Of roman origins, Cognac was in its early days a small settlement wich for the most paut escaped the Barbarian invasions. It's economy was based an salt production and aquiculture including wine production.

Int the middle ages fortifications were erected and the settlement because a town. But the cent years war disturbed the peace of the area. Cognac fell to the english and was gouverned by edwara. The black prince for twenty years. However the epoch ended peacefully under the influence of Jean d'orléans. During the Renaissance the valois family took up residence in the château of Cognac. The most famous of them was without doubt François 1^er, The chevalier king the made his native town a wealtly place, tax free and a cultural haven which attracted the nobility and explorers, poets, scultors and Notables of country. The economy expand it, encouraged by the work on the "Charente" river, facilitate the transportr of salt and wine.

During the reign oh Henti IV, despite the abolition of its privileges, the export trade expanded because of the arrival of foreign wine merchants. The excess production of wine lead to the creation of a "vin brulé" (burnt wine), whiche was distilledtwice and became later an "eau-de-vie". The commercial development of the town suffered during the wars of religion, and didn't start to expand again until the 17^ème century concentrated solely on the production and marketing of this "eau-de-vie" which later because known as Cognac and has remaned a success full product.