Occitania
Historical region of southern Europe defined by the Occitan language.
Occitania is a historical region in southern Europe where the Occitan language is historically spoken and persists today as a local language. It roughly encompasses much of the southern third of France (except the French Basque Country and French Catalonia), as well as part of Spain (Aran Valley), Monaco, and parts of Italy (Occitan Valleys). Recognized as a linguistic and cultural concept since the Middle Ages, Occitania has been associated with the territory of the Seven Provinces in Roman times and with the medieval Duchy of Aquitaine, though the modern French region of Aquitaine is distinct.
- Population
- 16 million (current)
- Historical names
- Septem Provinciae, Aquitanica, Visigothic Kingdom of Toulouse, Languedoc
Lore & Background
Occitania's territory was united in Roman times as the Seven Provinces and in the Early Middle Ages as Aquitanica or the Visigothic Kingdom of Toulouse. The term likely originated as a portmanteau of òc and Aquitània, blending language and land. Dante Alighieri used the Italian form Lingua d'òc in the late 13th century.
Reader's Guide
Occitania's significance lies in its linguistic and cultural identity, which flourished in the High Middle Ages through the troubadour movement, whose works featured courtly love and ideas of religious and social tolerance. The region's boundaries vary by definition: a geolinguistic definition follows the Occitan language as surveyed at the end of the 19th century, while a historical and anthropological definition extends north to the Loire.
Did You Know?
- Occitania has been recognized as a linguistic and cultural concept since the Middle Ages.
- The seven-pointed star emblem of the Felibritge symbolized the seven provinces of Occitania, one of which was Catalan.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Occitania?
Occitania is a historical and cultural region in southern Europe defined primarily by the Occitan language. It has been recognized as a linguistic and cultural concept since the Middle Ages, though it does not correspond to any single modern political entity.
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