Bourbonnais was an historic province in the centre of France that corresponded to the modern département of Allier, along with part of the département of Cher. Cher can be: Cher (singer), a famous singer once partnered with Sonny Bono. ...

History

Its first known lord was Adhémar (or Aymar) in the 10th century AD. He acquired the castle of Bourbon (today Bourbon Archambault) which gave its name to the family, the House of Bourbon.

The first House of Bourbon ended in 1200 with the death of Archambault VIII. It left only one heiress, Mahaut de Bourbon, whose husband, Guy II of Dampierre, added Montlucon to the possessions of the lords of Bourbon, extending to the River Cher during the 11th and 12th centuries.

The second house of Bourbon started in 1218 with Archambault IX, son of Guy II and Mahaut. He was followed by his son Archambaut X, who died in Cyprus in 1249 during a crusade. Bourbonnais was then acquired by the House of Burgundy. This article is about the medieval Crusades . ...

In 1272, Béatrix de Bourgogne (1258-1310), Lady of Bourbon, married Robert de France (1256-1318), Count of Clermont, son of king Louis IX (Saint-Louis). It was the beginning of the long-lasting House of Bourbon, providing kings of France from Henry IV onwards.

The Bourbons had concluded an alliance with the royal capacity. They had put their forces at the service of the king, thus benefitting from the geographic position of Bourbonnais, located between the royal field and the duchies of Aquitaine and Auvergne. This alliance, as well as the marriage of Béatrix de Bourgogne and Robert de France, aided the rise and prosperity of the province. In 1327, it was set up as a duchy-peerage by king Charles (le Bel). Capital Bordeaux Area 41,309 km² Regional President Alain Rousset ( PS) (since 1998) Population   - 2004 estimate   - 1999 census   - Density (Ranked 6th) 3,049,000 2,908,359 74/km² (2004) Arrondissements 18 Cantons 235 Communes 2,296 Départements Dordogne Gironde Landes Lot-et-Garonne Pyrénées-Atlantiques Aquitaine... History Auvergne was also historically a province of France, deriving its name from Averni, a Gallic tribe who once occupied the area. ...

Shields and Armorial Bearings

Old armorial bearings : d'azur semé de fleurs de lys d'or et à la bande de gueules