Boulogne (county)

Boulogne County was located along the English Channel in the region of its narrowest part - the Pas de Calais . In geological terms, this territory is the eastern tip of the Velda Cretaceous formation, occupying the southeast of England and passing under the English Channel. In the north, Boulogne County bordered on the county of Gin and the city of Calais , in the south, along the Cansch River, with the county of Pontier and the lord Montreil . To the east of Boulogne was the historical region of Artois . The administrative center was the city of Boulogne-sur-Mer . Currently, the territory of the former county belongs to the department of Pas de Calais .

In the early Middle Ages, under the suzerainty of Boulogne County, there were also:

• County of Lance - until the middle of the XI century , when Lance was annexed to Flanders by Count Baldwin V ;
• Calais and the surrounding area, separated from Boulogne by the county of Gin , - until the capture of Calais by the British in 1346 ;
• Teruan and Saint-Omer - until the beginning of the XI century , when under Baldwin IV this area became part of Flanders ;
• Ternois and the county of Saint-Paul - until the middle of the XI century , since 1180 - under the sovereignty of the counts of Artois .

In ancient times, the territory of the future Boulogne County was inhabited by Celtic tribes . Having entered the Roman province of Belgica , the city of Boulogne (ancient Roman Bononia; Lat. Bononia ) served as the center of communication between the empire and Britain . Later Franks migrated here and the region became part of the Frankish state , and in the 9th century it became part of the Kingdom of the West of France (future France ). The city of Boulogne and the counties were governed by the appointed counts, however, there is very little information about the early existence of the Boulogne County due to the incessant raids of the Scandinavian Vikings on the English Channel in the second half of the 9th century , which repeatedly captured and burned the city.

In 896, Boulogne was captured by the Count of Flanders Baldwin II and became part of the County of Flanders.

After the death of Baldwin II in 918, his possessions were divided between the heirs: the eldest son Arnulf received Flanders proper, and the younger Adalulf became the ruler of Boulogne. This marked the beginning of the existence of a separate Boulogne County, ruled by the descendants of Adalulf. Although Boulogne maintained contact with Flanders, and the counts of Boulogne brought homage and the oath of allegiance to her rulers, in fact the county quickly became independent.

The proximity to England contributed to the establishment of close relations between the Boulogne County and the Anglo-Saxon state . Eustachius II , Count of Boulogne , married the daughter of Ethelred II , and was the closest ally of King Edward the Confessor . In 1066 , however, Eustachius II took an active part in the Norman conquest of England and became the owner of vast lands on the other side of the English Channel (primarily in Essex , and also in eleven other English counties ). The Earls of Boulogne during the XII century played a significant role in English political life, and the Countess Matilda became the wife of King Stephen of Blois of England.

The Boulogne County made a major contribution to the history of the Crusades : the conqueror of Jerusalem Gottfried of Boulogne and the first king of the Kingdom of Jerusalem, Baldwin I, came from the Boulogne count family and were the younger brothers of Count Eustachius III .

In 1190, Boulogne came under the rule of Renault de Dammartin , one of the largest feudal lords of Northern France, thereby breaking the vassal connection of Boulogne County with Flanders.

In the conflict between the kings of England and France, Reno sided with the former, and after the defeat of the Anglo-German forces at the Battle of Buvin in 1214, the Boulogne County was confiscated, and later became part of the apanage of Philip Yurpel , son of the French king Philip II Augustus .

In 1265, Boulogne inherited the counts of Auvergne and for the next two hundred years remained the possession of the Auvergne house.

During the Hundred Years War, Boulogne was repeatedly attacked by the British and French. Already in 1346, the city ​​of Calais , which was under the suzerainty of the Boulogne counts, was captured by England and for several centuries turned into the main military and commercial base of the British on the continent.

In 1477, Count Bertrand VI de La Tour d'Overgne , yielding to the insistence of the French king Louis XI , transferred to him his rights to the county of Boulogne, in exchange for which he received the Lorage region in southwestern France. Thus, the county of Boulogne ceased to exist and was included in the royal domain .

Nevertheless, the struggle for the capital of the county did not stop after the war ended: in 1492, Boulogne was besieged by the English troops of Henry VII , and in 1544 was captured by the army of Henry VIII . However, already in 1547 the city ​​was liberated and in 1550 finally assigned to France.

• List of Earls of Boulogne
• Boulonne

• Genealogy of the Earliest Earls of Boulogne