Viscounts of Béarn

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The viscounts of Béarn (Basque: Bearno, Gascon: Bearn or Biarn) were the rulers of the viscounty of Béarn, located in the Pyrenees mountains and in the plain at their feet, in southwest France. Along with the three Basque provinces of Soule, Lower Navarre, and Labourd, as well as small parts of Gascony, it forms the current département of Pyrénées-Atlantiques (64).

Coin of Béarn (under "Count Centule")
Coat of arms of the viscounts of Béarn.

Béarn is bordered by Basque provinces Soule and Lower Navarre to the west, by Gascony (Landes and Armagnac) to the north, by Bigorre to the east, and by Spain (Aragon) to the south.

List of Viscounts of Béarn

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House of Gascony

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Until 1251, probably all counts of Gascony descended from the House Gascony, head of the Duchy of Gascony.

Ruler Dates Gascon line Notes
Centule I ?-866 Béarn line Centule descended agnatically from Lupo III Centule of Gascony.
Loup Centule 866-905 Béarn line Son of the predecessor.
Centule II 905-940 Béarn line Son of the predecessor.
Gaston I 940-984 Béarn line Son of the predecessor.
Centule III 984-1004 Béarn line Son of the predecessor.
Gaston II 1004-1012 Béarn line Son of the predecessor.
Centule IV the Old 1012-1058 Béarn line Son of the predecessor.
Gaston III c.1020-1045 Béarn line Ruled jointly with his father, and preceded him.
Centule V the Young 1058-1090 Béarn line Son of Centule IV.
Gaston IV the Crusader 1090-1131 Béarn line Son of the predecessor.
Centule VI 1131-1134 Béarn line Son of the predecessor.
Guiscarda 1134-1147 Béarn line Sister of the predecessor, married Peter, who descended agnatically from Sancho IV Garcés of Gascony.
Peter I Roger 1134-1140? Gabarret line
Peter II 1147-1154 Gabarret line Son of the predecessors
Gaston V 1154-1170 Gabarret line Son of the predecessor
Mary 1170-1171 Gabarret line Sister of the predecessor, married the Catalan Guilhem de Montcada. During their joint rule, other rulers appeared contesting their rule, or were merely legendary:

House of Montcada

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House of Foix

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Béarn line

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Grailly line

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In 1512 Ferdinand II of Aragon conquered the better part of the kingdom of Navarre, leaving the kingdom with only the small section it held north of the Pyrenees.

House of Albret

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  • 1517–1555 : Henry I (son of, also king of Navarre, count of Foix, duke of Albret, count of Bigorre)
  • 1555–1572 : Joan (daughter of, queen of Navarre, countess of Foix, duchess of Albret, countess of Bigorre, married Anthony of Bourbon)

House of Bourbon

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  • 1572–1607 : Henry II (son of, also king of France, king of Navarre, duke of Bourbon, duke of Vendôme, count of Bigorre, count of Foix)

In 1620 the viscountcy of Béarn was reunited to the French crown, whereas Lower Navarre was in 1607.

References

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  • Pierre Tucoo-Chala (2000), Princi Negue-Librairie des Pyrénées & de Gascogne (ed.), Petite histoire du Béarn (in French), Pau, ISBN 2846180644
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See also

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