Dauphin is who?

The history of the appearance of the word "Dauphin" leads us in the dark times of the Middle Ages. Notable Dauphin are found in the chronicles of France and Spain. Between the emergence of this title and its abolition lies five hundred years of turbulent European history.

First mentions

Dauphin is the owner of the Dauphine land. This meaning of this title is mentioned in connection with the aristocrats of the house d'Albon, who for several centuries owned the lands of the allobrogs.

During the Roman Empire, these territories were included in the composition of a powerful state. After the Western Roman Empire fell under the onslaught of external enemies, these lands became an independent state entity that served as a buffer between the lands of French kings and the territories belonging to the Duke of Savoy.

The Counts of d'Albon held the position of a seneschal in the neighboring Arrelatian state. On the arms of these aristocrats were depicted royal lilies and a dolphin. It was this animal that became the reason for the nickname, and then the title of nobleman, because the Dauphin - this means the dolphin translated from French. Gradually, so began to call the land, which owned the Dauphin. The historical area of the Dauphine still has this name and is part of France

The end of the dynasty

The first dynasty died down at the end of the 12th century. The coat of arms of the Dauphin was inherited by the successor of the family Beatrice d'Albon, who became the wife of the Duke of Burgundy and transferred the rights to the Dauphin to her son. The last official bearer of the title of Dauphin, as the owner of the Dauphine land, was Humbert II (Humbert).

By the beginning of the fourteenth century, the house of d'Albon had long since lost its fame. The ruined last representative of the dynasty, who lost his only son, decided to sell the land to the Dauphine. Selling offers were sent to the Pope and the Holy Roman Emperor. Neither party was interested in this proposal.

Transfer of title

Then the offer to sell the Dauphine was sent to the King of France, Philip VI.
After lengthy negotiations, the land acquired a French crown for his heir - the son of King John the Good. He was the eldest son of John - Charles. As the owner of the Dauphiné land, he also had the right to wear the title of Dauphin. This title of the title of heir to the throne for a long time consolidated in the royal house of France as the name of the owners of certain lands, inherited by the children of the king.

In his 11 years, Charles V was awarded the title of Dauphin. This circumstance completely changed his life and was the first step towards the preparation of the reign of France. He is sworn in by the prelates of the Dauphiné, and the new subordinates provide homage - a contract of subordination and protection between the suzerain and the vassal.

Possessions in France

Control of Dauphine was very important for the French kingdom, because through these lands the oldest trade routes linking France with the Mediterranean countries. Dauphine still retained the remnants of former rights and privileges as an independent state, but gradually the center of land management shifted to Paris. Dauphin, because of his minority, often could not be a full-fledged ruler of his land, and completely royal power was established in the Dauphine only after 1461. During the reign of Louis XI Dauphine, having lost the remnants of its independence, was fully incorporated into the French kingdom.

Through family ties that arose as a result of marriages between representatives of the royal dynasties of France and Spain, this title began to be worn by the Dauphin in Spain, although no direct connection was found between the pre-Alpine Dauphine and Spain.

The word "Dauphin" was used by the heirs of the French crown until the end of the 18th century. With the overthrow of the Bourbons this title went out of use. And during the brief restoration of royal power in France, the title of heir was replaced by the phrase "royal prince".