Duchy of Lorraine: Map & History
The Duchy of Lorraine, initially also known as the Duchy of Upper Lorraine, was a duchy of the Holy Roman Empire which existed from the 10th century until 1766, when it was annexed by the Kingdom of France.
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The Duchy of Lorraine, initially also known as the Duchy of Upper Lorraine, was a duchy of the Holy Roman Empire which existed from the 10th century until 1766, when it was annexed by the Kingdom of France. It gave its name to the present-day region of Lorraine in northeastern France. Its capital was Nancy.
Duchy of Lorraine in Depth
History
Lorraine's predecessors were duchies and realms from the Carolingian and post-Carolingian era. The initial Mosellan duchy (Latin: Ducatum Mosselicorum) existed in the first half of the 9th century. It was followed by the old Lotharingia, a distinctive Carolingian realm ruled by kings Lothair II (855–869) and Zwentibold (895-900). That realm was transformed into the Stem Duchy of Lotharingia, that existed during the first half of the 10th century. In 953, the German king Otto I awarded the governance over the Stem Duchy of Lotharingia to his brother Bruno the Great, the Archbishop of Cologne, who thus became the Duke of Lotharingia.
Culture
Lorraine Franconian, known as francique or platt (lorrain) in French, is a West Central German dialect spoken by a minority in the northern part of the region. This is distinct from the neighbouring Alsatian language, although the two are often confused. Neither has any form of official recognition.
Lorrain is a Romance dialect spoken by a minority in the southern part of the region.
The duchy produced a number of important painters, including Claude Lorrain, Georges de La Tour and Jean LeClerc.
Like most of France's regional languages (such as Breton, Franco-Provençal, Occitan, Alsatian, Catalan, Basque and Flemish), Lorrain and Lorraine Franconian were largely replaced by French with the advent of mandatory public schooling in the 19th and 20th centuries.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Duchy of Lorraine (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Duchy of Lorraine Map Over Time
Dated world maps on which Duchy of Lorraine appears, with the other states of the time.
Duchy of Lorraine Timeline
Key historical inflections from foundation to peak territorial expansion
Expansion to peak recorded area of 17,637 km² in 1494 CE.
Duchy of Lorraine: Frequently Asked Questions
When did Duchy of Lorraine exist?
Duchy of Lorraine is dated to 1431 CE – 1768 CE, in the High & Late Middle Ages era.
What was the capital of Duchy of Lorraine?
The capital of Duchy of Lorraine was Nancy.
How large was Duchy of Lorraine at its peak?
At its peak in 1494 AD Duchy of Lorraine covered about 17,637 km².
How did the map of Duchy of Lorraine change over time?
Duchy of Lorraine appears on 3 dated world maps in the atlas, from 1500 CE to 1700 CE. Each shows its borders in that year next to the other states of the time.
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