The islet of Brégançon and its castle were a den of wreck looters in the Middle Ages while Provence, abandoned to itself, suffered from the uncertainty of the sovereign authority. They turned into a more peaceful lordship when the central power strengthened and succeeded in enforcing respect for its administration. However, with each resurgence of civil unrest, Brégançon became coveted by the leaders who fought for the country because of its favorable location for the surveillance and control of landings on the Hyères coast and the entrance to the harbor of Toulon.