The county of Perche was a medieval county lying between Normandy and Maine. It was held by an independent line of counts until 1226. One of these, Geoffroy V, would have been a leader of the Fourth Crusade had he not died before the assembled forces could depart. The county then became a possession of the crown, which removed part of it to create the county of

Alençon Alençon (, , ; nrf, Alençoun) is a commune in Normandy, France, capital of the Orne department. It is situated west of Paris. Alençon belongs to the intercommunality of Alençon (with 52,000 people). History The name of Alençon is firs ...

. After 1325, both counties were generally held by a member or members of a

cadet line In history and heraldry, a cadet branch consists of the male-line descendants of a monarch's or patriarch's younger sons ( cadets). In the ruling dynasties and noble families of much of Europe and Asia, the family's major assets—realm, titles ...

of the

House of Valois The Capetian house of Valois ( , also , ) was a cadet branch of the Capetian dynasty. They succeeded the House of Capet (or "Direct Capetians") to the List of French monarchs, French throne, and were the royal house of France from 1328 to 1589 ...

. Upon the death without children of the last Duke of Alençon in 1525, it returned to the crown, and was granted only sporadically thereafter.

Lords of Mortagne, lords of Nogent-le-Rotrou and viscounts of Châteaudun

The lords of Perche were originally titled lords of

Mortagne-au-Perche Mortagne-au-Perche () is a commune in the Orne department in Normandy, north-western France. Heraldry Population People *Geoffrey II, Count of Perche and Mortagne, grandfather of Queen Margaret of L'Aigle. * Marie of Armagnac, duchess of A ...

, until Routrou III adopted the style of count of Perche in 1126, thus uniting the lordship of Mortagne-au-Perche, the viscountcy of Châteaudun and the lordship of Nogent-le-Rotrou in the

countship of Perche and Montagne Count (feminine: countess) is a historical title of nobility in certain European countries, varying in relative status, generally of middling rank in the hierarchy of nobility. Pine, L. G. ''Titles: How the King Became His Majesty''. New York ...

Lords of Mortagne

House of Rorgonid

* Hervé I, 941- 955 * Hervé II, 974–980, son of the previous Here after, the title is merged with the viscount of Châteaudun and the lord of Nogent-le-Rotrou.

Lords of Nogent-le-Rotrou

House of Nogent-le-Rotrou

* Rotrou I, 960–996 * Fulcois, son of the previous and husband of

Melisende, Viscountess of Châteaudun Melisende (died before 1040), was the ruling Viscountess of Châteaudun in 1026–1030. She was the daughter of Hugues I, Viscount of Châteaudun, and Hildegarde of Perche. She inherited the fief from her brother in 1026. Very little is known a ...

, daughter of Herve I Here after, the title is merged with the viscount of Châteaudun and the lord of Mortagne-au-Perche

Viscounts of Châteaudun

House of Châteaudun The House of Anjou-Châteaudun was a medieval house that once possessed the County of Anjou, the Viscounty of Châteaudun and the significant, wealthy Kingdom of Jerusalem. Origin of the House of Châteaudun The House of Châteaudun descended ...

* ...

Lords and counts of Perche and Mortagne

House of Châteaudun

* Fulcuich, c. 1000 * Geoffroy I, d. bef. 1041 (viscount of Châteaudun, lord of Nogent-le-Rotrou and of Mortagne-au Perche) * Hugh I, d. c. 1077–1080 (viscount of Châteaudun, lord of Nogent-le-Rotrou and of Mortagne-au Perche) * Rotrou II, d. c. 1077–1080 (viscount of Châteaudun, lord of Nogent-le-Rotrou and of Mortagne-au Perche) Here after, the title is separated in count of Perche and

count of Mortagne Count (feminine: countess) is a historical title of nobility in certain European countries, varying in relative status, generally of middling rank in the hierarchy of nobility. Pine, L. G. ''Titles: How the King Became His Majesty''. New York ...

Counts of Perche

House of Châteaudun

* Geoffroy II, d. 1100, a

companion of William the Conqueror William the Conqueror had men of diverse standing and origins under his command at the Battle of Hastings in 1066. With these and other men he went on in the five succeeding years to conduct the Harrying of the North and complete the Norman conqu ...

* Rotrou III the Great, d. 1144 (also

Count of Mortagne Count (feminine: countess) is a historical title of nobility in certain European countries, varying in relative status, generally of middling rank in the hierarchy of nobility. Pine, L. G. ''Titles: How the King Became His Majesty''. New York ...

1126–1144), married to

Matilda Matilda or Mathilda may refer to: Animals * Matilda (chicken) (1990–2006), World's Oldest Living Chicken record holder * Matilda (horse) (1824–1846), British Thoroughbred racehorse * Matilda, a dog of the professional wrestling tag-team The ...

(second wife) and Hawise of Salisbury, daughter of Walter of Salisbury (third wife) * Rotrou IV, under the regency of his mother Hawise and her second husband Robert I of Dreux. Married to Matilda (d. 1184), daughter of Theobald IV. Killed at Siege of Acre, 1191. * Geoffroy III, d. 1202 (married

Matilda of Saxony (1172-1209/10) Matilda of Saxony, or ''Richenza of Saxony'',(1172-13 January 1209/10) was the Countess of Perche followed by the title of Lady of Coucy from the German Welf dynasty. She was also the niece of Richard the Lionheart. Life Matilda was the eldest ...

) *

Thomas Thomas may refer to: People * List of people with given name Thomas * Thomas (name) * Thomas (surname) * Saint Thomas (disambiguation) * Thomas Aquinas (1225–1274) Italian Dominican friar, philosopher, and Doctor of the Church * Thomas the A ...

, killed at the Battle of Lincoln, 1217 * William II, d. 1226 (

Bishop of Châlons-sur-Marne A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or office of bishop is ca ...

) Here after the county returned to the royal domain. The title of count of Perche was granted anew by the king to members of the House of Maine and the

House of Châteaudun The House of Anjou-Châteaudun was a medieval house that once possessed the County of Anjou, the Viscounty of Châteaudun and the significant, wealthy Kingdom of Jerusalem. Origin of the House of Châteaudun The House of Châteaudun descended ...

. * ...

House of Valois

* 1325–1346 :

Charles II of Alençon Charles is a masculine given name predominantly found in English and French speaking countries. It is from the French form ''Charles'' of the Proto-Germanic name (in runic alphabet) or ''*karilaz'' (in Latin alphabet), whose meaning was " ...

* 1346–1377 : Robert of Alençon * 1377–1404 :

Peter II of Alençon Peter may refer to: People * List of people named Peter, a list of people and fictional characters with the given name * Peter (given name) ** Saint Peter (died 60s), apostle of Jesus, leader of the early Christian Church * Peter (surname), a su ...

* 1404–1415 :

John I of Alençon John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Second E ...

* 1415–1474 :

John II of Alençon John is a common English name and surname: * John (given name) * John (surname) John may also refer to: New Testament Works * Gospel of John, a title often shortened to John * First Epistle of John, often shortened to 1 John * Seco ...

The county was confiscated by the crown between 1474 and 1478, but was then returned to the family. * 1478–1492 : René of Alençon * 1492–1525 : Charles IV of Alençon, son of, married Margareth of Navarre * 1525–1549 : Margareth of Navarre, widow of After the death of Margareth of Navarre the fief went to the royal domain. Here after the title of duke of Perche was personally granted by the king from time to time.

Dukes of Perche

House of Valois

* Francis, duke of Perche (1566–1584)

House of Bourbon

* Louis, duke of Perche (1771–1814)

English title

Thomas Montacute, 4th Earl of Salisbury Thomas Montagu, 4th Earl of Salisbury, KG (13 June 13883 November 1428) of Bisham in Berkshire, was an English nobleman and one of the most important English commanders during the Hundred Years' War. Origins He was the eldest son of John Mon ...

was created ''Earl of Perche'' in 1419 as part of Henry V of England's policy of creating Norman titles for his noblemen.''Encyclopædia Britannica'', 11th Ed. Vol XXIV. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1910. pg 78. *

Thomas Beaufort, Count of Perche Thomas Beaufort, styled 1st Count of Perche (c. 1405 – 3 October 1431) was a member of the Beaufort family and an English commander during the Hundred Years' War. He was the third son of John Beaufort, 1st Earl of Somerset and his wife, Margare ...

was created Count of Perche in December 1427, but the title was contested with

. * Humphrey Stafford, 6th Earl of Stafford, 1st Duke of Buckingham was created count of Perche in 1431 by

Henry VI of England Henry VI (6 December 1421 – 21 May 1471) was King of England and Lord of Ireland from 1422 to 1461 and again from 1470 to 1471, and disputed King of France from 1422 to 1453. The only child of Henry V, he succeeded to the English throne ...

as titular king of France.

References

{{reflist

Perche Perche () (French: ''le Perche'') is a former province of France, known historically for its forests and, for the past two centuries, for the Percheron draft horse breed. Until the French Revolution, Perche was bounded by four ancient territorie ...

People associated with Sandleford, Berkshire