Cagot

Member of a group of peoples living in the Basque provinces of the western Pyrenees; in Béarn, southwestern France; Gascony; and Brittany. There is no evidence that they ever used a separate language.

The origin of the Cagots is uncertain. One tradition claims they descended from the Visigoths who remained in France after their defeat by Clovis in the 5th century. Another claims they descended from the Saracens conquered by Charles Martel. It is now more generally believed that they were originally ostracized owing to leprosy. They were given equal rights as citizens during the French Revolution, and have since merged into the general population.