Principality of Bidache

Principality of Bidache
Principauté de Bidache (French)
Bidaxuneko Printzerria (Basque)
1570–1793
of Bidache
Coat of arms
Bidache shown on a map of the modern department of Pyrénées-Atlantiques
Bidache shown on a map of the modern department of Pyrénées-Atlantiques
CapitalBidache
Common languagesFrench
Occitan and anciently Basque
Religion
Roman Catholicism
GovernmentMonarchy
Prince 
• 1570–1576
Antoine I
• 1576–1644
Antoine II
• 1644–1678
Antoine III, Marshal of France
• 1678–1720
Antoine IV, Viceroy of Navarre
• 1720-1725
Antoine V, Marshal of France
• 1725-1741
Antoine VI
• 1741-1745
Louis de Gramont, 6th Duke of Gramont
• 1745-1801
Antoine VII (in pretense after 1793)
• 1801-1836
Antoine VIII (in pretense)
• 1836-1855
Antoine IX (in pretense)
• 1855-1880
Antoine Alfred Agénor, (in pretense)
Historical eraRenaissance
• Tribute last paid to king of Navarre
1434
• Established
21 October 1570
• Promulgation of Legal Code
6 April 1575
• Territory deemed a part of the French state by the King of France
16 April 1790
• Occupied by France
1793
Preceded by
Succeeded by
Kingdom of Navarre
Republic of France
Today part ofFrance

The Principality of Bidache was from 1570 to 1793 a small feudal state in the south west of modern-day France. The sovereignty of Bidache was proclaimed by Count Antoine de Gramont in 1570. The counts of Gramont had formerly been vassals of the King of Navarre however they had last paid tribute in 1434 and considered themselves relieved of their fealty.[1] The principality maintained de jure sovereignty until 1790 when by royal edict the territory of the principality was declared to be a part of France by Louis XVI. In 1793 the principality was occupied by troops loyal to the First French Republic and the last reigning prince, Antoine VII, was ousted. The royal and noble Gramont dynasty survives to the present day.

Antoine IX (grandson of the last reigning prince, c.1823)
  1. ^ John Ritter and Raymond Jaurgain, House of Gramont 1040-1967, Friends of the Pyrenees Museum, Tarbes (two volumes, Volume 1, p.35, 59, 65, 69 and 71.