Charles II of Navarre. Gaston is supposed to want to give his father a love potion (actually poison) so that Fébus can reconcile with Agnes. According to Froissart, who related the words of an old squire, when Gaston and his half-brother, Yvain de Béarn, were "playing and frolicking in their beds" and
"while Gaston'scotte, containing the powder and purse, was lying on the bed, Ieuwain,[x] Gaston's brother, Ieuwain, who was quite mischievous, smelled the powder in the purse and asked Gaston, his brother: 'What is this thing that you carry on your chest every day?'"[H 1]
When the powder was given to a greyhound, it turned out to be poison.[y] According to Froissart, Fébus went on to unintentionally kill Gaston by starvation following an argument in the prison in mid-August 1380.[D 4][C 36]
In comparison, Juvénal des Ursins describes a different scene, with Fébus having had his son sentenced to death. However, if the prince had been condemned to death and then executed, the trace of such a case would have been much more important, with documentation of the event surviving.[A 20] Both versions agree that, following a failed poisoning attempt against his father, Gaston died, probably by the hand of Fébus,[E 1] in August 1380. Gaston's participation in the plot was likely the result of resentment towards his father over the favoritism of his half-brothers.[C 37] The tragedy overwhelmed Fébus, who said, "Never will I have joy as perfect as before".[C 35] He writes hisLivre des oraisons, accrediting the thesis of the involuntary crime, and leaves Orthez for Pau, not returning to the Château Moncade until four years later.[B 31] The death of Gaston deprived Fébus of a legitimate heir.
_-_Froissart_Kneeling_before_Gaston_Ph%25C3%25A9bus%2c_Count_of_Foix_-_Google_Art_Project_(cropped).jpg)
Fébus began his longest stay in the Pays de Foix on 18 January 1381.[C 38] At the Château deMazères, he ruled Foix-Béarn until the middle of August 1382.[B 32] On 18 September 1380, Charles V died and was succeeded by his sonCharles VI. The new king was too young to govern, and a regency composed of his four uncles[z] was formed, with theDuke of Berry serving as lieutenant-general of Languedoc. Fébus had much to fear from Berry's appointment, as his peace agreement with the House of Armagnac had broken down following the Drama of Orthez.[B 33] Wishing to mark his territory vis-à-vis the Duke of Berry, in the event of a possiblerapprochement with the Armagnacs, Fébus launched an attack on 21 July 1381 against a company of about 2,500mercenaries brandishing the standard of the Duke of Berry, successfully routing the company.[C 39] This success allowed Fébus to open negotiations from a position of strength with the French dukes. The Duke of Berry came to Mazères on 9 September 1381, and negotiations opened on 28 December 1381 atCapestang.[C 40] In this agreement, Fébus recognized the Duke of Berry's authority in Languedoc in exchange for the Duke's commitment not to support the Armagnacs along with an annual annuity. The agreement freed the Duke of Berry to quash theTuchin revolt and allowed Fébus to attack the Armagnacs with total impunity.[aa] He left the County of Foix on 4 August 1382 to return to Béarn. This would be his longest stay at theChâteau de Pau, beginning in October 1382 and lasting until March 1383.[C 42] Fébus returned to Orthez on 5 April 1383, the first time since the Drama of Orthez in 1380, to organize the passage ofLouis II, Duke of Bourbon's army in 1385 to take part in the conflict for the throne ofPortugal.[B 34]
In 1388, at age 20, Charles VI chose to begin governing the kingdom by himself, feeling he no longer had need of the tutelage of his uncles.[B 35] The decision was made to visit the southern territories which had not received a visit from a sovereign for almost a century.[B 35] The purpose of this journey was to put an end to the multiple abuses that had taken place in the region during the successive governments of the Dukes of Anjou and Berry.[C 43] Beforehand, a representative of the king was sent to Orthez to discuss a marriage proposal,[ab] but above all to carry out an overview of the main subjects concerning theMidi-Pyrénées with Fébus.[C 44]Louis de Sancerre and Fébus discussed several topics at length: the succession of Foix-Béarn,[ac] relations with the House of Armagnac,[ad] and the status of Bigorre.[ae] Following these discussions, the first result to be obtained was a meeting between the Béarnaises and Armagnacs on 26 July 1389 to lay the foundations for a peace agreement.[B 36] A meeting between the king and Fébus was set to take place inToulouse, though the Count of Foix demanded that this meeting not call into question the sovereign status of Béarn. Louis de Sancerre asked Fébus to clearly choose between the French and English in case hostilities resumed; Fébus then replied, "I hold my country of Béarn from God, from my sword, from my lineage and I have no need to put myself in bondage."[B 37]
Fébus' arrival into Toulouse was noted as a spectacle,[B 37] his retinue being composed of 200 knights and 200 men-at-arms. He stayed there for two days beginning 4 January 1390.[B 37] The first meeting between Charles VI and Fébus took place on 5 January 1390 atChâteau Narbonnais;[B 38] the Béarnaise lord was treated like a prince.[af] Afterwards, Fébus organized a sumptuous meal for 200 people to which he invited the Dukes of Touraine and Bourbon.[B 39] On 5 January 1390, Fébus made Charles VI his universallegatee and received a life annuity for Bigorre along with 100,000 francs,[D 5] Fébus gave his seal to the treaty, but did not sign it.[D 5] The treaty was particularly favorable to the French because it incorporated the feudal inheritance of the South into France in exchange for gold payment and the temporarycession of Bigorre.[B 40] Subsequent commitments he made would contradict those that he agreed to at Toulouse.[B 41] In two agreements signed on 15 May and 10 June 1390 inPamiers andGirona, Fébus joined a league against the House of Armagnac[ag] with KingJohn I of Aragon. The agreements specified that this alliance would also be valid for their heirs.[B 42]
Febus died on 1 August 1391[D 5] atL'Hôpital-d'Orion, on the road betweenSauveterre-de-Béarn and Orthez.[B 43] After a hunt in the Sauveterre region, Fébus and his retinue dined at L'Hôpital-d'Orion, where he fell victim to a fatalstroke.[C 46] The story of his death comes fromJean Froissart, who collected the testimony of Espan du Lion,[ah] who was present that day.[B 44] Froissart writes,
«[Fébus] got up from the seat and stretched out his hands to wash them. As soon as the cold water ran down his fingers [...], his face turned pale, his heart quivered, his feet gave way under him, he fell on the seat, which upended, saying, "I am dead. Lord, true God, forgive me". He never spoke again.»[B 43]
Jean Froissart's account specified that Fébus went bear hunting that day, which was improbable for the Sauveterre region in August, deer hunting being more likely.[ai] Fébus' illegitimate sonYvain [fr] was present when his father died and made a brief attempt to succeed him. Yvain and his conspirators at L'Hôpital-d'Orion attempted to seize the treasury of Orthez before the news of Fébus' death spread. The attempt failed,[aj] and he was forced to let thejurats of Orthez take control.[C 47] Once Fébus' death became common knowledge, his remains were first transported to the Château de Sauveterre[B 45] and then to Orthez at the end of the morning of 2 August 1391.[C 48] Fébus' funeral took place on 2 October 1391, probably in the convent of theOrder of Preachers[C 49] (also called the Jacobins convent). The coffin was buried in the church, without any recumbent statue, mausoleum, or tombstone.[C 49]
Without a legitimate heir and after Yvain's attempt to seize power, succession became an urgent issue in the Foix-Béarn territory. The succession was of particular import in Béarn, which was anxious to defend its independence. On 8 August 1391, theEstates of Béarn met for the first time in Orthez;[C 50] this assembly brought together theCour majour [fr][ak] and theCour des Communautés.[al] The treasure of Orthez was inventoried[am] and its contents distributed, with a portion going to the illegitimate sons of Fébus. In the absence of a will, the Estates used the will ofGaston II as a precedent and designatedMatthew of Foix-Castelbon as the legitimate heir,[an] provided that several prerequisites are met, including the maintenance of Béarn's sovereignty.[C 51] The Estates also demanded a greater role in government, putting an end to Fébus' practice ofenlightened despotism.[C 51] However, the continued sovereignty and neutrality of Béarn was the main priority of the Estates, as they "had nothing to do with the King of France", unlike the County of Foix.[C 52] The annulment of the Treaty of Toulouse, concluded in 1390, was therefore of primary concern for the Foix-Bearn region. If the treaty remained in place, a legitimate heir would be deprived of succession, while if it was annulled, Béarn would regain its autonomy from Foix.[1]
Matthew of Foix-Castelbon was barely of legal age (14 years old) when he received homage from the nobles of the region of Foix on 17 August 1391. Consequently, his mother, Géraude de Navailles, and advisers, Espan du Lion and Roger d'Espagne, led the negotiation of the Treaty of Toulouse.[C 53] It was necessary for them to act quickly because theMarmousets ofCharles VI's administration seemed determined to enforce the Treaty of Toulouse.[ao] Espan du Lion and Roger d'Espagne traveled toTours at the end of 1391 to negotiate with the French king. With theBureau de La Rivière andPhilippe de Moulins [fr],Bishop of Noyon, Roger d'Espagne developed the argument that the Treaty of Toulouse was not honorable[ap] for the King of France. He argued that the populations of Foix and especially of Béarn would be hostile to a seizure by the king and that it would be dangerous to oppose the heir supported by the Kingdom of Aragon.[aq][A 21] InBrittany, there was a tense situation for theMarmousets and the opening of peace negotiations between France and England; caution was required to preserve the stability of the entire Pyrenean region.[C 54] In this context, and in exchange for 250,000 francs, Charles VI annulled the Treaty of Toulouse and recognized Matthew as Fébus' sole heir by letters patent dated 20 December 1391.[A 22] The Foix-Béarn lands were preserved, as was the sovereignty of Béarn, though the consolidated authority of Fébus gave way to co-governance between the lord and assemblies of representatives.[A 23]
Fébus ruled as anenlightened despot, especially in Béarn.[B 46] He dismissed the nobility and the traditional assemblies in favor of a regime that functioned solely under his discretion.[A 24] Fébus established a private council without permanent membership and appointed lieutenant generals who would rule in his stead while he was traveling. This station was reserved for members of his family, includingArnaud-Guilhem [fr], before the abolition of the role in 1365.[A 24] Fébus made all major policy decisions and exercised complete control over appointments, favoring family members and lawyers but usually excluding the nobility.[ar]
However, Fébus did not rule Foix as he ruled Béarn. Fébus monopolized the administration of Béarn,[A 25] notably in judicial matters, where previous viscounts had played a more limited role. The traditional courts of Béarn (Cour Majour andCour des Communautés), as well as theseneschal, were marginalized in favor of the "audience deu senhor,"[B 47] which was entirely under Fébus' control. Fébus' stranglehold over Foix was just as strong, though less self-focused. Fébus preferred to delegate his authority to the seneschal, as Foix was not his primary residence, though he maintained a firm grip over fiscal and military matters.[A 26]
As he grew older, Fébus became more and more authoritarian and inflexible.[A 27] He did not take social classes into account when making legal decisions and would condemn a baron against a simple peasant. Additionally, Fébus usually extracted fines as punishment, only rarely resorting to imprisonment and never execution.[A 28] Fébus also made himself visible to his subjects. For example, Fébus would hear legal cases in the open air, on the banks of theGave de Pau, in imitation ofSaint Louis, who famously rendered justice beneath an oak tree.[A 29]
As ambitious in war as in politics, Fébus needed the funds to carry out his plans. In addition to the income generated from his military victories through ransoms, Fébus developed a system of taxation throughout his territories. From 1365,[A 30] the prince had a "reform" carried out to investigate, place by place, all the royalties collected, in kind or in money. In Béarn, Fébus revamped the state administration, particularly with regard to forests and mountains;[A 30] he also instituted tolls, as on theLe Pont Vieux at Orthez [fr]. In Foix, he was particularly interested in industrial income.[as] Fébus had goldflorins struck at theMorlaàs workshops to open up Béarn more widely to Aquitaine and Iberian trade.[at] These many and varied revenues were nevertheless insufficient for the scale of Fébus' ambitions, especially after his refusal to pay homage to the Black Prince in 1364.[A 31] From 1367, thefouage was levied: it was a flat-rate direct tax of 2 francs that each head of the family paid annually.[B 48] The fouage is based on thefeu fiscal; thus, the Febusian administration needed to conduct a regular census.[A 31] A few of these surveys survive, in particular one of Béarn in 1385[au] and Foix, Albigensian, and Lautrécois in 1390. Thefogadger was responsible for collecting this tax, which was then centralized with all the other taxes at the Château Moncade.[A 32]
Fébus was rigorous in collectingFouage payments, not hesitating to imprison jurats and prosecutors at the slightest delay. In addition to theFouage, he issued a capital gains tax in 1380 (namedcreix) and made various arrangements with theCagots.[6][av] Court fines were another important source of revenue, and Fébus preferred this sentence to any other[A 33] because each execution cost him a potential taxpayer.[B 48] In his chronicles, Froissart was amazed by the willingness of Fébus' subjects to pay taxes and the exceptional peace enjoyed by the territory.[B 48] The prince also increased his fortune through multiple loans he granted to other lords, which allowed him to expand his political influence.[A 34] While Fébus was a "virtuoso"[A 35] at generating income, he was also described as "close to his pennies." Fébus was frugal in his private habits, though he spent lavishly when doing so would win him political influence.[A 36]
Fébus reigned during an era marked by constant conflicts,[B 49] so it was important for him to have an army that could be quickly mobilized and in numbers. Fébus could muster a force of around 4,000 men[C 55] and more than 1,000 horses,[B 50] divided equally between Béarn and Foix. He could also raise a massive levy to defend the interior if required, transforming each able-bodied inhabitant into a soldier.[B 51] Fébus' army of 4,000 men exceeded what the other princes of the South could raise but did not reach the 7,000 to 10,000 men mobilized by the kings of France and England during the battles ofPoitiers orCrécy.[B 52]
Fébus regularly combined both strategy and diplomacy as a commander.[B 53] He used military force only as a last resort, preferring intimidation to open engagement.[B 53] After ruling for nearly 50 years, Fébus fought only two major battles, at Launac in 1362 and Cazères in 1376, to establish his domination over the House of Armagnac. He only led at the head of his army four times over his career.[B 49] His motto, "Toquey si gauses," illustrates his military strategy of using intimidation to avoid confrontation.
Fébus built a vast network of fortifications during his reign.[7][B 49] At the end of his life, the prince controlled approximately forty fortresses along the Pyrénées, from Soule to Foix.[B 54] This network was heterogeneous since Fébus had inherited a majority of the constructions.[C 56] Between 1372 and 1378, his endowment was reorganized and consolidated with the Château de Pau as the center of his defensive system to the east of Béarn.[C 57] Among the constructions carried out under his supervision,Morlanne[8] andMontaner[9] are the two most complete surviving examples.[B 55] The use ofbrick instead of the traditionalcut stone is the most characteristic element of Febusian constructions. It was inspired by thePalace of the Kings of Majorca in Perpignan and theBellver Castle in theBalearic Islands, where its architect,Sicard de Lordat, was trained.[B 55]
The Fébusian fortresses all used a polygonal plan enclosing an inner courtyard and a well, all of which sat at the top of a hillock with an artificial moat.[B 56] The other main characteristic of his fortresses was the inclusion of akeep, with those of Pau[10] and Montaner rising to 40 meters in height.[B 56] The fortress of Montaner was vast, spanning a total of 5-6 hectares and using approximately 1,700,000 bricks for itsbuttresses alone.[C 58] At the junction of Béarn, Bigorre, and Armagnac, Fébus used Montaner as a palace-fortress, serving both a military and courtly function.[C 58] Additionally, the fortress served as a symbol of the united and sovereign principality that he worked throughout his life to establish between Foix and Béarn.[C 59]
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Like all his ancestors sinceGaston VII of Béarn, Fébus held court at the Château Moncade in Orthez.[A 37] He only occasionally visited his other Béarn castles, except for that of Pau from 1375. When in Foix, Fébus would typically reside at theChâteau de Pamiers or theChâteau de Foix, but from 1375 on, he stayed exclusively at the Château de Mazères while in Foix.[A 37] During his reign, Fébus welcomed notable figures in his residences: the Black Prince in Mazères in 1355, KingPeter I of Cyprus in 1363–1364 in Orthez, the Duke of Bourbon in 1388 (also at Orthez), and Charles VI at Mazères in 1390.[A 38] Archaeological studies show, as at Montaner and Orthez, that the "Fébusian" residences were composed of aseignorial main building with multiple levels. The ground floor was used by his servants, and the top floor was reserved for the lord and his entourage.[A 37]
The great hall was the primary space for all public and courtly life. At the Château Moncade, the great hall was possibly decorated with hunting scenes and tapestries illustrating the Battle of Launac.[A 39] Froissart's long visit to Orthez, between 1388 and 1389, allows us to describe court life under Fébus. The large hall, ortinel,[D 6] hosted events such asfeasts, literary evenings,minstrel songs, and other various celebrations.[C 60]Troubadours frequently performed at Orthez,[C 61] but contrary to the medieval fashion, Fébus never heldtournaments. Froissart also noted that the court of Orthez was well informed of the latest events, thanks to Fébus' remarkable intelligence network.[C 62]
Fébus installed a treasure room and a prison on the vast ground floor of the tower of theChâteau Moncade. The first floor served a defensive function witharrow loops built into the tower, while the upper levels were devoted to living quarters. Each level of the living quarters was equipped with four large sitting windows with cushions and a hearth, likely commissioned by Fébus in 1374, concurrently with those of the Montaner tower. The adjoining main building, accessible by the grand staircase opening onto the courtyard, contained thestate room, which was located on the first floor, betwixt the servile spaces on the ground floor and the living quarters on the second floor. According to Froissart in his recounting of his trip to Béarn in 1388-1389, the gallery accessible by the staircase, which bordered the state room, had such a large fireplace. One of Fébus's companions, Arnauton d'Espagne, was able to load the hearth with all the logs that had been loaded onto the largest donkey in the courtyard below.[11]
In 1373, Fébus acquired a series of plots and houses from villagers. The following year, with the intention of replacing the old count's castle, he acquired masonry from a tower and timber from a resident who was indebted to him to build the Morlaàs residence.[11] A text from 1375 indicates that the residence was built in the typical Fébusian mold, with a curtain wall, a gate tower, and a drawbridge spanning amoat. The interior of the building was composed of a great hall, a kitchen, and three bedrooms on different levels.[11] The use of materials provided by the local populace as well as only building a single structure allowed Fébus to reduce his expenses.[11]
Fébus fathered at least three illegitimate children;[aw] the names and social conditions of his mistresses are unknown.[A 41] Circa 1350,Bernard, Gaston's first illegitimate son, was born.[A 42] Bernard was established in Castile thanks to the protection of KingHenry II of Castile, and he became the firstCount of Medinaceli. Bernard appears alongside his father during the War of Comminges in 1376. By his marriage toIsabel de la Cerda (granddaughter ofAlfonso de la Cerda, in turn, grandson of KingAlfonso X of Castile), Bernard was the only one of his children to give direct descendants to Fébus, a line that continues today.[C 63]
Fébus' second illegitimate son,Yvain [fr], was born shortly before Gaston, around 1360 to 1361. Tradition designates Yvain as the favorite child of Fébus.[A 42] Their ties were very close; he was already in his father's personal guard in 1376, and he led the Béarn troops in 1381 during the victory at Rabastens. Froissart also describes Fébus and Yvain as inseparable.[ax] On the death of his father and on the advice of his intimates, Yvain made an attempt to take possession of the Orthez treasury and thus succeed Fébus.[C 64] His attempt failed, but he recovered 100,000 florins in the company of his brother Gratien, as well as furniture, during the division of property.[C 50] Yvain then moved to the court of France with the support ofJoan II, Countess of Auvergne, entering the immediate entourage of King Charles VI. Yvain was one of the organizers of the parties given at theHôtel Saint-Pol. He participated on 28 January 1393 at a costume ball that would become the famousBal des Ardents. Yvain is one of the six nobles burned during the fire caused by the torch ofLouis I, Duke of Orléans.[E 2] He died childless on 30 January 1393 as a result of his wounds "with great pain and martyrdom."[C 65]
The third son, Gratien, was born later. Very little is known about this child. He is reported for the first time by Froissart at the 1388 Christmas banquet before reappearing at the time of his father's death. Gratien could have taken part in the Berber crusade[ay] organized byLouis II, Duke of Bourbon, inTunisia, before dying in 1394 in Sicily.[C 63] Only Froissart's story allows us to know the daily life of Fébus, but despite the physical and intellectual form of the prince, no woman is present in the court of Orthez. Far from having physically detested them, Fébus seems to have had a psychological aversion towards women, which could explain the repudiation of Agnes as well as the absence of women throughout his life, except for his mother, Aliénor.[A 44]
Some of Fébus' character traits and habits are clearly identifiable. Apart from his predilection for war and hunting, he worked at night and slept for most of the day, not typically waking until noon.[C 66] This rhythm of life would have been close to what would be expected inMadrid but far from the habits of the court of France. Fébus' assiduity in regards to his work is one of his primary behavioral traits, himself specifying in the prologue to hisLivre de chasse that despite his passion for the hunt, it never led him to "neglect the service of his own affairs who must import more."[B 57] The registers of his notary also prove his total availability to his princely duties, exerting permanent administrative pressure. Fébus commanded his men with brief orders, applying the same method to his dogs, for whom he was devoted and which accompanied him in all of his movements.[C 67]
Fébus was as capable of charming his audience as he was of showing cruelty towards others.[C 68] He did not hesitate to repudiate Agnes or to keep his first cousin, the Viscount of Castelbon, at the bottom of a pit for eight months. On the other hand, he always rendered justice in a non-arbitrary way, and apart from the Drama of Orthez, no chronicler accuses him of bodily harm or summary executions.[C 68] Juvénal des Ursins wrote of the complexity of Fébus' character, "He had been a valiant prince in his time and subjugated his neighbors, and he was well loved, honored, and prized, feared and dreaded."[C 68]
The physical appearance of Fébus is not precisely known; it is only possible to sketch a silhouette. Amotet announces his "flaming hair".[B 58] Froissart brings some additional elements throughout his chronicles, describing him as having "such beautiful limbs, such a beautiful look, such a beautiful figure, the beautiful face, sanguine and laughing, and the green eyes, in love where it pleased him to cast his gaze"[C 66] There are many illuminated manuscripts representing his features and his presence, but they depict an imagined and fictitious Fébus. The most famous version of theLivre de chasse is Fr. 616[13] dated 1407.[C 69] This version is commissioned byJohn the Fearless; it is based on another manuscript, now in theHermitage Museum, commissioned by Fébus and possibly dedicated to the Duke of Burgundy.[14] Fébus' hair is blonde in this version, despite other inconsistencies.[az] All these elements describe a handsome man, with lively eyes and blond hair. Fébus would have worn clothes as sumptuous as those worn in the manuscript Fr. 616 of theLivre de chasse, with decorations symbolizing his power.[C 66]Geoffrey Chaucer wrote of Fébus in similar terms to Froissart: "He was the most beautiful man in the world who was or had been since the beginning of the world. What need is there to describe his features. Because in this world there was no one alive who was so beautiful."[C 66]
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A unique case for his time, Gaston III of Foix-Béarn gradually replaced his birth name with his chosen name of Fébus.[C 16] In the middle of the 14th century, he was one of the first European princes to use a handwritten signature.[D 7] But, uniquely, Fébus elected to sign by his chosen name.[D 8] The oldest preserved document featuring theFébus signature dates from 16 April 1360;[D 7][C 16] the general look of this signature does not change until 1390, when Fébus adopted a clearly visible and detached signature.[D 9] He also used his chosen name in the minting of his coins with the inscriptionFebus comes[D 10] and by placing the inscriptionFebus me fe on his fortresses.[D 8][15] In 1387, when he wrote the prologue to hisLivre de chasse, he specified his identity: "I, Gaston by the grace of God, nicknamed Fébus, count of Foix, lord of Béarn."[D 8]
The choice of the nameFébus was a gesture of pride linked to the crusade in Prussia.[C 16] Hisadoubement during the crusade explains this desire to change his name.[D 11] The choice of Fébus refers to the Greco-Roman sun godPhoibos, better known as Apollo.[C 70] Apollo was the god most intimately linked to the exercise of power and Gaston had several compilations of theFacts of the Romans in his library. Additionally, he had a version translated around 1350[D 12] intolangue d'oc from the encyclopedia ofBartholomaeus Anglicus.Phoibos, brother ofArtemis, was also a great hunter, much like Fébus considered himself.[D 11]
Fébus always used the Occitan spelling, and never Phébus or Phœbus.[B 59] He also never combined "Gaston Fébus" as has been done since the 19th century,[D 8] always separating his given name and his chosen name.Fébus as a name was, after his death, borne by other members of the family, includingFrancis Phoebus of Navarre, who was king of Navarre from 1479 to 1483. Several other names have been used in relation to Fébus, including "Comte soleil",[ba] "Prince des Pyrénées"[16] or "Lion des Pyrénées."[17]
In addition to his chosen name, Fébus chose a set of other emblems to symbolize his actions and mark the spirits. During the Prussian crusade, he adopted his mottoToquey si gauses ("Touch it if you dare") to illustrate his enthusiasm for arms. This phrase has remained the motto of Orthez.[18] Fébus used two types ofseal during his rule.[D 13] The first appeared in 1341 and was used until at least 1361. This seal is simple, taking only the arms of Foix-Béarn. From 1377 and until the end of his life, Fébus used another more detailed seal featuring a quartered shield of Foix-Béarn, surmounted by acrest combining abassinet and a cow's head with its bell in a dominant position.[C 71] The cow's head represents theBéarnaise cattle and the coat of arms of Béarn. A hypothesis presented by Tucoo-Chala and supported by several historians,[D 14] the dominant position of the head of the cow indicates Béarn's sovereignty.[C 71] Fébus retained his father's coat of arms, despite his marriage to Agnes,[bb] he also retained the Béarn register for his seal and crest.
Fébus was considered one of the greatest hunters of his time.[C 72] TheChronicle of Moissac mentioned, "He had a passion for hunting and owned a thousand hunting dogs". Hunting is omnipresent in Fébus' daily life; the Château Moncade is surrounded by hunting grounds withstag andfallow deer, while the great hall was decorated with animal paintings and hunting trophies.[A 45] As early as 1344, when he was 13 years old, the archives indicate that Aliénor alone received the homage of the delegates ofJosbaig [fr] for the young Gaston III, who was out hunting at the time. Hunting and dogs were part of the exchange of good relations between Fébus and his neighbors. KingJohn I of Aragon and theBlack Prince sought Fébus' advice on hunting.[A 45] From 1387, Fébus devoted all his free time to hunting.[C 73] At the same time, he dictated hisLivre de chasse to his secretaries, devoting a good part of his nights in Orthez to it until 1390.[C 73] The work, dedicated toPhilip the Bold, Duke of Burgundy[20] and written inFrench,[bc] occupies a prominent place in medieval hunting literature.[bd] The book's clarity and detail made it an immediate success,[C 74] and the naturalistGeorges-Louis Leclerc, Comte de Buffon, was still using it at the end of the 18th century.[C 75] In his book, Fébus puts forward several arguments to explain his passion for hunting:[C 76] it prepares for war, ensures better health,[be] allows one to commune with nature, and opens the doors to paradise.[C 77]
Fébus was also a man of letters, capable of composing poetry (cansos), religious literature (theLivre des oraisons), a scientific work (theLivre de chasse), writing inlangue d'oc,Latin, andFrench.[A 46][D 15] Born and raised in Orthez, Fébus' mother tongue wasBéarnese,[A 46] but he was also able to speak other Occitan dialects such asGascon Commingeois or FoixLanguedocien. Froissart records that he "very willingly spoke to me not in his native Gascon but in proper and elegant French".[23] Béarnese remained his everyday language.[A 47] Fébus also mastered the langue d'oc written, codified, and unified by thetroubadours. He wrote hiscansos in this language, though only one has survived.[A 48] Thiscanso, which appears in a Provençal songbook (chansonnier) of 18 pieces, was presented after 1342 at theConsistoire de la gaie science of Toulouse, ancestor of theAcadémie des Jeux Floraux.[C 78] Likely written by a Fébus in his mid-20s, takes on the classic theme of a burning lover's lament for an unapproachable lady.[A 48] According to tradition, Fébus was the author of the songSe Canta, a Pyrenean hymn[C 79] and which could therefore be another canso that has survived.[A 49]
In addition to hisLivre de chasse, he wrote aLivre des oraisons, a collection of 37 prayers, the first three of which are in Latin, and the others in French.[B 61] Fébus addresses God directly, frightened by his life of sin but showing absolute confidence in divine mercy.[A 50] The most widespread hypothesis is that theLivre des oraisons follows the Drama of Orthez.[A 51]Claudine Pailhès [fr] in her workGaston Fébus – Le Prince et le Diable believes rather that this collection would be the fruit of a crisis due to a "sin of the flesh", in the words of Fébus.[A 52] In addition to his talents as an author, Fébus built up a rich library in Orthez. He collected books with translations into langue d'oc of theElucidari ofBartholomaeus Anglicus[24] and theSurgery ofal-Zahrawi,[A 53] but also adaptations of many books includingValerius Maximus, theSpeculum Maius by Vincent of Beauvais, and theBook of the Marvels of the World by Marco Polo.[C 80]
Fébus was fond of music[bf] and his court was one of the crucibles of musical research in the 14th century.[A 55] The musicians Fébus maintained and welcomed wrote a number of pieces in his honor, participating in the propagation of his glory.[A 55] Langue d'oc troubadours,minstrels and cantor-composers were welcomed as in all the southern courts of the period.[A 56] The troubadoursPeyre de Rius, Arnaud d'Antiis, and Andreu Gasco, the minstrels Johan Parenti, Johan de Sent Diger, and Fehez de Balba were some of the artists who performed at Fébus' court.[A 56]
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| Preceded by | Count of Foix Viscount of Béarn Viscount of Marsan 1343–1391 | Succeeded by |
| Prince of Andorra 1343–1391 withPere de Narbona (1343–1347) Nicola Capocci (1348–1350) Hugó Desbach (1351–1361) Guillem Arnau de Patau (1362–1364) Pedro Martínez de Luna (1365–1370) Berenguer d'Erill i de Pallars (1370–1387) Galcerand de Vilanova (1388–1391) |