Astenois (Latin ''pagus Stadunensis'') was a ''

pagus In ancient Rome, the Latin word (plural ) was an administrative term designating a rural subdivision of a tribal territory, which included individual farms, villages (), and strongholds () serving as refuges, as well as an early medieval geogra ...

'', the most basic division of territory in the

Roman Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *''Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a letter ...

and

Frankish Frankish may refer to: * Franks, a Germanic tribe and their culture ** Frankish language or its modern descendants, Franconian languages * Francia, a post-Roman state in France and Germany * East Francia, the successor state to Francia in Germany ...

empires. In the

Middle Ages In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire a ...

, it comprised the parishes of the deaconries of Sainte-Menehould and Possesse. Originally a part of Lotharingia, by the eleventh century its southern part belonged to the

Holy Roman Empire The Holy Roman Empire was a Polity, political entity in Western Europe, Western, Central Europe, Central, and Southern Europe that developed during the Early Middle Ages and continued until its Dissolution of the Holy Roman Empire, dissolution i ...

and its northern part to the

Kingdom of France The Kingdom of France ( fro, Reaume de France; frm, Royaulme de France; french: link=yes, Royaume de France) is the historiographical name or umbrella term given to various political entities of France in the medieval and early modern period. ...

. The original seat of its counts was at Le Vieil-Dampierre. Traditionally, Astenois, Dormois and Castrice, the three eastern ''pagi'' of the

archdiocese of Reims The Archdiocese of Reims (traditionally spelt "Rheims" in English) ( la, Archidiœcesis Remensis; French: ''Archidiocèse de Reims'') is a Latin Church ecclesiastic territory or archdiocese of the Catholic Church in France. Erected as a diocese a ...

were held to belong to the empire. In the eleventh century, as part of a general fragmentation of power in the region, new counties were formed which did not correspond to ancient ''pagi'' but were instead named after their main castles. The county of Astenois, which did correspond to an old ''pagus'', became known as the county of Dampierre after its rulers' chief fortress. The counts of Astenois were originally a cadet branch of the counts of Toul. The county was produced through the division of the patrimony of Frederick II. The elder son, Renard III, received Toul, while the younger, Peter, received Astenois. Astenois may originally have been a small fief of the

bishops of Toul The Diocese of Toul was a Roman Catholic diocese seated at Toul in present-day France. It existed from 365 until 1802. From 1048 until 1552 (''de jure'' until 1648), it was also a state of the Holy Roman Empire. History The diocese was erect ...

. It may have passed from the last count of the old line, Renard II, to the first count of the new, Frederick I, through the marriage of the latter to the former's daughter, Gertrude, at the same time as the bishop made Frederick count of Toul (1059). Frederick and Gertrude's son, Frederick II, then divided the patrimony for his sons.

List of counts and lords

*Peter *Frederick *Henry * Renard I * Renard II * Renard III *Renard IV *Anselm I *Anselm II *John I *John II

Notes

Bibliography

* * *
Vol. 1 (1889), pp. 177–191

Vol. 2 (1890), pp. 801–807

Vol. 3 (1891), pp. 691–699
* * {{refend Subdivisions of the Holy Roman Empire Medieval France