Viscounts of Béarn

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

House of Gascony

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

RulerDatesGascon lineNotes
Centule I?-866Béarn lineCentule descended agnatically from Lupo III Centule of Gascony.
Loup Centule866-905Béarn lineSon of the predecessor.
Centule II905-940Béarn lineSon of the predecessor.
Gaston I940-984Béarn lineSon of the predecessor.
Centule III984-1004Béarn lineSon of the predecessor.
Gaston II1004-1012Béarn lineSon of the predecessor.
Centule IV the Old1012-1058Béarn lineSon of the predecessor.
Gaston IIIc.1020-1045Béarn lineRuled jointly with his father, and preceded him.
Centule V the Young1058-1090Béarn lineSon of Centule IV.
Gaston IV the Crusader1090-1131Béarn lineSon of the predecessor.
Centule VI1131-1134Béarn lineSon of the predecessor.
Guiscarda1134-1147Béarn line Sister of the predecessor, married Peter, who descended agnatically from Sancho IV Garcés of Gascony.
Peter I Roger1134-1140?Gabarret line
Peter II1147-1154Gabarret lineSon of the predecessors
Gaston V1154-1170Gabarret lineSon of the predecessor
Mary1170-1171Gabarret lineSister 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

Béarn line
Main article: House of Foix-Béarn
  • 1302–1315 : 22nd Gaston VIII (son of, also count of Foix)
  • 1315–1343 : 23rd Gaston IX (son of, also count of Foix)
  • 1343–1391 : 24th Gaston X Phoebus (son of, also count of Foix)
  • 1391–1398 : 25th Matthew (son of Roger Bernard II, viscount of Castelbon, who was son of Roger Bernard I, viscount of Castelbon, who was younger brother of Gaston II of Foix-Béarn, also count of Foix and viscount of Castelbon)
  • 1398–1428 : 26th Isabelle (sister of, also countess of Foix and viscountess of Castelbon, married Archambaud of Grailly)

Grailly line
Main article: House of Foix-Grailly
  • 1412–1436 : 27th John I (son of, also count of Foix, viscount of Villemur and count of Bigorre)
  • 1436–1472 : 28th Gaston XI (son of, also count of Foix, viscount of Nébouzan and count of Bigorre, married Eleanor of Navarre, queen of Navarre) (References to "Gaston of Bearn" in history texts often refer to him)
  • 1479–1483 : 29th Francis Phoebus (son of Gaston of Foix, prince of Viane, also king of Navarre, count of Bigorre, count of Foix))
  • 1483–1517 : 30th Catherine (sister of, also queen of Navarre, countess of Bigorre, countess of Foix), married John of Albret, king of Navarre

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
Main articles: County of Foix § Houses of Albret and Bourbon, and Albret
  • 1517–1555 : 31st Henry I (son of, also king of Navarre, count of Foix, duke of Albret, count of Bigorre)
  • 1555–1572 : 32nd Joan (daughter of, queen of Navarre, countess of Foix, duchess of Albret, countess of Bigorre, married Anthony of Bourbon)

House of Bourbon
Main article: House of Bourbon
  • 1572–1607 : 33rd 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
  • Pierre Tucoo-Chala (2000), Princi Negue-Librairie des Pyrénées & de Gascogne (ed.), Petite histoire du Béarn (in French), Pau, ISBN 2846180644

See also
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