Duke of Bouillon
| Duchy of Bouillon | ||||||||||
| Duché de Bouillon | ||||||||||
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.svg) The Duchy of Bouillon as at 1560, shown within the Lower Rhenish–Westphalian Circle
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| Capital | Bouillon | |||||||||
| Languages | Walloon | |||||||||
| Government | Dukedom | |||||||||
| Historical era | Middle Ages | |||||||||
| • | Ardennes lords of Bouillon | by the 11th century | ||||||||
| • | La Marck châtelains | from 1415 | ||||||||
| • | First style of Duke | 1456 | ||||||||
| • | Treaties of Nijmegen | 1678 | ||||||||
| • | Abolition of manorial and feudal rights |
26 May 1790 |
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| • | Ducal constitution | 23 March or 1 May 1792 | ||||||||
| • | Proclamation of the Republic |
24 April 1794 |
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| • | Annexed to France | 26 October 1795 (4 Brumaire, Year IV) |
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| Area | ||||||||||
| • | 1790 | 230 km² (89 sq mi) | ||||||||
| Population | ||||||||||
| • | 1790 est. | 12,000 | ||||||||
| Density | 52.2 /km² (135.1 /sq mi) | |||||||||
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| Today part of |
 Belgium
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The Duchy of Bouillon (French: Duché de Bouillon) was a duchy comprising Bouillon in present-day Belgium that existed from the 10th century until 1795, when it was annexed by France. It was controlled by the hereditary Duke of Bouillon.
The state originated in the 10th century as property of the Lords of Bouillon, owners of Bouillon Castle. Crusader Godfrey of Bouillon, later the first King of Jerusalem, sold Bouillon to the Prince-Bishopric of Liège, in 1095. The Prince-Bishops of Liège subsequently became lords of Bouillon and eventually adopted the title of duke. The duchy was later claimed by members of the House of La Marck. After the French annexed Bouillon, the heirs of the last reigning duke, Jacques Léopold de La Tour d'Auvergne, have continued claiming the title.
The Duchy of Bouillon was a sovereign duchy until 1795. In 1789, it had a population of 2,500. The largest town was Bouillon, situated on the Semois. It also consisted of the surrounding villages: Sugny, Corbion, Alle, Rochehaut, Ucimont, Botassart, Sensenruth, Noirefontaine,[Gros-Fays, Fays-les-Veneurs, Bertrix, Carlsbourg, Paliseul, Jehonville, Opont, Anloy, Porcheresse, Gembes, Gedinne, Sart-Custinne]], and Tellin.
Bouillon is located in a Walloon-speaking region.
The Duchy of Bouillon's origins are unclear. The first reference to Bouillon Castle comes in 988 and by the 11th century, Bouillon was a freehold held by the House of Ardennes, who styled themselves Lords of Bouillon. On the death of Godfrey III, Duke of Lower Lorraine in 1069, Bouillon passed to his nephew, Godfrey of Bouillon. In 1095, Godfrey of Bouillon sold Bouillon to the Prince-Bishop of Liège, Otbert of Liège in order to finance his participation in the First Crusade. Godfrey later became first ruler of the Kingdom of Jerusalem.
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Wikipedia