Duchy of Nivernais

Duchy of Nevers Duché de Nevers
Type of subdivision of (the) Former Country
← 30px 1521–1678 →
Coat of arms
Location of Nevers Duchy of Nevers within the modern borders of France
Capital		Nevers
Government		Duchy
Duke of Burgundy
•	1521–1555	Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, Duke of Burgundy
•	1665–1678	Charles III, Duke of Burgundy
Duke of Nevers
•	1521–1562	Francis I, Duke of Nevers
•	1661–1678	Philippe Jules Mancini, Duke of Nevers
Historical era		Early Modern
•	Count of Nevers raised to Duke	1521
•	Annexed by France	1678

The Duchy of Nivernais (Duché de Nivernais) is a former province of the Kingdom of France centred around the city of Nevers, of which the duchy took its name.

History

In 1539, it was directly annexed to France and became a duchy in the peerage of France. For a time, it was held by a cadet branch of the House of Gonzaga. This branch inherited the Duchy of Mantua from the senior Gonzaga line (when it became extinct in 1627) and ruled Mantua until 1708, when the branch died out in the male line. Charles IV Gonzaga sold the duchies of Nevers and Rethel in 1659 to Cardinal Mazarin. His family held the duchy of Nevers until the French Revolution.

In 1659, when the Mazarin family took control of the duchy, the region was reduced became a province of the Kingdom of France, thus becoming the Province of Nevers (Province de Nivernais). However, according to the laws of the peerage of France, the province kept the official title of 'Duchy of Nivernais', though it held the status of province of the Kingdom.

Following the Decree dividing France into departments in 1790, the province was broken up into three new departments: Nièvre (forming the main part), Yonne (northernmost parts), and Cher (south eastern most parts).

Government

See also: Counts and dukes of Nevers

The Ducal Palace in Nevers

Following the governmental reforms of 1773, the Duchy of Nevers formed part of the Military Government of Nivers (Gouvernement de Nivernais). For the Department of Finances, the duchy was divided into four election counties: Nevers and Château-Chinon part of the Generality of Moulins, Clamecy was part of the Generality of Orléans, and La Charité-sur-Loire part of the Generality of Bourges. The Judicial Department, the county was part of the powerful Parliament of Paris.

Following the Decree dividing France into departments announced on 22 December 1789, the Duchy of Nevers was disestablished. The majority of the county formed the new Nièvre (forming the main part), Yonne (northernmost parts), and Cher (south eastern most parts).

External links

Media related to at Wikimedia Commons