View source for Poictesme

{{Short description|Fictional kingdom by James Branch Cabell}}
{{Infobox fictional location
| name          = Poictesme
| alt_name      = 
| image         = Map of Poictesme by Peter Koch (black and white).jpg
| image_size    = 350px
| caption       = Map of Poictesme drawn by Peter Koch
| image2        = Poictesme_arms.png
| image2_size   = 100px
| caption2      = Coat of arms
| source        = ''[[Biography of the Life of Manuel]]''
| creator       = [[James Branch Cabell]]
| genre         = [[Satirical]] [[fantasy]]
| ruler         = Count Dom Manuel
| type          = Feudal fiefdom
| ethnic_groups = Poictoumois 
| locations     = Storisende (capital)
| people        = [[Biography of the Life of Manuel|Count Dom Manuel]], [[Jurgen, A Comedy of Justice|Jurgen]]
| population    = 
| first         = ''The Eagle's Shadow''
| last          = ''Something About Eve''
| blank_label   =  Motto
| blank_data    = ''[[Mundus vult decipi]]'' ("The world wants to be deceived")
| blank_label1  = 
| blank_data1   = 
| blank_label2  = 
| blank_data2   = 
| blank_label3  = 
| blank_data3   = 
}}
'''Poictesme'''  ({{IPAc-en|p|w|ɑː|ˈ|t|ɛ|m}}) is a fictional country or province which forms the setting of the fantasy works of [[James Branch Cabell]], known collectively as ''[[Biography of the Life of Manuel]]''. Poictesme is ruled by the Count Dom Manuel.

It was the author's intention to situate Poictesme roughly in [[Southern France]]. The name suggests the two real French cities of [[Poitiers]] (medieval ''Poictiers'') and [[Angoulême]] (medieval ''Angoulesme''). Poictesme is a fief of [[Ferdinand III of Castile|King Ferdinand of Castile and León]], who installs Manuel as count in the year 1234. Cabell's fictional history of the country extends as far as the 17th century.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Van Doren |first=Carl |authorlink=Carl Van Doren |title=The Two Heroes of Poictesme: A Study of 'Jurgen' and 'Figures of Earth'  |journal=[[The Century Magazine]] |issue=November 1924 |pages=129–134 }}</ref>

The first map of Poictesme was drawn by Cabell himself, but other maps were created by artists such as [[Frank C. Papé]], Peter Koch, and [[J. A. Lawrence|Judith Ann Lawrence]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Maps of Poictesme|url=https://jamesbranchcabell.library.vcu.edu/inspired-by-cabell/maps-of-poictesme/|access-date=November 21, 2021|website=James Branch Cabell: Literary Life and Legacy}}</ref>

At the height of Cabell's popularity in the 1920s, Cabell's publishers sold framed 
wall-maps of Poictesme.<ref>[[Darrell Schweitzer]], "Cabell, James Branch", in  ''St. James Guide To Fantasy Writers'', ed. [[David Pringle]], London, 
St. James Press, 1996, {{ISBN|1-55862-205-5}}, (p. 91-93).</ref>

The undergraduate literary journal of [[Virginia Commonwealth University]] is named ''pwatem'' after the fictional province.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Pwatem - Student Media Center - Virginia Commonwealth University|url=https://studentmedia.vcu.edu/student-media/pwatem/|access-date=2021-11-21|website=studentmedia.vcu.edu}}</ref>

==Other references==
In [[H. Beam Piper]]'s popular science fiction novel, ''Junkyard Planet'' (Putnams 1963 & Wildside Press, 2007 {{ISBN|978-1-4344-0085-7}}, also published as ''The Cosmic Computer'' in paperback edition), Poictesme is the name of the planet on which the main body of the story occurs. A specific reference is made to Cabell.

Poictesme is also a moon of the planet Sauron in ''[[War World (series)|War World]]: The Battle of Sauron'' by [[John F. Carr|John Carr]] and [[Don Hawthorne]] (Pequod Press, 2007, {{ISBN|0-937912-04-2}}).

Poictesme and Lotharingia are two of the three kingdoms in a short story by [[Isaac Asimov]], "Prince Delightful and the Flameless Dragon".  The story first appeared in ''Once Upon a Time: A Treasury of Modern Fairy Tales'' (Del Rey / Ballantine Books, 1991); it also appears in Asimov's anthology ''[[Magic: The Final Fantasy Collection]]'' (HarperCollins Publishers, 1996, {{ISBN|0-06-105205-1}}).

The graphic novel/webcomic ''[[Girl Genius]]'' makes a passing reference to a "Poictesme Province" within its own fantasy version of Europe, in the strip of March 31, 2014.

In [[Judith Tarr]]'s novel ''Kingdom of the Grail'', Poictesme is a region in the mystical land of Montsalvat, along with [[Lyonesse]], [[Caer Sidi]], and [[Carbonek]].

==References==

<references/>

==External links==
"[https://jamesbranchcabell.library.vcu.edu/inspired-by-cabell/maps-of-poictesme/ Maps of Poictesme]," ''[https://jamesbranchcabell.library.vcu.edu/ James Branch Cabell: Literary Life and Legacy],'' Virginia Commonwealth University Libraries
* [https://pwatem.com/ (pwatem)], Student literary magazine, Virginia Commonwealth University

[[Category:Fictional European countries]]
[[Category:Fictional regions]]
[[Category:France in fiction]]


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