The Lords of Coucy (french: sires de Coucy or ''seigneurs de Coucy''), also spelt Couci, were a medieval lordship based on the barony of Coucy located in the current commune of

Coucy-le-Château-Auffrique Coucy-le-Château-Auffrique () is a commune in the Aisne department in Hauts-de-France in northern France. Its population in 2019 was 992. Geography Coucy is located west of Laon on the road between Tergnier (north) and Soissons (south) nor ...

Picardy Picardy (; Picard and french: Picardie, , ) is a historical territory and a former administrative region of France. Since 1 January 2016, it has been part of the new region of Hauts-de-France. It is located in the northern part of France. Hi ...

. The

château de Coucy The Château de Coucy is a French castle in the commune of Coucy-le-Château-Auffrique, in Picardy, built in the 13th century and renovated by Eugène Viollet-le-Duc in the 19th century. During its heyday, it was famous for the size of its cent ...

was founded by Hervé,

archbishop of Rheims 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 ar ...

, and remained under the fluctuating control of these archbishops for some time until probably the later part of the 10th century. The exact status of Coucy becomes obscure for nearly a century before the emergence of Lord Aubrey,

Earl of Northumbria Earl of Northumbria or Ealdorman of Northumbria was a title in the late Anglo-Saxon, Anglo-Scandinavian and early Anglo-Norman period in England. The ealdordom was a successor of the Norse Kingdom of York. In the seventh century, the Anglo-Saxo ...

. Though the Lords of Coucy were entitled to the title of baron, they preferred the rarer ''Sire''. The lords of Coucy became, especially in the 13th century, one of the most powerful sub-

comital 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: ...

magnates in western Europe and forged links with royal families, such as those of France, England, Scotland and Austria. The title was eventually absorbed at the end of the 14th century by

Louis of Valois, Duke of Orléans Louis may refer to: * Louis (coin) * Louis (given name), origin and several individuals with this name * Louis (surname) * Louis (singer), Serbian singer * HMS ''Louis'', two ships of the Royal Navy See also Derived or associated terms * Lewis ( ...

List of known lords of Coucy

* 1059: Aubrey or Albéric, lord of Coucy. Founder of the abbey of Nogent-sous-Coucy. *Léon, sire de courcy *1079?: Dreux or Dreux de Boves. * 1080 - 1116: Enguerrand I known as Enguerrand de Boves, son of predecessor.

Count of Amiens The County of Amiens (also: ''Amiénois'') was a feudal state centred on the city of Amiens, northern France, that existed from the 9th century until 1077 when the last count became a monk and the county reverted to the French crown. In 1185 the cou ...

. * 1116 - 1130:

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 ...

, or Thomas de Marle; son of predecessor. * 1130 - 1149: Enguerrand II known as de Fère or de Marle, lord of Coucy, Marle, Fère, Crécy, Vervins, Pinon, Landousies, Fountains and some other places; son of predecessor, died during the Second Crusade. * 1149 - 1191: Raoul I, son of predecessor. Killed during the Third Crusade. * 1191 - 1242: Enguerrand III known as ''the Great'',

Count of Roucy This article is a list of the counts of Roucy. In medieval France, Roucy was a county held by a succession of noble families. By the Late Middle Ages, it was one of seven titles that was made a peer within the provincial peerage of the greater Co ...

; son of predecessor. Known also as the "builder", because of his castle construction. * 1242 - 1250: Raoul II; son of predecessor; died in the Battle of el-Mansourah. * 1250 - March 20

311 311 may refer to: * 311 (number), a natural number * AD 311, a year of the Julian calendar, in the fourth century AD * 311 BC, a year of the pre-Julian Roman calendar * 311 (band), an American band ** ''311'' (album), band 311's self-titled album ...

Enguerrand IV; younger brother of predecessor. * 1311 - ap. 1321: Enguerrand V, lord of Coucy, Marle and

La Fère La Fère () is a commune in the Aisne department in Hauts-de-France in France. Population See also * Communes of the Aisne department The following is a list of the 799 communes in the French department of Aisne. The communes coope ...

, Oisy and Havraincourt en Cambrésis, Mont-Mirel,

Condé-en-Brie Condé-en-Brie (, literally ''Condé in Brie'') is a commune in the Aisne department in Hauts-de-France in northern France. The chateau of the family of the Marquis de Sade was located at the Condé-en-Brie. Population See also * Châte ...

, and Châlons-le-Petit; nephew of his predecessor. *1321 - 1335:

Guillaume Guillaume may refer to: People * Guillaume (given name), the French equivalent of William * Guillaume (surname) Other uses * Guillaume (crater) See also * '' Chanson de Guillaume'', an 11th or 12th century poem * Guillaume affair, a Cold War espi ...

, lord of Coucy, Marle, La Fère, Oisy and Mont-Mirel; son of his predecessor. * 1335 - 1347: Enguerrand VI, lord of Coucy; son of his predecessor. * 1347 - February 18, 1397: Enguerrand VII , lord of Coucy,

earl of Bedford Earl of Bedford is a title that has been created three times in the Peerage of England and is currently a subsidiary title of the Dukes of Bedford. The first creation came in 1138 in favour of Hugh de Beaumont. He appears to have been degraded fr ...

, made count of

Soissons Soissons () is a commune in the northern French department of Aisne, in the region of Hauts-de-France. Located on the river Aisne, about northeast of Paris, it is one of the most ancient towns of France, and is probably the ancient capital ...

by the king of England; son of his predecessor. * 1397 - November 15, 1400:

Mary Mary may refer to: People * Mary (name), a feminine given name (includes a list of people with the name) Religious contexts * New Testament people named Mary, overview article linking to many of those below * Mary, mother of Jesus, also calle ...

, daughter of her predecessor. * November 15, 1400:

purchased the lordship of Coucy.

References

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