particularly Marseille and Arles, became among the most vibrant and wealthy
commercial centers in the West.
Although technically part of the kingdom of Burgundy until 1032 and then part of the
Holy Roman Empire, Provence was in fact ruled until the end of the 11th century by the
heirs of William II. During the early 12th century, the counts of Toulouse and Barcelona
struggled to control Provence, finally agreeing in 1125 to divide the county. As a result,
Raymond-Berenguer I of Barcelona acquired the entire region south of the Durance. The
house of Barcelona ruled Provence until 1246, when the daughter and heiress of
Raymond-Berenguer IV married Charles of Anjou, the brother of Louis IX. This event
marked not only the beginning of Angevin rule that would continue until 1481 but also
the prolonged involvement of Provence in the ultimately disastrous Angevin policies in
southern Italy. The resulting drain on its resources produced an extended economic
decline for Provence. After the death of the last Angevin ruler, Charles III (1481), Louis
XI incorporated Provence into the kingdom of France.
Stephen Weinberger
[See also: ANJOU, HOUSES OF; DIDACTIC LITERATURE (OCCITAN);
LANGUEDOC; OCCITAN LANGUAGE; TROUBADOUR POETRY]
Fèvrier, Paul-Albert. Le développement urbain en Provence de l’époque romaine a la fin du XIVe
siècle. Paris: Boccard, 1964.
Fontana, Mireille. La réforme grégorienne en Provence orientale. Aix-en-Provence: Pensée
Universitaire, 1957.
Manteyer, Georges de. La Provence du Ier au XIIe siècle. Paris: Picard, 1905.
Poly, Jean-Pierre. La Provence et la société féodale: 879–1166. Paris: Bordas, 1976.
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