Vexin

For protein named vexin, seeVXN.

Map of France showing the general location of the historical county of Vexin

Map of France in 1180. Vexin is visible between Paris and Rouen.

Map of Norman Vexin.

Vexin(French pronunciation:[vɛksɛ̃]) is a historical county of northern France. It covers a verdant plateau on the right bank (north) of theSeinerunning roughly east to west betweenPontoiseandRomilly-sur-Andelle(about 20 km from Rouen), and north to south betweenAuneuiland the Seine nearVernon.The plateau is crossed by theEpteand theAndelleriver valleys.

History

The nameVexinis derived from a name for aGaulish tribenow known as theVeliocasses.They had inhabited the area and madeRouentheir most important city.

TheNorsenoblemanRollo of Normandy(c. 846 – c. 931), the first ruler of theVikingprincipality that became Normandy, made several incursions into the western half of the county. He halted his actions when theCarolingiankingCharles the Simpleabandoned the part of the territory that Rollo occupied under theTreaty of Saint-Clair-sur-Eptein 911. The terms of the treaty established theDuchy of Normandyand fixed its boundary with the Kingdom of France along the riverEpte.This divided the county of Vexin into two parts:

• Norman Vexin (Vexin normand), bounded by the rivers Epte,AndelleandSeine,which became part of theDuchy of Normandy.
• French Vexin (Vexin français), bounded by the rivers Epte,Oiseand Seine, which remained part of theÎle-de-France province.

During the twelfth century, the county of Vexin was a heavily contested border between theAngevin kings of EnglandandCapetian France(seeCapetian-Plantagenet rivalry). It was of particular importance due to its close proximity to Paris and the location of the route to the coastal cities of Normandy. As a result, Vexin was the site of defensive castle construction, notably atChâteau Gaillard.

Geography

Today, the county's territory is shared by parts of fivedepartments of France:Val-d'OiseandYvelinesin theÎle-de-Franceregion;Oisein theHauts-de-Franceregion; andEureandSeine-Maritimein theNormandyregion. The major towns arePontoise,Vernon,Meulan-en-Yvelines,Gisors,andLes Andelys.The plateau is primarily an agricultural region with some manufacturing located in the valleys.

The FrenchImpressionistartistClaude Monetmade his home atGiverny,and the DutchPost-ImpressionistVincent van Goghpainted the wheat fields of Vexin.

A regional nature park was established in the area in 1995.

View of the Vexin region and the Seine river valley fromLa Roche-Guyon

In popular culture

Ownership of Vexin, and the court intrigue related to securing it, is a key plot point inJames Goldman'splayThe Lion in Winter(1966). It also features in the Angevin novels of Sharon Kay Penman, and in the BBC seriesThe Devil's Crown(1978), which starsBrian Cox.

References

• Latouche, Robert (1911)."Normandy".InChisholm, Hugh(ed.).Encyclopædia Britannica.Vol. 19 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press.

External links

• Norman B. Leventhal Map Center at the Boston Public Library,Carte du Vexin, Beauvoisis, et Hurepoix,historical map of the Vexin region by Christophe Nicolas Tassin (1634)