The county of Perche was a medieval county lying between

Normandy Normandy (; french: link=no, Normandie ; nrf, Normaundie, Nouormandie ; from Old French , plural of ''Normant'', originally from the word for "northman" in several Scandinavian languages) is a geographical and cultural region in Northwestern ...

and

Maine Maine () is a U.S. state, state in the New England and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. It borders New Hampshire to the west, the Gulf of Maine to the southeast, and the Provinces and territories of Canad ...

. It was held by an independent line of counts until 1226. One of these, Geoffroy V, would have been a leader of the Fourth Crusade had he not died before the assembled forces could depart. The county then became a possession of the crown, which removed part of it to create the county of Alençon. After 1325, both counties were generally held by a member or members of a cadet line of the

House of Valois The Capetian house of Valois ( , also , ) was a cadet branch of the Capetian dynasty. They succeeded the House of Capet (or "Direct Capetians") to the French throne, and were the royal house of France from 1328 to 1589. Junior members of the ...

. Upon the death without children of the last Duke of Alençon in 1525, it returned to the crown, and was granted only sporadically thereafter.

Lords of Mortagne, lords of Nogent-le-Rotrou and viscounts of Châteaudun

The lords of Perche were originally titled lords of

Mortagne-au-Perche Mortagne-au-Perche () is a commune in the Orne department in Normandy, north-western France. Heraldry Population People *Geoffrey II, Count of Perche and Mortagne, grandfather of Queen Margaret of L'Aigle. * Marie of Armagnac, duchess of ...

, until Routrou III adopted the style of count of Perche in 1126, thus uniting the lordship of Mortagne-au-Perche, the viscountcy of Châteaudun and the lordship of Nogent-le-Rotrou in the

countship of Perche and Montagne Count (feminine: countess) is a historical title of nobility in certain European countries, varying in relative status, generally of middling rank in the hierarchy of nobility. Pine, L. G. ''Titles: How the King Became His Majesty''. New Yor ...

Lords of Mortagne

House of Rorgonid

* Hervé I, 941- 955 * Hervé II, 974–980, son of the previous Here after, the title is merged with the viscount of Châteaudun and the lord of Nogent-le-Rotrou.

Lords of Nogent-le-Rotrou

House of Nogent-le-Rotrou

* Rotrou I, 960–996 * Fulcois, son of the previous and husband of

Melisende, Viscountess of Châteaudun Melisende (died before 1040), was the ruling Viscountess of Châteaudun in 1026–1030. She was the daughter of Hugues I, Viscount of Châteaudun, and Hildegarde of Perche. She inherited the fief from her brother in 1026. Very little is known a ...

, daughter of Herve I Here after, the title is merged with the viscount of Châteaudun and the lord of Mortagne-au-Perche

Viscounts of Châteaudun

House of Châteaudun The House of Anjou-Châteaudun was a medieval house that once possessed the County of Anjou, the Viscounty of Châteaudun and the significant, wealthy Kingdom of Jerusalem. Origin of the House of Châteaudun The House of Châteaudun descended ...

* ...

Lords and counts of Perche and Mortagne

House of Châteaudun

* Fulcuich, c. 1000 *

Geoffroy I Geoffrey, Geoffroy, Geoff, etc., may refer to: People * Geoffrey (name), including a list of people with the name * Geoffroy (surname), including a list of people with the name * Geoffrey of Monmouth (c. 1095–c. 1155), clergyman and one of the m ...

, d. bef. 1041 (viscount of Châteaudun, lord of Nogent-le-Rotrou and of Mortagne-au Perche) *

Hugh I Hugh I may refer to: * Hugh I of Lusignan (c. 885–c. 930) * Hugh I, Count of Maine (died 933) * Hugh I, Viscount of Châteaudun (died 989 or after) * Hugh I of France (c. 939–996), a.k.a. Hugh Capet, first King of the Franks of the Capetian dy ...

, d. c. 1077–1080 (viscount of Châteaudun, lord of Nogent-le-Rotrou and of Mortagne-au Perche) * Rotrou II, d. c. 1077–1080 (viscount of Châteaudun, lord of Nogent-le-Rotrou and of Mortagne-au Perche) Here after, the title is separated in count of Perche and

count of Mortagne Count (feminine: countess) is a historical title of nobility in certain European countries, varying in relative status, generally of middling rank in the hierarchy of nobility. Pine, L. G. ''Titles: How the King Became His Majesty''. New Yor ...

Counts of Perche

House of Châteaudun

* Geoffroy II, d. 1100, a

companion of William the Conqueror William the Conqueror had men of diverse standing and origins under his command at the Battle of Hastings in 1066. With these and other men he went on in the five succeeding years to conduct the Harrying of the North and complete the Norman conqu ...

* Rotrou III the Great, d. 1144 (also

Count of Mortagne Count (feminine: countess) is a historical title of nobility in certain European countries, varying in relative status, generally of middling rank in the hierarchy of nobility. Pine, L. G. ''Titles: How the King Became His Majesty''. New Yor ...

1126–1144), married to Matilda (second wife) and Hawise of Salisbury, daughter of Walter of Salisbury (third wife) * Rotrou IV, under the regency of his mother Hawise and her second husband Robert I of Dreux. Married to Matilda (d. 1184), daughter of Theobald IV. Killed at Siege of Acre, 1191. * Geoffroy III, d. 1202 (married

Matilda of Saxony (1172-1209/10) Matilda of Saxony, or ''Richenza of Saxony'',(1172-13 January 1209/10) was the Countess of Perche followed by the title of Lady of Coucy from the German Welf dynasty. She was also the niece of Richard the Lionheart. Life Matilda was the eldest ...

) *

Thomas Thomas may refer to: People * List of people with given name Thomas * Thomas (name) * Thomas (surname) * Saint Thomas (disambiguation) * Thomas Aquinas (1225–1274) Italian Dominican friar, philosopher, and Doctor of the Church * Thomas the ...

, killed at the Battle of Lincoln, 1217 * William II, d. 1226 (

Bishop of Châlons-sur-Marne A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of Episcopal polity, authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or offic ...

) Here after the county returned to the royal domain. The title of count of Perche was granted anew by the king to members of the

House of Maine A house is a single-unit residential building. It may range in complexity from a rudimentary hut to a complex structure of wood, masonry, concrete or other material, outfitted with plumbing, electrical, and heating, ventilation, and air condi ...

and the

House of Châteaudun The House of Anjou-Châteaudun was a medieval house that once possessed the County of Anjou, the Viscounty of Châteaudun and the significant, wealthy Kingdom of Jerusalem. Origin of the House of Châteaudun The House of Châteaudun descended ...

. * ...

House of Valois

* 1325–1346 :

Charles II of Alençon Charles is a masculine given name predominantly found in English and French speaking countries. It is from the French form ''Charles'' of the Proto-Germanic name (in runic alphabet) or ''*karilaz'' (in Latin alphabet), whose meaning was "f ...

* 1346–1377 : Robert of Alençon * 1377–1404 : Peter II of Alençon * 1404–1415 : John I of Alençon * 1415–1474 : John II of Alençon The county was confiscated by the crown between 1474 and 1478, but was then returned to the family. * 1478–1492 : René of Alençon * 1492–1525 :

Charles IV of Alençon Charles is a masculine given name predominantly found in English language, English and French language, French speaking countries. It is from the French form ''Charles'' of the Proto-Germanic, Proto-Germanic name (in runic alphabet) or ''*k ...

, son of, married Margareth of Navarre * 1525–1549 : Margareth of Navarre, widow of After the death of Margareth of Navarre the fief went to the royal domain. Here after the title of duke of Perche was personally granted by the king from time to time.

Dukes of Perche

House of Valois

* Francis, duke of Perche (1566–1584)

House of Bourbon

* Louis, duke of Perche (1771–1814)

English title

* Thomas Montacute, 4th Earl of Salisbury was created ''Earl of Perche'' in 1419 as part of

Henry V of England Henry V (16 September 1386 – 31 August 1422), also called Henry of Monmouth, was King of England and Lord of Ireland from 1413 until his death in 1422. Despite his relatively short reign, Henry's outstanding military successes in the H ...

's policy of creating Norman titles for his noblemen.''Encyclopædia Britannica'', 11th Ed. Vol XXIV. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1910. pg 78. * Thomas Beaufort, Count of Perche was created Count of Perche in December 1427, but the title was contested with John II of Alençon. * Humphrey Stafford, 6th Earl of Stafford, 1st Duke of Buckingham was created count of Perche in 1431 by

Henry VI of England Henry VI (6 December 1421 – 21 May 1471) was King of England and Lord of Ireland from 1422 to 1461 and again from 1470 to 1471, and disputed King of France from 1422 to 1453. The only child of Henry V, he succeeded to the English throne ...

as titular king of France.

References

{{reflist

Perche Perche () (French: ''le Perche'') is a former province of France, known historically for its forests and, for the past two centuries, for the Percheron draft horse breed. Until the French Revolution, Perche was bounded by four ancient territori ...

People associated with Sandleford, Berkshire