Poitou-Charentes: Difference between revisions
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At first, these French immigrants from [[Poitou]] settled in eastern [[Canada]], and established an agricultural and maritime economy (farming and fishing). This area of the "New World" was dubbed ''Acadia'' by the French, after the Greek ''[[Arcadia]]'' - the idyllic part of the [[Peloponnese|Peloponnesian peninsula]] in Greece. It was renamed ''[[Nova Scotia]]'' (New Scotland) in the aftermath of the [[Great Expulsion|1755 expulsion]] of most of the Acadians by the English. |
At first, these French immigrants from [[Poitou]] settled in eastern [[Canada]], and established an agricultural and maritime economy (farming and fishing). This area of the "New World" was dubbed ''Acadia'' by the French, after the Greek ''[[Arcadia]]'' - the idyllic part of the [[Peloponnese|Peloponnesian peninsula]] in Greece. It was renamed ''[[Nova Scotia]]'' (New Scotland) in the aftermath of the [[Great Expulsion|1755 expulsion]] of most of the Acadians by the English. |
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==History== |
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[[File:MaraisPoitevin.jpg|thumb|left|300px|[[Marais Poitevin]], Poitou-Charentes]] |
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[[Poitou]] is a historic region in west central France. [[Poitiers]], the former capital of the region, is its chief city, although the port of [[La Rochelle]] rivals it in economic importance. Farming is important to the economy; wheat, corn and cattle are raised. Industries produce machinery, chemicals and dairy products. |
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The region's first known inhabitants, the [[Pictavi]], a Gallic tribe, were conquered in 56 BC by the Romans who incorporated the area into Gaul as part of the province of [[Aquitania]]. The [[Visigoths]] seized the region in 418 AD, but it passed to the [[Franks]] in 507. In 732 or 733, [[Charles Martel]] brought the Muslim invasion of Western Europe to a standstill by his victory in the [[Battle of Tours|Battle of Poitiers]]. From the 10th to the mid-12th century, the counts of Poitou were also the [[duke of Aquitaine|dukes of Aquitaine]], and the city of [[Poitiers]] grew in importance. |
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In 1152, Poitou came under English control through the marriage of [[Eleanor of Aquitaine]] to [[Henry II of England|Henry II]] (later king of England). The region was reunited with the French crown in 1416 and was a province of [[France]] until the [[French Revolution|Revolution]] (1789–95), when it was divided into three departments, [[Vienne]], Deux-Sèvres, and Vendée. |
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[[Françoise-Athénaïs, marquise de Montespan]] was born in the area in 1640 (d 1707). She was the famous mistress to [[Louis XIV]]; Some of their descendants are still alive today. |
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==Major communities== |
==Major communities== |
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Revision as of 17:37, 6 September 2013
Template:Infobox French region Poitou-Charentes (French pronunciation: [pwatu ʃaʁɑ̃t] ) is an administrative region in south-western France comprising four departments: Charente, Charente-Maritime, Deux-Sèvres and Vienne. The regional capital is Poitiers.
Politics
The regional council is composed of 56 members. The region is the home of France's losing presidential candidate Socialist Ségolène Royal in the election of 2007.
Demographics
In French its residents are known as Picto-Charentais. In 2003, the region ranked 15th out of 26 in population. In area it ranked 12th in size.
Three regional languages, Poitevin, Saintongeais and Limousin are spoken by a minority of people in the region.
Poitou is believed to be the region of origin of most of the Acadian and Cajun populations of North America (settlements founded in New Brunswick, Louisiana, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, the Gaspe Peninsula of Quebec, Maine and Newfoundland).[1] Their ancestors emigrated from the region in the 17th and 18th centuries.
At first, these French immigrants from Poitou settled in eastern Canada, and established an agricultural and maritime economy (farming and fishing). This area of the "New World" was dubbed Acadia by the French, after the Greek Arcadia - the idyllic part of the Peloponnesian peninsula in Greece. It was renamed Nova Scotia (New Scotland) in the aftermath of the 1755 expulsion of most of the Acadians by the English.
Major communities
References
- ^ source: Dr. Carl Brasseaux, director of the Center for Louisiana Studies at The University of Louisiana in Lafayette, LA
External links
- Poitou-Charentes : starting out from the South West - Official French website (in English)
- Template:Fr icon Regional Council Website
- Official Regional Tourist Board website
- Short tourist guide to Poitou-Charentes
- Template:Fr icon Site de l'Observatoire Régional de l'Environnement de Poitou-Charentes
- Template:Fr icon Site sur la biodiversité en Poitou-Charentes
- Template:Fr icon Youth portal for Poitou-Charentes
- Pause Poitou-Charentes - property, lifestyle and leisure website