Caquins of Brittany

The Caquins of Brittany, (also Cacous^[a] Kakouz, Caqueux,^[2] Caquets,^[3] and Caquous^[2]) were groups of inhabitants who worked as coopers and ropemakers,^[4] subjected to exclusion in their villages located in Brittany, between the thirteenth century and modern times.^[4]

It is believed that the exclusion of the Caquins was based on the fear of leprosy, where Caquin rope makers were believed to be descendants of lepers and could spread leprosy. This potential leprous origin as well as their treatment, until the eighteenth century, mean they are often compared to the Cagots of southwestern France and northern Spain,^[3]^[b] or the crétins des Alpes of the Swiss Alps, there is however no mention of physical or mental particularities specific to the Caquins.

Legal restrictions

The Caquins were subjected to a variety of laws restricting their actions in society, this included restricting what work they could undertake, and while they could own land they were prohibited from building.^[5]

On 12 February 1425, John V, Duke of Brittany in his constitutions forbade the Caquins to engage in trade and demanded their separation from others. However, on 16 April 1447, the duke allowed the Caquins to take leased land in the bishopric of Vannes, as well as elsewhere.^[6]

On 18 December 1456, Peter II, Duke of Brittany, issued a long ordinance on fouages (the tax paid by each feu), where he declared that the Caquins were exempted from this tax.

There were also various religious restrictions imposed on the Caquins, such as having to enter churches through special doors separate from other congregants.

Notes

^ Possibly from the Breton word Cacodd meaning leprous^[1]^[2]
^ When talking of the Cagots, Breton commentators would call them by the same name they would use for the Caquins.^[3]

References

^ Tuke 1880, p. 376, 382.
^ ^a ^b ^c von Zach (1798), pp. 516–517: "Man kennt sie in Bretagne unter der Benennung von Cacous oder Caqueux. Man findet sie in Aunis, vorzüglich auf der Insel Maillezais, so wie auch in La Rochelle, wo sie Coliberts gennent werden. In Guyenne und Gascogne in der Nähe von Bordeaux erscheinen sie unter dem Namen der Cahets, und halten sich in den unbewohnbarsten Morästen, Sümpfen und Heiden auf. In den beyden Navarren heissen sie Caffos, Cagotes, Agotes." ["They are known in Brittany under the name of Cacous or Caqueux. They can be found in Aunis, especially on the island of Maillezais, as well as in La Rochelle, where they are called Coliberts. In Guyenne and Gascogne, near Bordeaux, they appear under the name of the Cahets, and can be found in the most uninhabitable swamps, swamps and heaths. In the two Navarres they are called Caffos, Cagotes, Agotes."]
^ ^a ^b ^c von Zach (1798), pp. 521: "Es fragt sich 2) gehören die Caquets oder Caqueux in Bretagne und die Cagots in Bearn, so wie Cassos in Navarra zu einem und demselben Geschlechte? Wir glauben die Frage mit Ramond bejahen zu können. Die grosse Verwandtschaft der Namen, die Ähnlichkeit ihres Zustandes, die aller Orten gleiche Verachtung, und derselbe Geist, der aus allen Verordnungen in Betreff ihrer herverleuchtet scheinen diess zu beweisen." ["The question arises 2) Do the caquets or caqueux in Brittany and the cagots in Bearn, like the cassos in Navarre, belong to one and the same family? We think we can answer the question with Ramond in the affirmative. The close affinity of names, the similarity of their condition, the same contempt in all places, and the same spirit emanating from all the ordinances concerning them, seem to prove this."]
^ ^a ^b Rosenzweig, Louis (1872). Les Cacous de Bretagne [The Cacous of Brittany] (in French). Bibliothèque des Chartes. p. 3 – via Bibliothèque numérique.
^ Geffroy, Gustave (1905). La Bretagne [Brittany] (in French). Hachette. p. 174.
^ "Caquins et Caquineries dans l'ancien diocèse de Saint-Brieuc" [Caquins and Caquineries in the former diocese of Saint-Brieuc]. Le site de Michel Chevalier, bibliothécaire de la Société d'Émulation des Côtes d'Armor (in French). Retrieved 31 January 2015.

Bibliography

Tuke, D. Hack (1880). "The Cagots". The Journal of the Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland. 9. Wiley: 376–385. doi:10.2307/2841703. JSTOR 2841703.
von Zach, Franz Xaver (March 1798). "Einige Nachrichten von den Cagots in Frankreich" [Some news of the Cagots in France]. Allgemeine geographische Ephemeriden (in German). 1 (5): 509–524.

[3] Possibly from the Breton word Cacodd meaning leprous^[1]^[2]

[6] When talking of the Cagots, Breton commentators would call them by the same name they would use for the Caquins.^[3]

[FOOTNOTETuke1880376,_382-1] Tuke 1880, p. 376, 382.

[von_Zach_-_names-2] von Zach (1798), pp. 516–517: "Man kennt sie in Bretagne unter der Benennung von Cacous oder Caqueux. Man findet sie in Aunis, vorzüglich auf der Insel Maillezais, so wie auch in La Rochelle, wo sie Coliberts gennent werden. In Guyenne und Gascogne in der Nähe von Bordeaux erscheinen sie unter dem Namen der Cahets, und halten sich in den unbewohnbarsten Morästen, Sümpfen und Heiden auf. In den beyden Navarren heissen sie Caffos, Cagotes, Agotes." ["They are known in Brittany under the name of Cacous or Caqueux. They can be found in Aunis, especially on the island of Maillezais, as well as in La Rochelle, where they are called Coliberts. In Guyenne and Gascogne, near Bordeaux, they appear under the name of the Cahets, and can be found in the most uninhabitable swamps, swamps and heaths. In the two Navarres they are called Caffos, Cagotes, Agotes."]

[von_Zach_-_Frage_2-4] von Zach (1798), pp. 521: "Es fragt sich 2) gehören die Caquets oder Caqueux in Bretagne und die Cagots in Bearn, so wie Cassos in Navarra zu einem und demselben Geschlechte? Wir glauben die Frage mit Ramond bejahen zu können. Die grosse Verwandtschaft der Namen, die Ähnlichkeit ihres Zustandes, die aller Orten gleiche Verachtung, und derselbe Geist, der aus allen Verordnungen in Betreff ihrer herverleuchtet scheinen diess zu beweisen." ["The question arises 2) Do the caquets or caqueux in Brittany and the cagots in Bearn, like the cassos in Navarre, belong to one and the same family? We think we can answer the question with Ramond in the affirmative. The close affinity of names, the similarity of their condition, the same contempt in all places, and the same spirit emanating from all the ordinances concerning them, seem to prove this."]

[Rosenzweig_3-5] Rosenzweig, Louis (1872). Les Cacous de Bretagne [The Cacous of Brittany] (in French). Bibliothèque des Chartes. p. 3 – via Bibliothèque numérique.

[7] Geffroy, Gustave (1905). La Bretagne [Brittany] (in French). Hachette. p. 174.

[:6-8] "Caquins et Caquineries dans l'ancien diocèse de Saint-Brieuc" [Caquins and Caquineries in the former diocese of Saint-Brieuc]. Le site de Michel Chevalier, bibliothécaire de la Société d'Émulation des Côtes d'Armor (in French). Retrieved 31 January 2015.

[a]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[b]

[5]

[6]

[1]