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History of the Vendee
This is a
potted history with the major events and personalities that have shaped the
Vendee of today.
Its is not intended as a complete or thorough account of all that has happened, but mearly to give a background to help you understand and enjoy your visit to this important historic region of France.
Its is not intended as a complete or thorough account of all that has happened, but mearly to give a background to help you understand and enjoy your visit to this important historic region of France.
Civillisation has been present in the Vendee since prehistoric
times and especially on the islands and the coastal region where hunters and
fishermen settled more than 14,000 years ago leaving behind their dolmen at La
Frebouchere au Bernard,Le Givre,Commequiers and Ile Yeu the Menhirs at Avrille
and villages like Champ-Durand (Nieul-sur-Autise).
The Province of Picton is derived from the Picton Tribe who settled between Brittany and Aquitaine founding such villages as Bram (brem), Durinum (st.-Georges-de Montaigu) and Olonna (Olonne-sur-Mer).
With the coming of the Roman legions in 57 Bc.the provinces of Aquitaine and Poitou were united under the "Pax Romana" this lead to the building of a network of roads which can still be seen today, the most visable is from Sables d'Olonne which took the then coastal road via Lucon then Fontenay-le-Comte( both ports) to Niort, another is the route from Fontenay-le-Comte to Bressuire.
The Province of Picton is derived from the Picton Tribe who settled between Brittany and Aquitaine founding such villages as Bram (brem), Durinum (st.-Georges-de Montaigu) and Olonna (Olonne-sur-Mer).
With the coming of the Roman legions in 57 Bc.the provinces of Aquitaine and Poitou were united under the "Pax Romana" this lead to the building of a network of roads which can still be seen today, the most visable is from Sables d'Olonne which took the then coastal road via Lucon then Fontenay-le-Comte( both ports) to Niort, another is the route from Fontenay-le-Comte to Bressuire.
Christianity
was preached in the Vendee as early as the 3rd Century although in the
countryside the Druids retained their influence. St.Hilaire, the bishop of
Poitiers was mainly responsible for the growth of christianity and his
name is often attached to village names.
The end of the 10th Century was the start of 200 years of Romanesque architecture and many of the churches and abbays have parts if not all of the structures contructed during this period.
The end of the 10th Century was the start of 200 years of Romanesque architecture and many of the churches and abbays have parts if not all of the structures contructed during this period.
The early
middle ages saw the region invaded and devastated by the Arabs,
Barbarians,Visigoths and Vikings forcing the population to seek shelter in the
castles and Abbays, this commenced a period of Feudalism and the building of
churches and and Abbays mainy of them where fortified, fine examples are
the churches at Le Boupere and Cheffois.
Poitou was ruled by the Counts of Poitiers (also Dukes of Aquitaine). Eleanor of Aquitaine married Henry of Anjou(Plantagenet) who in 1154 became King Henry 11 of England.
Gothic architecture started during this period and lasted till the 15th century.
Poitou was ruled by the Counts of Poitiers (also Dukes of Aquitaine). Eleanor of Aquitaine married Henry of Anjou(Plantagenet) who in 1154 became King Henry 11 of England.
Gothic architecture started during this period and lasted till the 15th century.
1337 saw the
start of the 100 years war between France and England and during this period the
region was under English rule, it was eventually won back by supporters of Joan
of Arc.
It is worth noting that though this war is claimed to be between the English and French it was in essence between the Plantagenets who formerly owned and ruled this part of France and who wished to regain it and the French who had taken over control in the intervening years.
The 16th Century was the start of the Renaissance period which flourished in the Vendee, there were many chateaux built, elegant house and public buildings in the Renaissance style and no more so than at Fontenay-le-Comte which during this period was the capital of the region.
The Wars of Religion broke out in 1562 and lasted to 1598, it saw the destruction of many of the churches and abbays the conflict was ended by the Edict of Nantes which allowed Protestants to worship freely, the uneasy peace lasted till 1622 when the king fought with protestants at St Gilles-sur-Vie. Cardinale Richelieu who was earlier Bishop of Lucon became Prime Minister under Louis X111 and he besieged La Rochelle a Huguenot strong hold between 1627-28.
With the revocation of the Deict of Nantes in 1685 over 400,000 huguenots were forced to flee France.
It is worth noting that though this war is claimed to be between the English and French it was in essence between the Plantagenets who formerly owned and ruled this part of France and who wished to regain it and the French who had taken over control in the intervening years.
The 16th Century was the start of the Renaissance period which flourished in the Vendee, there were many chateaux built, elegant house and public buildings in the Renaissance style and no more so than at Fontenay-le-Comte which during this period was the capital of the region.
The Wars of Religion broke out in 1562 and lasted to 1598, it saw the destruction of many of the churches and abbays the conflict was ended by the Edict of Nantes which allowed Protestants to worship freely, the uneasy peace lasted till 1622 when the king fought with protestants at St Gilles-sur-Vie. Cardinale Richelieu who was earlier Bishop of Lucon became Prime Minister under Louis X111 and he besieged La Rochelle a Huguenot strong hold between 1627-28.
With the revocation of the Deict of Nantes in 1685 over 400,000 huguenots were forced to flee France.
The French
Revolution of 1789 saw the Vendeens prodominately royalist pitch against the
bourgoise who had gained more power with the abolishion of the feudalism. In
1790 their power was increased by the Clergy's Civil Constitution which imposed
'non-jurist priest' on the population replacing the 'Jurist priest' the people
reject this move and support those priest that had refused to take the oath.
With the abolition of Royalty in August 1792 and execution of Louis X1V on
january 21st 1793 things came to a head with people rejecting all Republican
principles. The War broke out in Les Mauges with the Catholic and
Royal army taking Cholet. The war raged on till 1796 with the loss of over
300,000 men. (A fuller account of the war of the vendee).
Freedom of religion was established and the Vendee returned to a slow pace of life.
Freedom of religion was established and the Vendee returned to a slow pace of life.
The 20th
century started with the the first world war and 20,000 young Vendeen soldiers
were to die in this bloody conflict. Many of the people from the Ardenne and
picardie region were relocated during the war to the Vendee and many stayed on
afterwards. During the Second World War the Vendee was occupied on the 21st June
1940 by the Germans, bunkers were built around the coast as protection from
invasion, many of its male citizens were forced to march to Germany to work in
prison camps and factories. In September 1944 the local resistance
gathered 3,000 men who played a significant part in the liberation of the Vendee
and France.
After the
losses of the two Wars and a rural exodus the Vendee has loss some 50,000
inhabitants, it processed no cities or large towns and had no or little
influence in central Government it was left to its own enthusiasm and hard work
to develop its economy.
The closeness that the population brought about the years of conflict, an eagerness to succeed, and ingenious solutions to economic problems often in the face of hostilities from central Government have today put the Vendee as the second most productive agricultural region in France and with a faster growing and more diverse ecomony than any othe Department in France.
The closeness that the population brought about the years of conflict, an eagerness to succeed, and ingenious solutions to economic problems often in the face of hostilities from central Government have today put the Vendee as the second most productive agricultural region in France and with a faster growing and more diverse ecomony than any othe Department in France.
Today the
Vendee is truly on the map of France, it is a name reconnised world wide with
its promotion of the Vendee Globe yacht race, the Puy du Fou, but more so for
its friendly gentel people, quiet and modest with their roots in the past but
their eyes to the future.
Personalities of the Vendee.are as you may suspect with a rural
community, few and far apart, though the few that there are worth
noting.
Richard the Lion Heart is one who though not born in the Vendee spent a lot of time here at his castle at Talmont st.Hilaire.
Gilles de Rais (blue beard) at 25 he was "marshal of France" and a companion of Joan of Arc. He is best known for the attrocities he commited at his castle at Tiffage where it is claimed he killed more than 200 children in his attempt to make gold from blood.
Francois Viete. (1540-1603)The mathematician from Fontenay who created modern algebra.
Cardinal Richelieu Born Armand du Plessis he became at 23 bishop of Lucon in 1608 later he was to become first minister of France under Louis X111.
Rene-Antoine Ferchault du Reaumur (1683 to 1757) the inventor of the thermometer, he also developed a way of tinning iron and his studies of insects made him the father of French Entomology.
Francois Anthanas Charette de la Contrie. General of the Vendeen army during the wars of the Vendee.
Georges Clemenceau. (1841-1929) Statesman and Prime minister from 1906 to 1909 and again from 1917 to 1920 he negotiated the Treaty de Versailles in 1919.
Jean de Lattre de Tassigny (1889- 1952) having fought in both world wars he commanded the "Premiere Armee Francaise" during the second world war and was at the signing of the capitulation by Germany on May 8th 1945,
Philip de Villiers Consillor General de la Vendee. During the late 20th century and continueing into the 21st century he is the figurehead of the vendeen ecomomic recovery
Richard the Lion Heart is one who though not born in the Vendee spent a lot of time here at his castle at Talmont st.Hilaire.
Gilles de Rais (blue beard) at 25 he was "marshal of France" and a companion of Joan of Arc. He is best known for the attrocities he commited at his castle at Tiffage where it is claimed he killed more than 200 children in his attempt to make gold from blood.
Francois Viete. (1540-1603)The mathematician from Fontenay who created modern algebra.
Cardinal Richelieu Born Armand du Plessis he became at 23 bishop of Lucon in 1608 later he was to become first minister of France under Louis X111.
Rene-Antoine Ferchault du Reaumur (1683 to 1757) the inventor of the thermometer, he also developed a way of tinning iron and his studies of insects made him the father of French Entomology.
Francois Anthanas Charette de la Contrie. General of the Vendeen army during the wars of the Vendee.
Georges Clemenceau. (1841-1929) Statesman and Prime minister from 1906 to 1909 and again from 1917 to 1920 he negotiated the Treaty de Versailles in 1919.
Jean de Lattre de Tassigny (1889- 1952) having fought in both world wars he commanded the "Premiere Armee Francaise" during the second world war and was at the signing of the capitulation by Germany on May 8th 1945,
Philip de Villiers Consillor General de la Vendee. During the late 20th century and continueing into the 21st century he is the figurehead of the vendeen ecomomic recovery
