  irst
mention of Forcalquier dates from 9th century,
the town grows around a fortified castle. Further to quarel, Sisteron’s
bishop settles in Forcalquier and gives to its church the rare title
of ‘concathedral.
Forcalquier becomes the capital of an earldom,
spreading on Luberon and Haute Provence. The city develops and holds
up 10000 inhabitants.
 n
the 13th century, the earl Raymond Bérenger V maried each
one of his four daughter to four kings, creating the « legend
of the Four queens ». The second daughter, Eleonore, married
the king of england Henri III.
 he
significance of the city reduces when earldoms of Forcalquier and
Provence are reunited by mariage. It is eventually reunited to the
kingdom of France in 1481. 
Forcalquier does not avoid troubles of the Religion
Wars and bloody quarels between catholics and huguenots.
 ubprefecture
of the department of the « Basses-Alpes » after the
Revolution, Forcalquier is one of the rare center of resistance
to the coup d’Etat of the futur Napoleon III, resistance harshly
punished.
Forcalquier is still a cultural and trading centre
of the region. The city takes advantage from the economical dynamism
of the Durance valley, and develops also with tourism.
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