This month and until January 5th, the Maison de la Nature, located in the Grande Corniche departmental natural park, is showcasing the exhibition “Eastern Provence in the Middle Ages” organized by the departmental archives.
This exhibition traces the history of the department from the beginning of the 6th century until the end of the 15th century. Nine panels present this period, featuring information on the strengthening of central power, the clergy, feudal power, the peasantry, as well as Art and Craftsmanship.
A bit of history…
Following the fall of the Roman Empire, Eastern Provence was invaded by the Visigoths and Ostrogoths before coming under Frankish rule in the 6th century. From the 9th century, the Saracens created ongoing insecurity. William the Liberator, Count of Arles, expelled them at the end of the 10th century. This period is marked by the development of feudalism within the framework of the Holy Roman Empire.
Until the end of the 14th century, the history of the Alpes-Maritimes was intertwined with that of Provence, under the rule of Catalan counts and, from 1246, the Angevin counts, kings of Naples and Sicily. The comital authority strengthened at the expense of the nobility and communes, and borders were extended towards the Roya Valley (1258) and Piedmont (1259).
However, the succession of Queen Joanna in 1382 led to a prolonged civil war. Encouraged by the Grimaldi of Beuil, the Niรงois accepted the protection of Amadeus VII, the Count of Savoy. The act of homage by Nice to the Count of Savoy in 1388 marks the division of Eastern Provence.
In 1482, after the annexation of the County of Provence to France, the Var became the boundary of the royal domain. From then on, Nice played a key strategic role for the Duke of Savoy against his powerful neighbor, the King of France.
