History of Provence

The historical development of Provence, a region of southeastern France, from ancient Greek and Roman settlement through successive medieval polities to its incorporation into modern France.

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Massalia: An ancient Greek colony founded at the site of modern Marseille around 600 BCE. Its foundation began the Greek presence that shaped Provence’s earliest recorded history.
Kingdom of Burgundy: A medieval kingdom that emerged in the Rhône valley and surrounding lands. After Rome’s collapse, Burgundian power became one of the new political forces in Provence.
Raimond-Bérenger IV, Count of Provence: A thirteenth-century count of Provence who expanded the county’s power and married Beatrice of Savoy. His dynasty’s rule strengthened Provence before its later Angevin period.
Occitan language: A Romance language spoken historically across southern France and neighboring regions. Its Provençal varieties preserve a linguistic inheritance distinct from standard French.
Greek colonization: The establishment of Greek settlements and networks around the Mediterranean and Black Sea. Massalia connected Provence to a wider movement of Greek settlement and trade.
Kingdom of Arles: A medieval kingdom centered on the Rhône region, formed from the union of Upper and Lower Burgundy. Its rule linked Provence to a broader Burgundian realm during the Middle Ages.
Charles of Anjou: A thirteenth-century French prince who became Count of Provence and king of Sicily. His accession placed Provence within an ambitious Angevin Mediterranean network.
Provençal literature: Literature written in Provençal, including medieval troubadour poetry and modern revival writing. Its changing fortunes reflect the region’s cultural autonomy and its pressures.
Roman conquest of Transalpine Gaul: Rome’s expansion into southern Gaul, which created the province later known as Gallia Narbonensis. Roman rule transformed Provence after its earlier Greek and local settlements.
County of Provence: A medieval and early modern polity governing much of Provence under successive counts. The county gave Provence a durable regional identity amid shifting overlords.