Burgundy

Modern region and former duchy of east-central France that includes the départements of Ain, Côte-d'Or, Nièvre, Saône-et-Loire, and Yonne; area 31,582 sq km/12,194 sq mi; population (1999 est) 1,610,100. Its administrative centre is Dijon.

The region is renowned for its wines, such as Chablis and Nuits-Saint-Georges, and for its cattle (the Charolais herd-book is maintained at Nevers). The rivers Rhône, Seine, Saône, and Loire run through the region and the other main towns are Mâcon, Autun, Beaune (wine centre), Chalon-sur-Saône, and Nevers. Le Creusot is an important centre for metallurgy.

The Burgundy region flourished in Roman times, with the town of Autun as the capital of northeastern Gaul. A Germanic tribe, the Burgundians, established the first kingdom of Burgundy in the 5th century. In 534 they were conquered by the Franks, and in 751 by the Carolingians. In 843 Burgundy was divided between Charles I of France and his brother Emperor Lothair I. These divisions were united in 933 as the second kingdom of Burgundy (later known as Arles). This kingdom was part of the Holy Roman Empire from the 11th century, until it was given to France in 1378. During the 15th century Burgundy was an important industrial and commercial power, and its brilliant court at Dijon became one of Europe's most influential artistic centres.

Another division took place in the 9th century, when the duchy of Burgundy (which corresponds roughly to the modern region) was created and the Free County of Burgundy, or Franche-Comté. Franche-Comté came under the rule of the Holy Roman Empire in 1033 and eventually joined France in 1678. The duchy of Burgundy came under French possession in 1015, but was ruled from 1363 by the dukes of Burgundy who expanded the territory to the English Channel, most of Belgium and the Netherlands, as well as Flanders, Artois, and Franche-Comté. The powerful dukes of Burgundy attempted to dominate the kings of France and conflict came to a head at a battle near Nancy in 1477 when the duke of Burgundy, Charles the Bold, was defeated and killed. Part of the territory became part of the Holy Roman Empire, while the rest became a province of France until the French Revolution.