The city of Sisteron belongs to the counts of Forcalquier, not to the bishop.
The see's own lordship is Lurs, a hill village above the Durance owned by the bishops since at least the ninth century, where they keep a summer residence. Its castle was taken by the counts of Nice and recovered in two halves (from Alix of Forcalquier in 1110 and Tiburge of Orange in 1125-1145). The people of Lurs never paid the count's tax.
Who holds it
- Name
- Bermond d'Anduze
- Title
- Bishop of Sisteron
- Since
- 1174
- Confidence
- medium
Bishop 1174-1214 (fr.wikipedia list). The name points to the great Languedoc house of Anduze; his parentage is not pinned.
What it holds
- Lurs: village, castle and lordship of the bishops, free of the count's tax
How it was acquired
Owned since at least the ninth century; the castle recovered in halves in 1110 and between 1125 and 1145.
How things stand that morning
Held by the bishop.
Wealth
Olive and grain land on the Durance; the dues of the village.
Threats
- The Forcalquier succession war between William IV and Alfonso II of Provence over the county that surrounds Lurs
Advocates and rivals
The counts of Forcalquier (William IV), lords of Sisteron and of the country round Lurs.
Places of note
- Lurs: Bishops' castle and summer residence
Where the sources disagree
Evidence: Lurs's history is clearly told in fr.wikipedia; the bishop is a name from the list.
On the map: Only Lurs is drawn; the bishop had no lordship over Sisteron itself.
Primary sources for Forcalquier
Chronicles, registers, sagas and inscriptions written in or near 1200 that cover this entry. Each has its own page with editions, translations and where to read it.
- Deeds of the Counts of Barcelona, Anonymous (monks of Santa Maria de Ripoll) (first version 1162 to 1184; continued in the later 13th century; final version 1303 to 1314). The house chronicle of the counts of Barcelona.
- The Great Book of Fiefs, Various; compiled by Ramon de Caldes for Alfonso II of Aragon (compiled 1192 to 1194). The register of the count-king's feudal rights, finished a few years before 1200 and in use at Peter II's court: some 900 charters of homage, convention, oath, sale and marriage arranged by county and lineage, covering Catalonia, Roussillon, Cerdanya, Pallars, Urgell, the Carcassonne and Beziers lands of the Trencavels, Provence and Aragon.
Sources and studies
Last revised 4 November 2026. Published 4 November 2026. Suggest a correction on the OMNIA Discord.