History of Toulouse

In 781, Charlemagne established the Kingdom of Aquitaine, including the entire Aquitaine plus the entire Mediterranean coast from Narbonne to N?mes (Gothia), and gave the throne to the three-year-old son Louis. Other kingdoms were established in places like Bavaria and Lombardy. This was to ensure the loyalty of the people in the newly conquered areas. The thrones were held by Charlemagne's sons. The Aquitaineans were renowned throughout the empire for their independent spirit and wealth. In fact, the area prospered again in its post-war recovery. Charlemagne re-established the unity of western Europe since the Dark Ages, and Toulouse was no exception. During Charlemagne's reign, wars against the Muslims started from Toulouse almost every year. Barcelona and a large area of ??Catalonia were conquered in 801. Together with northern Aragon and Navarre, this formed the southern border of the Frankish Empire (the Spanish border).

Charlemagne died in 814, and his only surviving son, King Louis of Aquitaine, came to the throne and was called Emperor Louis the Pious. The kingdom of Aquitaine was transferred to Pepin, the second son of Louis the Pious. Gosia was separated from the Kingdom of Aquitaine and administered directly by the king, re-establishing the boundaries of the ancient Duchy of Aquitaine. Problems quickly arose. The pious Louis had three sons. In 817, he arranged the subsequent division of the empire: Pepin remained King of Aquitaine (Pepin I of Aquitaine), Louis the German became King of Bavaria, and the eldest son Lothair and his The younger brothers ruled for the emperor. In 823, Louis the Pious's second wife gave birth to Charles the Bald. Soon, she hoped that her son could inherit it too. The pious Louis was very weak and fought against his three sons, which ultimately led to the total collapse of the Frankish Empire. Louis the Pious abdicated and returned to his throne twice more. In 838, Pepin I of Aquitaine died, and the pious Louis and his wife made Charles the Bald king of Aquitaine. At the Council of Worms in 839, the empire was divided in this way: Charles the Bald received the western part of the empire, Lothair the central and eastern parts, and Louis the German retained only Bavaria. Pepin I's son, Pepin II of Aquitaine, did not want to accept this arrangement. He was elected king by the Aquitaine (but Gascon, who had broken away from Aquitaine at the time, disagreed) and confronted his grandfather. Louis, a German from Bavaria, also opposed his father's decision. Eventually Louis the Pious died in 840. The eldest son, Lothair, demanded the entire empire, and all-out war broke out. Initially he allied himself with his nephew Pepin II, while Louis the German allied himself with his half-brother Charles the Bald, and together they defeated Lothair. In August 843, they signed what may be the most important treaty in European history, the Treaty of Verdun. The empire was divided into three: Charles the Bald received West Francia, Louis the German received East Francia which would soon become the Holy Roman Empire, and Lothair received the center, whose lands were soon divided among the conquests of his two brothers.

Family strife left the empire weak and unable to defend itself against foreign enemies. Some invaders correctly analyzed and exploited the situation: the Vikings. After the Treaty of Verdun, Charles the Bald went south, defeated Pepin II, and annexed Aquitaine. Initially he conquered Gosia through a rebellious count and executed him. In 844, he marched westward and besieged Toulouse, the capital of King Pepin II of Aquitaine. But after the defeat, they were forced to withdraw their troops. In the same year, the Vikings entered the mouth of the Garonne River, captured Bordeaux, and sailed to Toulouse, burning, killing, and looting along the way in the Garonne Valley. Historians debate whether Pepin II summoned them and paid an agreed sum for them to retreat, or whether the Vikings simply retreated in fear at the sight of the formidable city of Toulouse against Charles the Bald.

After these events, Charles the Bald signed a treaty with King Pepin II of Aquitaine in 845, recognizing his status, and Pepin II also wanted to conquer northern Aquitaine (Poitiers). Countie) to Charles the Bald. However, the Aquitaine people became increasingly dissatisfied with Pepin II, perhaps due to his friendly attitude towards the Vikings who plundered the local people. In 848, they asked Charles the Bald to overthrow Pepin II. In 849, Charles the Bald went south again, and Frédelon, Count of Toulouse, handed him the capital of Aquitaine. Soon all of Aquitaine belonged to Charles the Bald. Charles the Bald also officially appointed Friedlen Count of Toulouse. In 852, Pepin II was imprisoned by the Gascons and handed over to his uncle Charles the Bald, who was imprisoned in a monastery.

In 852, Friedlon, Count of Toulouse, died, and Charles the Bald appointed his brother Raymond as the new count. This is a special consideration because earls are generally not chosen from the same family. However, this was the beginning of the establishment of the Toulouse dynasty by the descendants of Raymond I, Count of Toulouse. In 855, following the old example of his grandfather Charlemagne, Charles the Bald rebuilt the Kingdom of Aquitaine (excluding Gosia) and was ruled by his son Charles, the "Young King". At the same time, Pepin II of Aquitaine also escaped from the monastery in 854 and planned a rebellion in Aquitaine. But he was not very popular with the Aquitaine people, and the attempt to seize power failed. He then asked the Vikings for help. In 864, Pepin II led the Viking army to besiege Toulouse and encountered fierce resistance. The siege failed and the Vikings left to raid other parts of Aquitaine. The ambition of Pepin II, who was betrayed and separated from his relatives, was completely shattered. He was arrested again, imprisoned in a monastery, and died soon after.

In 866, "Young King" Charles died.

Charles the Bald appointed another son, Louis the Stutterer, as the new King of Aquitaine. At that time, the centralized power of the French Kingdom was rapidly disintegrating. Charles the Bald was so unsuccessful in resisting the Vikings that local residents had to rely on the local count to resist the Vikings. The count became the center of local power, challenging the central authority of Charles the Bald in Paris. As they grew older, they began to pass within the family and establish local dynasties. Struggles between central and local authorities began, as well as regular fighting between the earls, which further weakened the resistance to the Vikings. Western Europe, especially France, was once again plunged into the Dark Ages, this time more destructive than the one in the sixth and seventh centuries. In 877, Charles the Bald was forced to give in: he signed the Statute of Quierzy, allowing his son to inherit the earldom. This was the basis on which the feudal system of Western Europe was established. Bald Charlie died four months later. The new king of France was Louis the Stutterer, who was also King of Aquitaine. He did not choose his son to be king of Aquitaine, thus ending the kingdom of Aquitaine and never restoring it. Louis died in 879. His kingdom was inherited by his two sons, Louis III and Carloman: Louis III inherited northwestern France and Carloman inherited Burgundy and Aquitaine. But in fact, between 870 and 890, centralization in southern France was extremely weak and it was almost completely autonomous. The dynasty established by the count was completely independent. The Parisian center failed to reestablish authority in the south for the next four centuries. At the end of the 9th century, Toulouse had become an independent country and the capital of the County of Toulouse established by Friedlund. It was nominally subject to the authority of the French king, but in fact it was completely independent. The Count of Toulouse first had to fight for his own protection. The biggest threat was the Counts of Auvergne, who ruled the northeastern part of the former Aquitaine region. They claimed the right to Toulouse and even drove the Counts out of the city at one point. But unlike so many other lost dynasties, the Counts of Toulouse maintained an independent existence during the Dark Ages. Their county was only a small piece of southeastern Aquitaine. But after the death of William the Pious, Count of Auvergne in 918, they seized Gosia, which the Auvergne had occupied for two generations. This doubled their territory, once again uniting Toulouse with the Mediterranean coast from Narbonne to N?mes. The County of Toulouse has since established clear boundaries: from Toulouse in the west to the Rh?ne River in the east, it existed as the Department of Landonique until the French Revolution. Toulouse was never annexed to Aquitaine, whose capital was first Poitiers and then Bordeaux. Despite the original memory of Aquitaine remains strong in Toulouse. William the Pious, count of Auvergne, first re-established the title of Duke of Aquitaine in the 890s. The Count of Poitiers inherited this title in 927. In 932, King Raoul of France rebelled against the Count of Poitiers and granted the title of Duke of Aquitaine to his new ally, Raymond III, Count of Toulouse. But this title has no practical meaning. The counts of former Aquitaine were independent and did not recognize this authority.

Different factions are vying for the throne of France, but since centralized power has disappeared, the king has little more than a false title. After Raoul's death, another faction succeeded in placing a Carolingian prince who had grown up in England on the throne, Louis IV overseas. Raymond III objected, so after his death in 950, Louis IV and the title Duke of Aquitaine were given to William III, Count of Poitiers. From then on, the title of Duke of Aquitaine was passed among the Counts of Poitiers, whose base in Poitou was in the northwest of former Aquitaine. The Count of Toulouse soon forgot his dream of Aquitaine. Finally, after the death of Carolingian King Louis V in 987, the Robertians succeeded in electing their patriarch Hugo Capet as King of France. At this time the Carolingian dynasty officially ended. Hugo Capet was the founder of the Capetian dynasty, which would rule France for the next eight centuries. But from then on until the middle of the 13th century, Toulouse had nothing to do with French history.

The Counts of Toulouse had extended their territory to the Mediterranean coast, but they were unable to hold on to this large territory for long. The 10th century was probably the worst century in western Europe in the past two thousand years. Four centuries after the collapse of the Western Roman Empire, civilization had declined, and standards of art and education were extremely low. There was a period of revival of culture and order during the reign of Charlemagne, but soon Western Europe sank again under invasions (particularly from the Vikings). This was accompanied by numerous civil wars as mentioned above, as well as bad weather, plague and depopulation. The whole of western Europe returned to the wilderness. The city has completely disappeared. Churches were abandoned or looted, and the church suffered a serious moral decline. It seems that the legacy of the Roman Empire has completely disappeared. Ancient culture remains in only a few monasteries. This was in stark contrast to the Spanish Emirate of Cordoba and the Byzantine Empire. Another phenomenon at this time is the complete disappearance of centralized power. Power collapsed, first falling into the hands of counts, then barons, and then thousands of feudal lords. Before the end of the 10th century, France was ruled by thousands of feudal lords who controlled just one town or castle and several surrounding counties. The county of Toulouse reflects this scene. Between 900 and 980, the Count of Toulouse gradually lost control of the county, and local lords were everywhere. Before the end of the 10th century, the authority of the counts of Toulouse was limited to a few scattered estates. Even the city of Toulouse was ruled by barons independent of the Count of Toulouse!

The intruders are back too.

Abd al-Rahman III, the famous ruler of the Emirate of Cordoba, successfully ruled Muslim Spain. Cordoba reached the peak of its power and founded the glorious Cordoba in 929. kingdom. In the 1020s, he launched an all-out attack on the Christian kingdoms of northern Spain. In 920 (or possibly 929) one of his armies crossed the Pyrenees and reached Toulouse, but failed to capture the city. In 924, the Magyars (ancestors of the Hungarians) launched an expedition westward and also reached Toulouse, but they were defeated by Raymond III, Count of Toulouse. At the end of the 10th century, the Carolingian Civil War and successive invasions plunged Toulouse into chaos. Large tracts of land were abandoned and many farms were abandoned. Due to its proximity to Muslim Spain, Toulouse was better off than northern France because it could receive a great deal of knowledge and culture from the schools and printing institutions of Córdoba. Toulouse, unlike northern France, retained Roman law and generally retained more Roman heritage, even in those dark days. This will become the base for the revival of civilization. At the beginning of the new millennium, changing attitudes toward the clergy in Toulouse and the confiscation of church property led to a decline in faith. The church of Saint-Sernin, the Basilica of Daurade and the Cathedral of Saint-Etigne were not well maintained. New religious schools emerged, such as the Cluniac reform.

With the help of Pope Gregory VII, Bishop Isarn attempted to restore order. In 1077 he gave the basilica of Daulad to the abbot of Cluny. At Saint-Sernin he encountered fierce opposition from Raimond Gayrard, who had just built a hospital for the poor and was planning to build a church.

With the support of Count Guilhem IV, St. Raymond finally received permission to donate the church from Pope Urban II in 1096. Religious controversy awakened faith in Toulouse. At the same time came population growth brought about by more efficient agricultural techniques.

The suburbs of Saint Michael and Saint Cyprien were also built at this time. The Daoulade Bridge connected the suburbs of Saint-Cyprian to the city gates in 1181. The suburbs of Saint-Sernin and Saint-Pierre also expanded significantly.

At the end of the 11th century, Earl Raymond IV participated in the Crusades. Many successions followed, and Toulouse was besieged repeatedly. In 1119, the people of Toulouse elected Alphonse Jourdain as count. Alphonse Jourdain immediately lowered tax rates to thank the people.

After the Earl's death, the rule of the "Eight Councilors" began. Under the command of the count, they were responsible for regulating the exchange rate and ensuring that the law prevailed. This was the parliamentary system, and their earliest act was enacted in 1152.

In 1176, the Parliament already had 12 members, each representing a district of Toulouse. These people soon began to oppose Count Raymond V. The people of Toulouse were divided into two factions and fought a civil war for 10 years. In 1189, the city council finally brought the count to his knees.

In 1190, construction of the future House of Representatives began. With 24 members, most likely elected, the Assembly gave itself powers of policing, trade, and taxation, as well as conflicts with neighboring cities. Toulouse was often the victor, expanding Toulouse's territory.

Despite the interference of the king, the administration of the House of Representatives ensured the city's relative independence for nearly 600 years, until the Revolution.

Interestingly, the local rugby team Stade Toulousain still wear the red and black uniforms of the House of Representatives today. Catharism, a doctrine that emphasized the separation of physical and spiritual existence, may have influenced Bogomilism in Bulgaria. It conflicts with orthodox doctrine. The Cathar sect, known as the "heresy", had widespread influence in southern France. In the 12th century, Simon of Montfort tried to eliminate it completely.

Toulouse also accepted the influence of the Cathars. The orthodox White Brotherhood hunted the heretic Black Brotherhood in the streets. Abbot Foulques encouraged the Inquisition because heretics were his creditors.

Some joined the White Legion, others chose to assist the besieged. Not wishing to encourage the schism in Toulouse, the Council openly defied papal authority and refused to arrest heretics. Count Raymond VI, an avowed Cathar, blamed the heresy trials in Toulouse.

Simon of Montfort's first siege of Toulouse failed in 1211, but two years later he succeeded in defeating the Toulouse army. Under the threat of killing many hostages, he entered the city in 1216 and proclaimed himself count.

Simon of Montfort was killed by a stone during the siege of Toulouse in 1218. Before the final siege, a White army fought against the people of Toulouse. Louis VII finally decided to give up in 1219. Raymond VI, acknowledging the help he received from the citizens in safeguarding his interests, relinquished his last prerogatives to the Assembly.

In the 13th century, the political direction of previous centuries changed. The Treaty of Paris in 1229 established the University of Toulouse, requiring the teaching of both Aristotelian philosophy and theology. The purpose of education, copied from the Parisian model, was to neutralize heretical movements.

Various religious orders, such as the Dominicans (order of frères prêcheurs), were established. They were the source of the Jacobins. At the same time, religious trials were also carried out in Toulouse. Fear of being suppressed forced nobles into exile or conversion. The Inquisition lasted for nearly 400 years and was centered in Toulouse.

Earl Raymond VII was accused of heresy and died in 1249 without issue. The county of Toulouse was then annexed to France, and the king imposed his laws. The powers of the House of Representatives were reduced. In 1323, the Consistori del Gay Saber was founded in Toulouse to preserve the bardic art of lyric poetry. Toulouse became the center of L'Occitane culture and art over the next hundred years; it remained active until 1484.

After strengthening its status as an administrative center, the city became richer and became involved in the trade with England for Bordeaux wine, grains and fabrics.

Many things besides the Inquisition threaten the city. Plague, fire and floods plagued the streets. The Hundred Years' War greatly damaged Toulouse. Despite many immigrants, the population dropped by 10,000 in 70 years. Toulouse had a population of only 22,000 in 1405.

In the mid-15th century, Charles VII began to establish local supreme courts. By granting tax exemptions, the king strengthened his influence and authority over the House of Representatives. The local supreme courts that received judicial power later also gained political independence.

This century also saw many famines. Due to the disrepair of the roads, a huge fire broke out in Toulouse in 1463. Houses between the Boulevard Alsace-Lorraine and the Gallon River were burned to the ground. The city's population then exploded, resulting in an extreme housing shortage.

Since 1463, the trade in woad textiles flourished. This dye could be said to have a light color at the time, and it also ushered in the most prosperous era in Toulouse's history. Toulouse used its new wealth to build the splendid houses and palace buildings that form the core of today's old town. The representative of the wealthy family at that time was Pierre D'Assézat.

The prosperity did not last. Woad was quickly replaced by indigo from the New World, which was darker and did not fade.

In the mid-16th century, the University of Toulouse had nearly 10,000 students. Humanistic thoughts are rampant, and teachers and students are also very excited. The Inquisitors were still sending many people to the stake.

In 1562, the Protestant Reformation led to street fighting between Calvinists and Catholics, with some 400 houses burned. The chaos in Toulouse finally ended with the coronation of Henry IV. The local parlement recognized the French king and the Edict of Nantes in 1600. The House of Representatives lost its last remaining influence. In 1629 and 1652, a more serious threat than the Fronde occurred here, killing thousands of people: the plague.

In order to treat the people infected by the plague, the local supreme court and autonomous agencies united for the first time. Most of the clergy left the city. The wealthiest people also fled. Only the doctors must stay. The famine also prompted the House of Representatives to prevent butchers and bakers from leaving the city.

La Grave Hospital welcomed people infected with the plague and placed them in isolation rooms. Before closing its doors, the city was overrun with rural beggars and refugees seeking medical facilities in the city. The money was not enough to sustain the lives of so many people, so private property began to be confiscated. In the most difficult times, the rich have a responsibility to look after the poor.

In 1654, when the second epidemic outbreak ended, the city was almost destroyed. However, during the plague-free time, two important projects were completed: the New Bridge in 1632 and the Canal du Midi in 1682. In 1693, the city suffered its last famine.

A secret society in the 17th century that united clergy and university professors, the AA (associatio amicorum) society, to preach the faith. The influence of this organization increased significantly during the 18th century.

In the 18th century, various artistic, religious and architectural trends surged in the city. Louis de Mondran was the initiator of the new town plan, which is most likely related to his life in the capital. The main achievements of this period are the Grand Rond, Cours Dillon and the House of Representatives. In 1770, Cardinal Brienne attended the opening ceremony of the tunnel named after him. The tunnel connected the Mediterranean Sea to the Atlantic Ocean, and the Canal Midi and Canal Lateral à la Garonne were completed six years later.

The city became more and more profit-oriented, exploiting the poor crazily and filling the pockets of the nobles and priests.

Local architects and sculptors were busy at the request of the wealthy. Villa Reynerie was the summer residence of the husband of Countess Barry.

Toulouse did not forget its tradition of religious fervor, even as the city declined dramatically at the end of the 18th century. New religious societies sprang up all the time—the most famous being the Blue Penitents. Under the influence of the Aa Society, the local supreme court regulated religious life and condemned Protestantism.

The Calas incident broke out in this troubled year. They demonstrated their power over the city when the local Supreme Court decided to execute Jean Callas.

The people of Toulouse, concerned about their autonomous status, decided to support the regional parlement when threatened by the king. The House of Representatives is chosen by the courts and consists of only eight members. To escape the control of the courts, a revolution was inevitable. The French Revolution was an important event in Toulouse's history. It changed the status and political and social structure of the city.

The city was a spectator of the Paris Revolution. The protests that took place on July 14, 1789 were poorly attended, but looting did occur from time to time. Five months later the old kingdom was abolished and a new order began. Members of the local Supreme Court and the Chamber of Deputies struggled to maintain the privileges, and they demonstrated on September 25, but without the support of the people who did not recognize the former protector.

The regional authority of Toulouse originally guaranteed by the local Supreme Court was compressed into one district-Haute Garonne. The clergy were required to accept the Civil Code of the Clergy promulgated by the Constituent Assembly. Despite the opposition of Loménie de Brienne, a new archbishop was appointed. Some are unhappy with the reforms and their financial clout.

The privileges of the House of Representatives were abolished on December 14, 1789. Joseph de Rigaud was elected as the new mayor on February 28, 1790.

During the Commune of 1793, Toulouse refused to join the constitutionalists of Provence and Aquitaine in going to Paris. The prospect of war with Austria and domestic rebellion sparked the Age of Terror, which washed over Toulouse through the lens of revolution.

In 1799, the fortified city resisted British and Spanish Royalist forces at the First Battle of Toulouse. After Napoleon became the head of the new regime and later the empire, the city partially regained its place in the region. The emperor even visited Toulouse in 1808 and gave the Daurad district to tobacco factories.

During the Second Battle of Toulouse in 1814, the British army entered the city abandoned by the imperial army. April 10, 1814 was the last stand for the empire: Napoleon had abdicated eight days earlier (but unfortunately, the French commander Soult was not notified). Wellington's army was warmly welcomed by the royalists, who made all preparations for Louis XVIII's restoration in Toulouse.