signy, Champagne Proper being the central district, which included the towns of Troyes, Châlons-sur-Marne, Vertus, La Fère, Pleurs, Planci, Arcis-sur-Aube, Pont-sur-Seine, Nogent, Villemaure, and Aumont. That portion of the district which extended from near Rheims in the N. to near Troyes in the S.∙, was further distinguished as Champagne Pouilleuse, on account of the poverty of its soil. Upper Champagne comprised the districts of Rethelois, Rémois, and Pertois, of which the chief towns were respectively Rethel and Mézières, Rheims and Rocroy, Vitry and Saint-Dizier; while Brie included Meaux, Château-Thierry, Coulommiers, Sézanne, Provins, and Bray-sur-Seine. Physically the province belonged for the most part to what is known as the great basin of Paris, only a small part being drained by the Meuse. The eastern portion has consequently the greatest elevation, and the whole surface has a general slope to the west. The principal heights are the mountains of the Meuse, the Forest of Argonne, and the Western Ardennes, which reach an altitude of 1000 or 1500 feet, but have a very irregular formation. The greater part of the province consists of undulating plains, broken here and there by small clusters of gently swelling hills. Its wines have made its name known over the world. The most valuable grapedistricts are the arrondissements of Rheims and Epernay in the department of Marne; and the wine trade is principally centred in Rheims, Epernay, Avise, and Châlons-sur-Marne.

Champagne, which in the time of the Romans was inhabited by the Lingones, the Sinones, the Remi, the Tricasses, and the Catalauni, began to be known by its modem name of Campania, or the Plain-Country, in the 6th century, when it formed a duchy of the kingdom of Austrasia. During the 9th century it was part of the great countship of Vermandois, and on the disintegration of that domain about 943, it took the rank of an independent countship. In 1030 the title passed to the house of Blois in the person of Odo II.

who was succeeded by Stephen IL, Theobald I., Hugh I., Theobald II., surnamed the Great, Henry I., Henry IL, Theobald III., Theobald 1 V., Theobald V., and Henry III. Of these the most important was Theobald I V., famous for his romantic passion for Blanche of Castile, his political versatility, and his poetic skill. By the death of Henry III., who was also king of Navarre, Champagne passed into the hands of his daughter Jeanne, who afterwards married Philip the Fair of France. Assigned to her son Louis (Hutin), it was united to the royal domain on his accession to the throne of France in 1314. By Philip VI. it was incorporated with the kingdom, and it has ever since been one of the most important and truly national districts of France. Its frontier position and its physical configuration have made it the scene of military operations in almost all the French invasions, and more especially in the Austrian war of the 16th century, the campaign of 1814, and the Prussian war of 1870. During the wars of religion it was governed by the Guises, and sided with the Catholic party; and on the accession of Henry IV. it was one of the last provinces to recognize his legitimacy. Up to the Revolution it formed one of the twelve governments of France, and was within the jurisdiction of the parliament of Paris. Its various bailliages were governed by separate “Coutumes,” those of Troyes, Meaux, and Chaumont, being remarkable for the transmission of nobility by the female side.

See Baugier, Mémoires historiques de la province de Champagne, 1721; Pithou, Mém. des comtes héréditaires de Champagne et de Brie, 1572; Debercy, Recherchas sur Champagne; Béraud, Hist, des comtes de Champagne et de Brie, 1839; Arbois de Jubainville, Hist, des ducs et des comtes de Champagne, 1859-63.

CHAMPAGNE, Philippe de (1602-1674), a celebrated painter, was born at Brussels of a poor family. He was a pupil of Fouquier; and, going to Paris in 1621, was employed by Du Chesne to paint along with Nicholas Poussin in the palace of the Luxembourg. His best works are to be found at Vincennes, and in the church of the Carmelites at Paris, where is his celebrated Crucifix, a signal perspective success, on one of the vaultings. After the death of Du Chesne, Philippe became first painter to the queen of France, and ultimately rector of the Academy of Paris. As his age advanced and his health failed, he retired to Port Royal, where he had a daughter cloistered as a nun, of whom he painted a celebrated picture, highly remarkable for its solid unaffected truth. This, indeed, is the general character of his work,—grave reality, without special elevation or depth of character, or charm of warm or stately colour. He painted an immense number of paintings, dispersed over various parts of France, and now over the galleries of Europe. Philippe was a good man, indefatigable, earnest, and scrupulously religious. He died on the 12th August 1674.