Basque highland clans from the Pyrenees driven northward by the Visigoths in 578 settle in Novempopulana (that is, "land of the nine tribes"), which has been under loose Frankish control since 507.

Novempopulana will become known as Vasconia (that is, "land of the Vascones", the Latin word "Vasco" later evolving into the word "Basque").

The word Vasconia will evolve into Wasconia, and then into Gasconia, or Gascony.

...the burgeoning town of Pau. This pivotal relocation, spearheaded by Gaston IV of Foix-Béarn, marked a decisive moment in Béarn's assertion of its autonomy during a period when powerful neighbors—particularly the English, Spanish, and French crowns—were increasingly encroaching upon its independence.

Political and Military Context

Moving the capital to Pau allowed Béarn to assert greater administrative and military control at a crucial geographic crossroads, fortifying the principality’s defensive position against rival regional powers. The new capital, strategically positioned near the mountains, facilitated more effective governance and stronger defense networks, crucial for Béarn's continued autonomy amidst the shifting alliances and territorial ambitions of England, France, and Castile-Aragon.

Cultural and Economic Impact

The establishment of Pau as the new administrative center encouraged cultural and economic growth. It quickly evolved into a regional hub for commerce and diplomacy, drawing merchants, artisans, and scholars from throughout Atlantic Southwest Europe. This shift fostered cultural development and economic prosperity, enhancing Béarn’s reputation as a stable, influential entity amid the fractious political landscape of late medieval Europe.

Artistic and Cultural Significance

The relocation to Pau prompted significant cultural developments, transforming the city into a dynamic cultural and intellectual center. Enhanced patronage led to architectural expansions, including the construction of significant structures such as the fortified Château de Pau, later famous as the birthplace of future French King Henry IV. This period laid foundations for Pau's later prominence in art, architecture, and cultural identity within the region.

Long-Term Consequences

The principality's choice to relocate its capital to Pau solidified Béarn's autonomy and resilience during a turbulent period, shaping its distinctive regional identity. Béarn would continue to navigate complex relationships with neighboring powers, including France, Spain, and England, maintaining its cultural and political distinctiveness into subsequent centuries. This historical shift in 1459 remains emblematic of Béarn’s enduring determination to retain its independence amid broader geopolitical transformations in Atlantic West Europe.

Pey de Garros, a Provençal poet and a Protestant, had studied law, theology, and Hebrew at the University of Toulouse and eventually had become avocat-général of Pau.

He had published a rhymed Gascon translation of the Psalms of David (1565).

His Églogues go beyond the imitation of classical models, attempting to capture the true flavor of Gascon peasant life.

In the preface to his Poesias gasconas (1567; “Gascon Poetry”) he chides his fellow countrymen for preferring French to Gascon and pleads for a restoration of the native dialect, which he single-handedly has raised to the rank of a literary language.

Henri, the Calvinist-raised son of Antoine de Bourbon and Jeanne d'Albret, heiress to the throne of Navarre, had succeeded his father as titular leader of the Huguenot faction in France.

When the nineteen-year-old Henri becomes king of Navarre on the death of his mother in June 1572, he also becomes the Huguenot’s effective leader.

Edgar Degas's Cotton Exchange Office in New Orleans (1873), purchased by the Musée des Beaux-Arts in Pau in August 1878, is the first of his paintings to enter a public collection.