History of the Limousin

The history of the Limousin is not made events but rather of long evolutions. Indeed, the area forever be in the center of the interests of the great powers since the Roman Empire to the kings of France. However, of the cities, of the sites and the men of the Limousin knew a considerable historical fame.

Prehistory

Romans and Gallic

According to Jules César in the War of Gaules , the current area was inhabited by the tribe of the Lémovices which played a great part in Gallic resistance. The capital of this tribe was the oppidum of Villejoubert, located on the commune of Saint-Denis-of-Walls in High-Vienna. This city was the point of meeting of many economic routes, indeed, Lémovices known for their production of gold were extracted from the mines with open sky which were numerous in the area. Other sites had their importance like the puy of Yssandon, Ahun, Uzerche or Saint-Gence.

César conquered the territory of the Lémovices in 52 av. J. - C., consequently began the romanisation of the territory which did not upset the economy of the country. Only the cities were moved in order to facilitate the course of the goods and the control of the autochtones by the Roman authority. Thus, the capital of Lémovices was transferred to Augustoritum, future the Limoges, was quoted entirely created by the Romans towards 10 av. J. - C. in order to facilitate the crossing of the Vienna.

The the Limousin had secondary cities like Briva Curretia (Brive-the-Strapping woman) on the road Lyon-Bordeaux, Acitodunum (Ahun) on the Bourges-Clermont road. Other more religious sites, of which we preserve the vestiges, were created or romanized like Cassinomagus (Chassenon) and Evaux-the-Baths celebrate for their thermal baths, Tintignac on the commune of Naves with a sanctuary which gathers in particular a temple and theater but also the Bus on the commune of Saint-Merd-the-Oussines.

The campaigns of the Limousin were exploited by the Romans by rich person owners who lived in villae. Toponymy had the memory of these farms and sometimes of their owner. Many villages finishing in - ac are old villae like Flavignac (villa of Flavinius), Solignac or Solemniacum (villa of Solemnius). Archaeological vestiges were found like the Convents on the commune of the Vault-Montbrandeix, the villa of Pierre-Buffière, or that of Brachaud, in the north of Limoges.

Cruel invasions and times mérovingiens

The the Limousin was touched by the first Germanic invasions of the 3rd century like the whole of the Gaulle. Certain sites were gradually abandoned like the villae of the Mountain limousine. Augustoritum retracted on the puy Saint-Etienne around one of the first Christian churches of the Limousin.

The area but especially Augustoritum was évangélisée as of the 3rd century by Saint Martial, which according to the legend would have been sent by the bishop of Rome. The city of Brive would have received the Gospel of the mouth of Saint Martin which died lapidated by the still pagan inhabitants of the small town. The remainder of the area remained probably pagan long enough and was completely christianized only at the end of the 5th century.

In the middle of Ve century, the Limousin like the whole of Aquitaine was subjected to the capacity of the Visigoths, romanized barbarians converted with Christianity but professing the heresy arienne. It is only in 507 after the victory of Clovis over the Visigoths with Vouillé that the area passed under the cut of the frank kings although it gardat a certain independence. Thus at the 7th century, a duke managed in the name of the frank kings the Aquitaine, with a great autonomy. The the Limousin contrary to the west of the Duché of Aquitaine does not seem to have had to undergo the arabo-Berber incursions.

Times Mérovingiens were marked in the Limousin by the rise of the eremitism. Indeed, from many men come from the North of the Gaulle and sometimes of British Isles came to settle in the Limousin to live only and in prayer. Their reputation of holiness attracted people, thus forming cores of boroughs: Saint-Junien, Saint-Victurnien, Saint-Marien (Evaux-the-Baths), Saint-Léobon (the Large-Borough). Other clerks founded abbeys like Aredius or Yrieix with Attane (Saint-Yrieix-the-Pole) towards 570, Eloi with Solignac in 632 or Pardoux with Guéret.

The Limousin of the monks and the Viscounts

At the 10th century, the the Limousin is divided into a great number of seigniories of which most important are the Viscounts: Limoges, Comborn, Ventadour and Turenne, which divides the Low-Limousin whereas most of the north of the area is dominated by the count of Walk. The bishop of Limoges is him also a large land lord who dominates a good part of the heart of current the High-Vienna, other small lords fight for the remainder like the lord of Lastours, the lord of the Bus or the Viscount of Rochechouart. Such a parcelling of the territory sees flowering a great number of castles and turns in the middle of the countryside limousine whose feudal company is with the image of that of all Western Europe at the same time. The ruins of Lastours, of Ventadour, Comborn but also of Excideuil are still there to point out the memory of these divisions.

The the Limousin knew at the 9th century the creation of many abbeys: the canons of the Saint-Martial abbey of Limoges adopted the rule bénédictine in 848, like the female abbey of the Rule at the same time. On the tombs of the saints hermits like Saint-Junien, Eymoutiers (Saint-Psalmet), Saint-Léonard was create colleges of canons in charge of the worship of their patron saint. With the birth of seigniories independent of the ducal capacity, many abbeys were founded: Beaulieu in 860 by Rodolphe de Turenne, Chambon by the abbot of Saint-Martial, Moutier-with Ahun by the count Boson of Walk about the year millet, Chalard at the end of the 11th century by Saint-Geoffroi and Gouffier de Lastours.

The 12th century and 13th centuries: the time of the apogee

With the economic advancement of the end of the 11th century and the development of human flows and in particular of the pilgrimages, the many already existing limousines abbeys increase and of new religious orders are established in the area. Thus are built the splendid abbey churches and collegial Romance of the Beaulieu-on-Dordogne, Solignac, Dorat and of Saint-Léonard-with-Noblat. The Saint-Martial abbey of Limoges, thanks to the development of the pilgrimage towards Compostelle and with the economic advancement and agricultural of its priories which strew, the Limousin undertakes the rebuilding of its abbey and part of its conventual buildings. But the fame of the abbey owes its origin with the development of the enamel known as champlevé which decorates the liturgical huntings and objects but also the memories that certain pilgrims reported.

The Limousin passes to the hands Plantagenêt S in 1162 by the marriage of Aliénor of Aquitaine and Henri II, future king d' Angleterre. Consequently, the area is subjected to the English authority which takes part for its part in the artistic and religious rise of the Limousin. Thus, the young person Ordre of Grandmont founded by Saint Etienne de Muret is propagated in all the field of Plantagenêts since the kingdom of England to the Pyrenees. Other religious orders are created or settles in the Limousin: the abbey of Aubazine rested by a hermit is affiliated with the Ordre of Cîteaux whereas close to Saint-Léonard-with-Noblat an order is founded eremitic, whose heart is the priory of the Artige.

With the War One hundred Year old, the Limousin undergoes a deep crisis which inserted the area in one period of serious economic decline. Many cities and innumerable villages are plundered by the bands of truck drivers or the soldiers of the French Armies and English. Thus, the episcopal City of Limoges, which had been joined king de France, was ransacked in September 1370 by the troops of the Prince Noir.

Modern times: the archaisms prégnants

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