The counts of the Perche, c. 1066-1217
The history of the counts of the Perche from c. 1066 to 1217 is considered. It is placed in the historiographical perspective of the disintegration into territorial principalities which took place in the kingdom of the Franks around the year 1000 and the subsequent emergence of small units such as the Perche in border zones, where the authority of the greater princes had never been successfully asserted. An outline of the geography of the Perche is followed by a brief account of the Rotrou lineage. The internal workings of the Perche, which indicate the nature of the Rotrous' power, are considered. Family property is located and comital rights are described, together with the administration by means of which the lineage's wealth and power were exploited. The exercise of lordship over the other landed families of the Perche was an important factor in the smooth running of the county and the association between the counts and the nobility is also discussed. An analysis of the relations between the Perche and its neighbours, the great power blocs of Northern France, forms the third section. The adroit manipulation of these relationships permitted the counts to maintain their independence and to gain access to
Thompson, Kathleen Hapgood
Franks
The counts of the Perche, c. 1066-1217. The history of the counts of the Perche from c. 1066 to 1217 is considered. It is placed in the historiographical perspective of the disintegration into territorial principalities which took place in the kingdom of the Franks around the year 1000 and the subsequent emergence of small units such as the Perche in border zones, where the authority of the greater princes had never been successfully asserted. An outline of the geography of the Perche is followed by a brief account of the Rotrou lineage. The internal workings of the Perche, which indicate the nature of the Rotrous' power, are considered. Family property is located and comital rights are described, together with the administration by means of which the lineage's wealth and power were exploited. The exercise of lordship over the other landed families of the Perche was an important factor in the smooth running of the county and the association between the counts and the nobility is also discussed. An analysis of the relations between the Perche and its neighbours, the great power blocs of Northern France, forms the third section. The adroit manipulation of these relationships permitted the counts to maintain their independence and to gain access to
count history count consider place historiographical perspective disintegration territorial principality take_place kingdom subsequent emergence small_unit border zone authority great prince never successfully assert outline geography follow_brief account lineage internal working indicate nature power consider family property locate right describe together administration mean lineage wealth_power exploit exercise lordship land family important_factor smooth run county association count nobility also_discuss analysis relation neighbour great_power bloc northern_france form third_section manipulation relationship permit count maintain independence gain_access