Franche-Comte (free country), an ancient province of France, now comprised in the departments of Jura, Doubs, and Haute-Saone. Its capital was Besancon. It is drained by the Saone, Doubs, and Ain, is partly covered with forests, and contains iron and coal mines, marble quarries, and salt pits. The country was originally inhabited by the Sequani, and was called Maxima Sequanorum by the Romans. In the 5th century it was occupied by the Bur-gundians, and subsequently became a part of the Frankish dominions. After the disruption of the Carlovingian empire it passed through various changes, finally falling to the German empire. It was then governed by its own counts, although the name of Franche-Comte does not occur until near the middle of the 12th century; the origin of this name is attributed to the freedom of the country from all taxes and imposts, save a certain sum granted annually to the sovereign under the title of a free gift. A little later it was also styled the palatine county of Burgundy. In 1384 it fell to the Valois house of Burgundy in consequence of the previous marriage of Margaret of Flanders with Philip the Bold. On the death of the last duke, Charles the Bold, it passed to the house of Austria by the marriage of his daughter Mary with the archduke Maximilian, through whose son Philip it became attached to the crown of Spain. Louis XIV. conquered it in 1674, during his war against Holland, and got definite possession of it by the treaty of Nime-guen in 1678.