The Hospitaller Commanderies in the Langue of Provence (1634 - 1754)

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to give a general overview of the physical, administrative, and financial state of the Hospitaller commanderies in Provence, France, entering into further detail on the commandery of Beaulieu as a case study. The Hospitaller commandery reflected its geographical, economic, and political context and environment. Natural calamities as well as war were reflected in the daily life of the commandery since these affected its property, and disrupted the collection of rents and other sources of income, one-third of which had normally to be forwarded to the Common Treasury in Malta in the form of the statutory responsions. Today nothing remains of Beaulieu, after it was completely submerged by the river Real Martin on 6 July 1827, when a violent storm hit the area. After almost two hundred years since this tragedy, this place is now forgotten even by the people now residing in its once neighbouring towns and villages.