ANGOULEME, south-west France, capital of the depart ment of Charente, 83m. N.N.E. of Bordeaux on the railway from Poitiers. Pop. The old town is on a small steep sided peninsula washed on the north by the Charente, and on the south and west by a small tributary, the Anguienne. The more important suburbs lie towards the east where the promontory joins the surrounding plateau. The main railway line passes through a tunnel beneath the town.
Angouleme (Iculisma) was taken by Clovis from the Visi goths in 507, and plundered by the Normans in the 9th century.
In 136o it was surrendered by the peace of Bretigny to the English; they were, however, expelled in 1373 by Charles V., who granted the town numerous privileges. It suffered during the Wars of Religion, especially in 1568 after its capture by Prot estants under Coligny.
The countship of Angouleme dated from the gth century, the most important of the early counts being William Taillefer, whose descendants held the title till the end of the i2th century. After a short period of possession by King John of England it passed by marriage, in 12 20, to the Lusignan family, counts of Marche. In 1394 the countship came to the house of Orleans, a member of which, Francis I., became king of France in 1515 and raised it to the rank of duchy. The duchy afterwards changed hands several times, one of its holders being Charles of Valois, natural son of Charles IX. The last duke was Louis-Antoine, eldest son of Charles X., who died in Angouleme is encircled by boulevards, which, as in so many French towns, are altered ramparts. The cathedral of St. Pierre, a church in the Byzantine Romanesque style (cf. Perigueux), dates from the 11th and 12th centuries, but has been often restored. The façade, flanked by two towers with cupolas, is highly dec orated. The crossing is surmounted by a dome, and the extremity of the north transept by a fine square tower over i6oft. high. The domed style in this district is a characteristic feature. The hotel de vale, by Abadie, is modern but preserves two towers of the château of the counts. Angouleme is the seat of a bishop, a prefect, and court of assizes. Its public institutions include tri bunals of first instance and of commerce, a council of trade arbitrators and chamber of commerce. It also has a library and several learned societies. It is the centre of an old-established paper-making industry. Most of the mills are situated on water courses near the town. Subsidiary industries, such as those of small machinery and wire fabrics, are numerous. Commerce is carried on in wine and brandy.