[gothic-l] Cagots

[Denis Glenard]

Hi Dirk,

Interesting reading, from which I take this excerpt, (itself being copied from an original french document as I understand):

"In seventeen hundred and eighteen, there was a famous cause tried at Biarritz relating to Cagot rights and privileges. There was a wealthy miller, Etienne Arnauld by name, of the race of Gotz, Quagotz, Bisigotz, Astragotz, or Gahetz, as his people are described in the legal document"

I find it very strange and interesting that in 1718 they were called Bisigotz / Astragotz (knowing that the letter V/W does not exist in Basque), when in French we have Wisigoths and Ostrogoths, in Spanish Visigodos and Ostrogodos... did they know anything more about them in the 18th century that has been lost now?

It's also quite interesting to read their physical description by spanish writer Pío Baroja in 1918:

"cara ancha y juanetuda, esqueleto fuerte, pómulos salientes, distancia bicigomática fuerte, grandes ojos azules o verdes claros, algo oblicuos. Cráneo branquicefálo, tez blanca, pálida y pelo castaño o rubio; no se parece en nada al vasco clásico. Es un tipo centro-europeo o del norte. Hay viejos de Bozate que parecen retratos de Durero, de aire germánico. También hay otros de cara más alargada y morena que recuerdan al gitano"

Which in english is (my quick translation, not intended to be 100% academical) :

"(they have) a wide cheeky face , strong skeleton, bulging cheekbones, high bizygomatic distance, large blue or light green eyes, slightly slanted. Brachycephalic cranium, white skin, pale, blond or light brown hair; they do not look like typical basques at all. They are of central or northern european type. There are old men in Bozate who look like Dürer portraits, with a germanic look. There are also others with a longer, more brown face who remind of the gypsies."

Basically, if nobody knows for sure, we can discuss this "ad nauseam" without ever getting any smarter.

I like Fernando's approach: if scientific proof through genetic studies can prove or disprove the Gothic theory, something will be lost on the legend side, but at least knowledge will prevail.

Best regards,

Denis

PS: I find it interesting that a British author regards with disdain the attitude of the French and the Spanish towards the cagots, when still in 2004 the heir to the throne of England cannot legally marry a catholic...


  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: faltin2001 
  To: gothic-l at yahoogroups.com 
  Sent: Monday, June 07, 2004 11:26 AM
  Subject: [gothic-l] Cagots



  Here is an interesting article on this very unfortunate people called 
  Cagots, Caqueux, Vaqueros and so on:

  http://www.blackmask.com/books40c/accrace.htm

  Among a lot of misconception, a few things seem to be clear: The 
  Cagots were not Arians, but are described as fervent Catholics and 
  zealous frequenters of Catholic church services. The name Cagot 
  appears first only in 1555, before this they were known by other 
  names. They lived not only in the Basque country but were dispised 
  also in Asturias, Gascony, Britanny and other places. Rather than a 
  people they seem to have constituted a social class or caste, in fact 
  the lowliest class possible. 

  Cheers
  Dirk 



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