The history of Percherons goes back to the 8th century and the victory of Charles Martel over the Saracen chief Abderame, at the battle of Poitiers in 732. The Arab cavalry, then fallen into the hands of the French, was dispersed throughout the country and crossed with local mares. Several oriental stallions were also brought back to the Perche by the Count of Perche, Rotrou III, on his return from the First Crusade (1098-1099). The Grand Perche, bounded in the Merovingian and Carolingian periods by Normandy to the north, the Sarthe river and the province of Maine to the east, the Vendôme region to the south, and the Dunois and the Pays Chartrain to the west was then covered by the great forest of Perche which constituted a Royal domain. The Percherons adapted to this harsher habitat and climate to grow taller and more powerful.