Viscounts of Béarn


The viscounts of Béarn were the rulers of the viscounty of Béarn, located in the Pyrenees mountains and in the plain at their feet, in southwest France. Along with the three Basque provinces of Soule, Lower Navarre, and Labourd, as well as small parts of Gascony, it forms the current département of Pyrénées-Atlantiques.
Béarn is bordered by Basque provinces Soule and Lower Navarre to the west, by Gascony to the north, by Bigorre to the east, and by Spain to the south.

List of Viscounts of Béarn

House of Gascony

Until 1251, probably all counts of Gascony descended from the House Gascony, head of the Duchy of Gascony.
RulerDatesGascon lineNotes
Centule I?-866Béarn lineCentule descended agnatically from Lupo III Centule of Gascony.
Loup Centule866-905Béarn lineSon of the predecessor.
Centule II905-940Béarn lineSon of the predecessor.
Gaston I940-984Béarn lineSon of the predecessor.
Centule III984-1004Béarn lineSon of the predecessor.
Gaston II1004-1012Béarn lineSon of the predecessor.
Centule IV the Old1012-1058Béarn lineSon of the predecessor.
Gaston IIIc.1020-1045Béarn lineRuled jointly with his father, and preceded him.
Centule V the Young1058-1090Béarn lineSon of Centule IV.
Gaston IV the Crusader1090-1131Béarn lineSon of the predecessor.
Centule VI1131-1134Béarn lineSon of the predecessor.
Guiscarda1134-1147Béarn lineSister of the predecessor, married Peter, who descended agnatically from Sancho IV Garcés of Gascony.
Peter I Roger1134-1140?Gabarret lineSister of the predecessor, married Peter, who descended agnatically from Sancho IV Garcés of Gascony.
Peter II1147-1154Gabarret lineSon of the predecessors
Gaston V1154-1170Gabarret lineSon of the predecessor
Mary1170-1171Gabarret lineSister of the predecessor, married the catalan Guilhem de Montcada. During their joint rule, other rulers appeared contesting their rule, or were merely legendary:

House of Montcada

  • 1170–1173 : 16th William I
  • 1173–1215 : 17th Gaston VI the Good
  • 1215–1223 : 18th William Raymond
  • 1223–1229 : 19th William II
  • 1229–1290 : 20th Gaston VII the Great
  • 1290–1319 : 21st Margaret

    House of Foix

    • Béarn line

    In 1512 Ferdinand II of Aragon conquered the better part of the kingdom of Navarre, leaving the kingdom with only the small section it held north of the Pyrenees.

    House of Albret

    In 1620 the viscountcy of Béarn was reunited to the French crown, whereas Lower Navarre was in 1607.