Page 49 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Provence & The Côte d'Azur

THE HIST OR Y OF PROVENCE  47

Troubadour Ivory (c. 1300) Where to See Medieval
The poetry of Provençal
troubadours tells how knights Provence
wooed virtuous women The highlights are undoubtedly
through patience, courtesy the Romanesque abbeys and
and skill. churches, especially the “three
sisters”: Silvacane (see p151), Le
Thoronet (see p112) and Sénanque
(see p168). Fortified villages
perchés, such as Gordes (see p173)
and the spectacular 11th-century
citadel at Les Baux-de-Provence
(see p146), testify to the unrest and
horrific violence that scarred this
period of Provence’s history.

Notre-Dame-de-Beauvoir
Chapel At the top of a path
from Moustiers (see p190), the
chapel has a fine Romanesque
porch and nave.
Les Pénitents des Mées
These are said to be 6th-century
1500 ships set sail for the Holy
Land on 28 August 1248. monks turned to stone for gazing
at Saracen women (see p185).

Silvacane Abbey (1175–1230)
St Christopher Fresco The Tour This beautiful, austere Cistercian
Ferrande in Pernes-les-Fontaines abbey was Provence’s last great
(see p168) contains religious Romanesque abbey.
frescoes from 1285. They are
among the oldest in France.

974 Saracens 1213 Battle of Muret: de Montfort defeats 1246 Charles of Anjou marries Béatrice, heiress
defeated at count of Toulouse and King of Aragon of Provence, to become Count of Provence
La Garde-Freinet
1209 French military leader Simon de 1248 Louis IX embarks on Seventh
Seal of Simon de Montfort Montfort marches on Provence Crusade from Aigues-Mortes
1000 1100 1200 1300
1032 Provence 1096–1099 1186 Counts of 1187 Remains of St Martha 1295 Death of Guiraut
becomes part of Holy First Crusade Provence declare discovered at Tarascon Riquier, the “Last Troubadour”
Roman Empire Aix their capital
1274 Papacy acquires 1280 Relics of Mary
1112 Raymond-Bérenger III, Count of 1125 Provence shared Comtat Venaissin Magdalene found at
Barcelona, marries the Duchess of Provence between Barcelona and Toulouse St-Maximin-la-Ste-Baume