Historical region and former province, central France.
It was originally inhabited by the Bituriges Cubi, who opposed Vercingetorix . Under Roman rule it was part of Aquitania Prima. A countship in the Carolingian period, it fell to the French crown in the 11th century. When Aquitaine was acquired by Henry II of England, Berry became a matter of dispute between England and France. As a duchy, at one time it came under Jean de France, duke de Berry, an important patron of the arts. It returned to France in 1601 and remained a province until 1798.