Count of Périgord

Count of Périgord (Fr.: comte de Périgord) is a noble title in the peerage of France. Originally known as "The sovereign house of the Counts of Périgord, princes by the grace of God".[1] The first recorded sovereign Count was Emenon, who was also Count of Poitiers and Count of Angoulême. Most likely, the title was bestowed on Emenon in 845 by Pepin I of Aquitaine as a reward for Emenon fighting with Pepin against Louis the Pious. The title takes its name from the Périgord region of France, and the historic seat of the Counts of Périgord was Périgueux.

Shield of the Count of Périgord

List of Counts of Périgord

House of Guilhelmides, 845–866

From To Count of Périgord Relationship to predecessor Other titles held
845 866 Emenon (d. 866) First Count of Périgord Count of Poitiers, Count of Angoulême

House of Taillefer, 866–975

From To Count of Périgord Relationship to predecessor Other titles held
866 886 Wulgrin I (d. 886) Tutor of Emenon's children Count of Angoulême
886 920 William I of Périgord (d. 920) Son of Wulgrin I Count of Angoulême,
Count of Agenais
920 924 Bernard I of Périgord (d. 924) Son of William I Count of Angoulême
924 962 Arnold I of Périgord (d. 962) Son of Bernard I Count of Angoulême
962 962 William II of Périgord (d. 962) Brother of Arnold I
962 975 Raoul I of Périgord (d. 975) Brother of William II
975 975 Richard of Périgord (d. 975) Brother of Raoul I

House of Charroux, 975–1072

From To Count of Périgord Relationship to predecessor Other titles held
975 988 Boso I, Count of La Marche (d. 988) Son-in-law of William I of Périgord Count of La Marche
97? 979 Elias I of Périgord (919–979) Son of Boso I, Count of La Marche
979 995 Adalbert I of Périgord (924–995) Brother of Elias I Count of Haute Marche
995 1010 Boso II of Périgord (d. 1010) Brother of Adalbert I Count of Basse-Marche (until 1006)
1010 1031 Elias II of Périgord (996–1031) Son of Boso II
1031 1072 Adalbert II of Périgord (1020–1072) Son of Elias II

House of Talleyrand, 1072–1399

The seal of Elias VI of Périgord
The counter-seal of Elias VI of Périgord
From To Count of Périgord Relationship to predecessor Other titles held
1072 1104 Elias III of Périgord (1055–1104) Son of Adalbert II
1104 1115 William III of Périgord (1080–1115) Son of Elias III
1115 1155 Elias IV of Périgord (1083–1155) Brother of William III
1155 1166 Boso III of Périgord (1106–1166) Brother of Elias IV
1166 1205 Elias V of Périgord (1136–1205) Son of Boso III
1205 1212 Archambaud I of Périgord (d. 1212) Son of Elias V
1212 1239 Archambaud II of Périgord (1164–1239) Brother of Archambaud I
1239 1251 Elias VI of Périgord (d. 1251) Son of Archambaud II
1251 1295 Archambaud III of Périgord (1237–1295) Son of Elias VI
1295 1311 Elias VII of Périgord (1261–1311) Son of Archambaud III
1311 1336 Archambaud IV of Périgord (d. 1336) Son of Elias VII
1336 1368 Roger-Bernard of Périgord (1299–1368) Brother of Archambaud IV
1368 1398 Archambaud V of Périgord (1339–1399); deposed in 1398 Son of Roger-Bernard
1398 1399 Archambaud VI of Périgord (d. 1430); deposed in 1399 Son of Archambaud V

In 1399, Charles VI of France deprived the last Count of Périgord of his lands. In 1400, the king granted the title to his supporter, Louis I, Duke of Orléans.

House of Orléans, 1400–1437

From To Count of Périgord Relationship to predecessor Other titles held
1400 1407 Louis I, Duke of Orléans (1372–1407) No relation Duke of Orléans
1407 1437 Charles, Duke of Orléans (1394–1465) Son of Louis I, Duke of Orléans Duke of Orléans

In 1437, Charles, Duke of Orléans sold the title of "Count of Périgord" to John I, Count of Penthièvre.

House of Châtillon, 1437–1481

From To Count of Périgord Relationship to predecessor Other titles held
1437 1452 John I (d. 1452) No relation Count of Penthièvre, Viscount of Limoges
1452 1453 William (1400–1453) Brother of John Viscount of Limoges
1453 1481 Frances (d. 1481) Daughter of William Viscountess of Limoges

Frances married Alain I of Albret and the title of "Count of Périgord" was inherited by their son, John III of Navarre.

House of Albret, 1481–1572

From To Count of Périgord Relationship to predecessor Other titles held
1481 1516 John III of Navarre (1469–1516) Son of Françoise of Périgord King Consort of Navarre
1516 1555 Henry II of Navarre (1503–1555) Son of John III of Navarre King of Navarre
1555 1572 Jeanne III of Navarre (1528–1572) Daughter of Henry II of Navarre Queen of Navarre

House of Bourbon, 1572–1604

From To Count of Périgord Relationship to predecessor Other titles held
1572 1584 Henry IV of France (1553–1610) Son of Jeanne III of Navarre King of Navarre, King of France (in 1589, by which point he had already relinquished the title of "Count of Périgord")
1584 1604 Catherine de Bourbon (1559–1604) Sister of Henry IV of France

Catherine de Bourbon was the last individual to hold the title of Count or Countess of Périgord; she died childless.

References

  1. ^ de Talleyrand-Périgord (prince de Bénévent), Charles Maurice (1838). Extraits des mémoires (in French). Le Claire.