Poitou

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Coat of arms of Richard, Earl of Cornwall, Plantagenet claimant to the county of Poitou, now favored as the coat of arms of Poitou by people in Poitou

Poitou was a province of France whose capital city was Poitiers.

The region of Poitou was called Thifalia (or Theiphalia) in the sixth century.

There is a marshland called the Poitevin marsh (French Marais Poitevin) on the gulf of Poitou, on the west coast of France, just north of La Rochelle.

Many of the Acadians who settled in what is now Nova Scotia beginning in 1604 and later to New Brunswick, came from the region of Poitou. After the Acadians were deported by the British beginning in 1755, a number of Acadians eventually took refuge in Poitou. A large portion of these refugees also migrated to Louisiana in 1785 and following years became known as Cajuns (see Cajuns).

[edit] Poitou Donkeys

There is also a shaggy breed of donkeys, developed in the region known as Poitou. They are well known for their pleasant demeanour and sure-footedness. They are generally approximately 11"2 hands high.

[edit] See also

Count of Poitiers for a list of the Comtes de Poitou.
Poitou-Charentes for the present-day région including Poitiers.
Poitevin-Saintongeais, the French regional language spoken in Poitou-Charentes (Saintongeais is for Saintonge).