Bohain-en-Vermandois () is a commune in the department of

Aisne Aisne ( , ; ; ) is a French departments of France, department in the Hauts-de-France region of northern France. It is named after the river Aisne (river), Aisne. In 2020, it had a population of 529,374. Geography The department borders No ...

Hauts-de-France Hauts-de-France (; ; ), also referred to in English as Upper France, is the northernmost region of France, created by the territorial reform of French regions in 2014, from a merger of Nord-Pas-de-Calais and Picardy. Its prefecture is Lille. ...

in northern

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

. It is the place where the painter

Henri Matisse Henri Émile Benoît Matisse (; 31 December 1869 – 3 November 1954) was a French visual arts, visual artist, known for both his use of colour and his fluid and original draughtsmanship. He was a drawing, draughtsman, printmaking, printmaker, ...

grew up.

Etymology

Formerly called Bohain, the town acquired its current name, Bohain-en-Vermandois, on 8 June 1956. Bohain was previously known as ''Buchammum'' (in Latin, attested 12th century) and ''Bohang'' (in Old French, attested 1138). Bohain derives from the anthroponym ''Bodo''/''Bolo'', itself derived from a Germanic root, possibly

Old Saxon Old Saxon (), also known as Old Low German (), was a Germanic language and the earliest recorded form of Low German (spoken nowadays in Northern Germany, the northeastern Netherlands, southern Denmark, the Americas and parts of Eastern Eur ...

'' bodo''. The suffix -ain additionally points to a Germanic root '' -heim'', which later transformed into either ''-ham'' and ''-hem''. The suffix later developed into ''-ain'' (via ''-ham''). William Robert Caljouw believes that this etymology is typically Saxon in origin, and possibly indicative of "Saxon colonisation" along the "coastal regions" of modern-day France.

History

Ownership of the territory changed frequently during the medieval period, and Bohain continued to find its lordship disputed in the wars of the early modern period. Traces of fortifications (ditches, cannonballs, bases of walls) can not only be found near to the primary school, but also in other spots of the town. In its past, Bohain being unequivocally incorporated within France, industry and trading developed and the town became a major center for the textile industry. In parish records from the 17th century one of the most frequent occupations registered was that of "mulquinier", although the term is generally used to refer to fine fabrics craftworkers, it seems likely that in these very same records the term was also applied to anyone who worked at the weaver's trade. It is recorded that

Napoleon Napoleon Bonaparte (born Napoleone di Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French general and statesman who rose to prominence during the French Revolution and led Military career ...

ordered a Bohainais weaver to work for the Empress Joséphine. The old textile factories have closed one after another, but weaving is still considered as a local tradition. It has been reported that the Lord (seigneur) of Bohain gave up

Joan of Arc Joan of Arc ( ; ; – 30 May 1431) is a patron saint of France, honored as a defender of the French nation for her role in the siege of Orléans and her insistence on the Coronation of the French monarch, coronation of Charles VII o ...

to the English during the

Hundred Years' War The Hundred Years' War (; 1337–1453) was a conflict between the kingdoms of Kingdom of England, England and Kingdom of France, France and a civil war in France during the Late Middle Ages. It emerged from feudal disputes over the Duchy ...

Population

Etymology

History

Population

See also