County of Carcassonne

The County of Carcassonne was medieval fiefdom controlling the city of Carcassonne, France and its environs. It was often united with the County of Razès.

The origins of Carcassonne as a county probably go back to the Visigothic period in Septimania, but the first count known by name is Bello of the time of Charlemagne. Bello founded a dynasty, the Bellonids, which would rule many honores in Septimania and Catalonia for the centuries.

Bello was a loyal Carolingian follower and his successor in the county were Carolingian appointees down to about the time of Oliba II, at which point the counties in the outlying regions were beginning to become hereditary possessions in the hands of locally well-endowed families. After Oliba, who ruled both Carcassonne and Razès, his patrimony was ruled jointly by his sons and grandsons. On the death of Acfred II in 933, Carcassonne passed to a woman and, by marriage, to the Counts of Comminges.

The Counts of Comminges continued the practice, extensive in the Midi, of associating brothers, sons, grandsons, and nephews in the government. In 1068, however, Carcassonne was divided between the three daughters of Peter II. In 1069, they sold their comital rights to Raymond Berengar I of Barcelona. The county of Carcassonne was subsumed within Barcelona thereafter, though a viscounty was created in 1082 by Raymond Berengar II.

Counts of Carcassonne

• 790 – 810 Bello
• 810 – 821 Guisclafred
• 821 – 837 Oliba I
• 837 – 844 Bernard, also count of Barcelona
• 844 – 845 Argila
• 845 – 850 Bera II, also count of Razès
• 850 Miro Eutil
• 850 – 852 Fredelo, also count of Toulouse
• 852 – 863 Raymond I, also count of Toulouse
• 863 – 864 Humphrey, also count of Barcelona
• 865 – 872 Oliba II
• 872 Bernard, also count of Toulouse
• 872 – 877 Oliba II, second time
• 877 – 906 Acfred I
• 906 – 908 Bencion I
• 908 – 934 Acfred II
• 934 Arsenda
• 934 – 957 Arnold, also count of Comminges
• 957 – 1012 Roger I the Old
  • until 1010 Raymond II
  • until 1010 Peter I
• 1012 – 1034 William I
  • 1012 – 1034 Peter II
• 1034 – 1068 Raymond II
  • 1034 – 1059 Peter II, second time
  • from 1034 Peter III
  • from 1034 Bernard II
• 1068 – 1069 Garsenda, Ermengarde, and Adelaide, daughters of Peter II

Sold to County of Barcelona.

Viscounts of Carcassonne and Razès

The first viscountess was Ermengarde.

• 1082 – 1101 Ermengarde
• 1101 – 1129 Bernard Ato IV Trencavel
• 1129 – 1150 Roger I Trencavel
• 1150 – 1167 Raymond I Trencavel
• 1167 – 1194 Roger II Trencavel
• 1194 – 1209 Raymond Roger Trencavel
• 1209 – 1218 Simon IV de Montfort
• 1218 – 1224 Amaury VI de Montfort
• 1224 – 1226 Raymond II Trencavel

Annexed to Crown of France between 1226 and 1240 and from 1247 permanently.