BURGUNDY, a region of western Europe, so called from the Burgundians, a Teutonic people originally from the country between the Oder and the Vistula. In consequence of the wars against the Alamanni, in which they were defeated, they migrated to the region of the upper Rhine and in the beginning of the 5th century they passed over into Gaul, and, as allies of the Romans, after a long struggle obtained possession of the southeastern part of this country. Here they founded a kingdom, which had as its seat of government sometimes Lyons and sometimes Geneva; but having be come engaged in a war with the Franks, they were at last wholly subdued in 534. More than one kingdom of Burgundy, so called, sub sequently arose, as well as the important county of Burgundy (Upper Burgundy, Franche Comte) ; but the most important state of- this name was the duchy of Burgundy (Lower Bur gundy), consisting principally of the French province Bourgogne (Burgundy, properly so called). The long line of ancient dukes of Burgundy became extinct in 1361 with the death of Duke Philip, 'and Burgundy was immediately united by King John of France with the French crown. The dignity of Duke of Burgundy was restored in 1363 by his grant of the dukedom to his youngest and favorite son, Philip the Bold (q.v.). In 1368 he married Margaret, the widow of the last Duke Philip of the old line, only daughter and heiress of Louis III, Count of Flanders, and thereby greatly augmented his possessions, which now included Flanders, Mechlin, Antwerp and Franche-Comte.. In 1402 he was made regent of France, an appointment which gained him the hatred of the King's brother Louis, Duke of Orleans, and led to the struggle between the Orleanist and the Bur gundian factions. In 1404 Philip died and was succeeded by his son, John the Fearless, who was stabbed by the companions of the Dauphin in 1419. His son and successor, Philip the Good (q.v.), gained great accessions of territory, in cluding Hainault, Holland, Zealand, Namur and.
in 1431, Brabant and Limburg, which reverted to him from a younger branch of his family. In 1441 he also obtained the duchy of Luxem burg. On his marriage with his third wife, Isabella, daughter of King John of Portugal, he founded the order of the Golden Fleece (1429). His son, Charles the Bold (q.v.), who succeeded him in 1467, became the inveterate enemy of Louis XI of France, and one of the most powerful princes in Europe. He acquired Guelders in 1475, but perished in the fatal bat tle of Nancy in 1477, leaving behind him a daughter, Maria, the sole heiress of his states. She married Maximilian of Austria, who thus obtained the Netherlands and Upper Burgundy. The King of France received the dukedom of Burgundy, which he assumed as a male fief. Henceforth the territories that had belonged to Charles shared the fortunes either of France or of the empire. In the empire what was called the circle of Burgundy for a time em braced Franche-Comte and the Netherlands. In the Peace of Madrid, in 1526, Francis I was obliged to agree to the cession of the duchy of Burgundy to Charles V of Germany, but the cession was never carried out, and in the Peace of Cambray, in 1529, Charles renounced his claim to it. Franche-Comte was conquered by Louis XIV and retained by him at the Peace of Nimeguen in 1678. After this time the name Burgundy is best known as designating one of the provinces or governments of France. The name is now applied to one of the four depart ments of Yonne, one of the most productive regions in France. Consult Plancher, U., (His toire generale et particuliere de Bourgogne' (Dijon 1739-81); John, 0., der Burgundionen) (Halle 1874) ; Barante, B. de, (Histoire des dues de Bourgogne de la maison de Valois) (Paris 1833-36).