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For other uses, see Aquitaine (disambiguation).
Aquitaine (Occitan: Aquitània; Basque: Akitania), archaic Guyenne/Guienne (Occitan: Guiana), is one of the 26 regions of France, in the south-western part of metropolitan France, along the Atlantic Ocean and the Pyrenees mountain range on the border with Spain. In the Middle Ages it was a kingdom and later a duchy, with boundaries considerably larger than the modern ones. It comprises the 5 departments of Dordogne, Lot et Garonne, Pyrenees Atlantiques, Landes and Gironde.
[edit] HistoryApart from prehistoric peoples—largely in the Perigord—the earliest inhabitants of the southwest were Aquitanians, who were not proper Celtic people, but more akin to the Iberians. The Gauls maintained control of the southwest of France until conquered by the Romans in 52 B.C.E. Under Roman rule, the province of Aquitania extended almost as far north as the River Loire, comprising proper Gaul tribes and old Aquitanians (cf. Novempopulania and Gascony). The title “Duke of Aquitaine” was held by the counts of Poitiers from the 10th to the 12th century. It passed to France in 1137 when the duchess Eleanor of Aquitaine married Louis VII of France, but their marriage was annulled in 1152 and when Eleanor’s new husband became Henry II of England in 1154, the area became an English possession. Links between Aquitaine and England were strengthened, with large quantities of wine produced in southwestern France being exported to London, Southampton, and other English ports. Aquitaine remained English until the end of the Hundred Years’ War in 1453, when it was annexed by France. From the 13th century until the French Revolution, Aquitaine was usually known as Guyenne. The region served as a stronghold for the Protestant Huguenots during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, who suffered persecution at the hands of the Catholic church. The Huguenots called upon the English crown for assistance against the Catholic Cardinal Richelieu [edit] Demographics
Aquitaine consists of 2,908,359 inhabitants equivalent to 5% of the total French population. [edit] SportThe region is home to many successful sports teams. In particular worth mentioning are:
Rugby Union is particularly popular in the region. Clubs include:
Bull-fighting is also popular in the region. Major Surfing championships regularly take place on Aquitaine's coast. [edit] See also
[edit] Notes[edit] External links
Coordinates: 44°35′N 0°00′E / 44.583°N 0°E
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