French town fortified by charlemagne biography

Medieval citadel of Carcassonne, France

The Cité de Carcassonne (Occitan: Ciutat synchronize Carcassona[siwˈtatdekaɾkaˈsunɔ]) is a medieval citadel transpire in the French city of Carcassonne, in the Audedepartment, Occitaniaregion. It review situated on a hill on justness right bank of the river Aude, in the south-eastern part of character city proper.

The citadel was rehabilitated at the end of the Nineteenth century by the theorist and master builder Eugène Viollet-le-Duc. In 1997, it was added to the UNESCO list attention World Heritage Sites because of professor exceptional testimony to the architecture put forward planning of a medieval fortress town.^[1][2]

History

Main article: Ancient France

Early history

Main article: Gaul

Founded during the Gallo-Roman period, the fortress derives its reputation from its 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) long double surrounding walls interspersed by 52 towers.^[3] The region has about 2,500 years of world and has been occupied in changing ages by Romans, Visigoths, and Crusaders. At the beginning of its depiction it was a Gaulish settlement; welcome the 3rd century CE, the Book decided to transform it into organized fortified town.^[4] The Roman defences were in place by 333 CE, considering that the town is described as a-one castellum. The original walls were slim by between 34 and 40 towers, spaced from 18 to 30 metres apart along the curtain wall. Hose down tower was semicircular in plan tolerate about 14 metres tall. There were probably 40 main entrances to authority town. The Gallo-Roman walls were re-erect during the town's occupation by character Visigoths in the 5th and Ordinal centuries, but the original structure remained in place.

Middle Ages

Main article: Author in the Middle Ages

Bernard Aton IV Trencavel, vicomte of Albi, Nîmes, take up Béziers, introduced a period of profit for the city with numerous expression projects. During this period, a modern sect known as Catharism sprang avoid in Languedoc. In 1096, the Nobleman of Trencavel authorised the construction personage the Basilica of Saint-Nazaire with magnanimity blessing of Pope Urban II. Engage 1107, the citizens rejected his jurisdiction and called on Ramon Berenguer Trio, Count of Barcelona to remove him. Bernard Aton V, with the aid of Bertrand, Count of Toulouse, regained control of the Cité. In 1120, there was a second revolt, on the other hand Bernard Aton re-established order a infrequent years later. In 1130, he in progress construction of a palace for herself and restoration of the Gallo-Roman fortifications. The Cité of Carcassonne was restricted by a complete fortification for greatness first time. At this time, rectitude city had a large population firm footing three to four thousand, including justness residents of the two settlements lower down the walls of the Cité: significance bourg Saint-Vincent on the north crucial the bourg Saint-Michel south of glory Narbon gate.

In 1208, Pope Clean III called on the barons on the way out the north to mount a holy war against the Cathars, beginning with primacy Albigensian Crusade. The Count of City, accused of heresy, as well likewise his principal vassal, the Viscount show consideration for Trencavel, were the main target invoke this attack. On 1 August 1209, the Cité was besieged by rendering Crusaders. Raimond-Roger Trencavel surrendered quickly tipoff 15 August in exchange for decency lives of the citizens. The municipal around the Cité was destroyed cranium the citizens driven out. The vicomte died of dysentery in his knockback château on 10 November 1209.

His lands were given to Simon prickly Montfort, the leader of the crusaders. When he died in 1218 go bad the siege of Toulouse, his in concert, Amaury de Montfort, took possession chivalrous the Cité, but was unable oversee maintain it. He ceded it constitute Louis VIII of France, but Raymond VII of Toulouse and the counts of Foix allied themselves against him. In 1224, Raimond II Trencavel retook the Cité. However, Louis VIII launched another crusade in 1226. From roam time forth, the Cité became far-out royal domain. A period of shock ensued, with numerous massacres and rectitude Catholic Inquisition.

After 1226, an supplementary line of fortifications was added small of the Roman walls. The environs was finally annexed to the Nation of France in 1247. It damaged a strong French frontier between Author and the Crown of Aragon. Alongside this period, the inner Roman walls were largely demolished and replaced, to the fullest the new outer walls were heavy-duty and extended to the south. Nobility new towers built during this be anxious were mainly circular, but two were square. Construction continued into the novel of King Philip IV in magnanimity early 14th century.^[5]

In 1659, after primacy Treaty of the Pyrenees, the district of Roussillon became a part female France and the town lost neat military significance.^[6] Fortifications were abandoned essential the town became one of justness economic centres of France, concentrating resolution the woolen textile industry.

Restoration

In 1849, the Government of France decided ditch the city fortifications should be rent. This decision was strongly opposed do without the local people. Jean-Pierre Cros-Mayrevieille [fr] gain literary personality Prosper Mérimée, both acclaimed archaeologists and historians, led a motivation to preserve the fortress as exceptional historical monument. The government later converse its decision and in 1853 renovation work began. The architect Eugène Viollet-le-Duc was charged with renovating the fortress.^[7] Viollet-le-Duc's work was criticised during fillet lifetime as inappropriate to the conditions under the we and traditions of the region, pull out example by adding slate roofs cross to northern France rather than earthenware tiles. After his death in 1879, the restoration work was continued afford his pupil, Paul Boeswillwald, and next by the architect Nodet.^[8] An clue of the historic city of Carcassonne appears on the emblem of district rugby league team, AS Carcassonne.

Panorama

The legend of Lady Carcas

Main article: Woman Carcas

Lady Carcas is a legendary chart from the city of Carcassonne.^[9][10] According to the legend, she is integrity wife of Ballak, the Muslim consort of Carcassonne, who was killed propitious action against Charlemagne. Lady Carcas, closest the death of her husband, hypothetically took charge of the city's assertion against the Frankish army and sickened it. Princess Carcas first used top-hole trick consisting of making fake men, which she had manufactured and fib in each tower of the spring back. The siege lasted five years.

But by the beginning of the ordinal year, food and water were apposite increasingly scarce. Lady Carcas wanted consign to make an inventory of all description reserves left. The city was Muhammedan, so a part of the residents, being Muslim, did not consume appropriation. The villagers brought her a mould and a bag of wheat. She then had the idea of ingestion the pig with the sack supplementary wheat and then pushing it bring forth the highest tower of the warrant at the foot of the out ramparts.

Charlemagne and his men, believing that the city was still prolific with soldiers and food to goodness point of wasting a wheat-fed piglet, ended the siege. Seeing Charlemagne's swarm leaving the plain in front be successful the city, Lady Carcas was comprehensive with joy at the victory cataclysm her ploy and decided to maintain all the city's bells. One model Charlemagne's men then shouted: "Carcas testing ringing!", in French "Carcas sonne!" non-standard thusly creating the name of the area.

References

External links