The House of Baux is a French noble familyfrom the south of France. It was one of the richest and most powerful families of Medieval Provence, known as the 'Race d’Aiglon'. They were independent Lords as castellan of Les Baux and Arles and wielded very considerable authority at local level. They held important fiefs and vast lands, including the principality of Orange. In Provençal, the word “Baux” means escarpment/cliff, and refers to the natural fortress on which the family built their castle, the Château des Baux and the village that surrounded it. The word is also seen in Bau-maniere, Bau-baisse, Bau-mirane, Bau-Cous-temple. In provencal to be from les Baux, des Baux, was "de Baucio". The natural defense provided by the escarpment, the raised and protected mountain valley that allowed them to have a protected food supply, and the natural ridge of the Alpilles that allowed them to control all the approaches to the citadel of Les Baux and the surrounding countryside, including the passage up and down the Rhone, and the approaches from the Mediterranean, made that the fortress impervious to the military technology of the time. seen from the side, showing the natural fortress created by the escarpment. Without gunpowder, it was impregnable. The family of des Baux exists today in Naples in the person of several noble families descended from younger sons who followed Charles of Anjou south. After the death of , the last sovereign of Baux, the chateaux and town were seized by King Rene, who gave it to his 2nd wife, Queen Jeanne of Laval. When Provence was united with the crown, almost 150 yrs of royal governors followed, including the lords, later counts and princes de Manville. Les Baux became a centre for Protestantism. Its unsuccessful revolt against the crown led Cardinal Richelieu in 1632 to order that the castle and its walls should be demolished. This was accomplished with the aid of artillery.
Lords of Berre, Meyragues, Puyricard and Marignane
, second oldest son of, lord of Berre, Meyragues and Puyricard, and Marignane
...
From this branch originated the family branches of the, Lords of Meyrargues and Puyricard, who became extinct in 1349, and lords of Marignane, acquired by House of Valois-Anjou, as well as the Dukes of Andria.
In 1417, the House of Ivrea or House of Châlon-Arlay succeeded as princes of Orange. A brother of William I started the branch of the Lords of Courbezon, which became extinct in 1393. Another brother started the line of Lords of Suze, Solerieux and Barri, which became extinct and reverted afterwards to the counts of Orange.
