Arrondissements of the Charente-Maritime department
1790 : creation of the department, with the name Charente-Inférieure (changed in 1941 to the present Charente-Maritime), with seven districts: Marennes, Montlieu, Pons, Rochefort, La Rochelle, Saintes and Saint-Jean-d'Angély. The capital of the department Saintes alternating with La Rochelle and Saint-Jean-d'Angély but soon was changed and Saintes was kept as the only capital.