AQUITANIA. – Natural region of south-western France, bounded by the Pyrenees, the Massif Central, and the Atlantic Ocean, formerly inhabited by tribes of Iberian stock. Conquered by Caesar, in the administrative division of Augustus it embraced a more extensive territory, including Celtic tribes living between the Garonne and the Loire. In the time of Diocletian, A. comprised three provinces: Novempopulana (Iberians), with Eauze as its capital; A. Prima and A. Secunda, with Bourges and Bordeaux respectively as their capitals.
The origins of Christianity in A. are obscure; even taking local traditions into account, it is not possible to go back much beyond the 4th century. The earliest Churches of which there is any record are Bordeaux, Eauze, and Gabales, whose representatives were present at the Synod of Arles in 314. During the 6th century, now favored by the State, the Gospel advanced in these regions, though it was hindered by the pagan customs of the indigenous population. Under Constantius and Julian (353–63), the Arian crisis had repercussions in A., where some bishops fell victim to their good faith, while others took a definite stand; thus Paternus of Périgueux placed himself at the service of Arianism, whereas Hilary of Poitiers and Phoebadius of Agen opposed II.
More serious was the crisis of Priscillianism (v.), which raised practical questions of life accessible to everyone, especially women. The Church of Bordeaux defended itself, but in Novempopulana Priscillianism achieved some successes, whose effects still persisted in the 5th century. The ferment died down with the barbarian invasions that began in 407. In the following years the Goths wrested two Aquitanian provinces from the imperial administration; Bourges resisted, but fell to the Visigoths in 475. The first years after the annexations were harsh for the Church, and it was only under the reign of Alaric II (484–507) that a more tolerant regime was established. Great changes were brought about by the victory of Clovis (508), which put an end to the Visigothic kingdom. Divided into three ecclesiastical provinces, with several bishoprics and a primate at Bourges, A. then constituted a distinct unit, separated from the rest of France; it was subsequently broken up by the successors of Clovis and by the Merovingian kings. In the 7th century, the aspiration to independence is evident, and is expressed by
(properly, Enc. Catt.)
AQUISGRANA - Cathedral.
Plan of the Palatine Chapel (late 8th century).
the various duchies established in A. and the struggle waged by them against the kings of Neustria; but, with the victories of Carlo Martello over the Saracens, A. passed under the rule of the Frankish kings.
The Carolingians made it a kingdom more or less subject to the empire. The framework of ecclesiastical administration reproduced that of the Roman period, with few exceptions. In the 5th century the civitas Boiatum was absorbed by Bordeaux, which later became a primatial see. Baiona was an episcopal see in the 11th century (it is probable that its origins should be traced back to the 8th and perhaps the 6th century), bringing the number of bishoprics in that period to 25. Eauze disappeared in the 9th century. Under Giovanni XXII, in 1317, several bishoprics were divided, especially in the two northern provinces, whose number rose to 33. In 1617 a new metropolis was established: Albi, with Rodez, Cahors, and Mende as suffragans. The Napoleonic Concordat of the last century respected the old sees, annulling the foundations of Giovanni XXII. The four metropolitan districts were also retained, except for Perpignano, which was annexed to Albi.