Arnac-Pompadour
Encyclopedia
Arnac-Pompadour is a commune
in the Corrèze
department in central France
.
The city is famous for its chateau and its stud farm, the Pompadour National Anglo-Arab Stud, headquarters of the French National Stud and France
's principal production centre of Anglo-Arabian
horses.
Pompadour belonged to one of the oldest lordships in Limousin
: the Lastours, Vicomte de Pompadour. A first castle was built in 1026 by Guy de Lastours to defend his possessions, coveted by the Vicomte de Ségur. He also rebuilt Arnac church and established a monastery there, given to Saint Martial
's Abbey in Limoges
.
As centuries went by, the suzerainty of the Pompadours spread to all the adjoining parishes. Geoffroi Hélie de Pompadour rebuilt a sumptuous castle in the 15th century. Having in 1513 inherited the illustrious Vicomté de Comborn, the House of Pompadour had reached the religious, military and political heights. Elevated to a marquisate, it died out at the dawn of the 18th century, with several successive deaths.
After that family died out, the inheritance (including the estate, the title and coat-of-arms), disputed in a long trial between the Prince de Conti
and the Marquis de La Vallière, was finally transferred to the Crown. In 1745, Louis XV gave it to his favourite, Mme d'Etiolles, who became the Marquise de Pompadour.
Returned to the Crown after the death of Madame de Pompadour, the Château and the 333 ha estate (spread across several communes) became a Royal Stud. Re-established by Napoleon after the Revolution
, it is currently a famous National Stud, specialising particularly in developing the Anglo-Arab breed.
Communes of France
The commune is the lowest level of administrative division in the French Republic. French communes are roughly equivalent to incorporated municipalities or villages in the United States or Gemeinden in Germany...
in the Corrèze
Corrèze
Corrèze is a department in south central France, named after the Corrèze River.The inhabitants of the department are called Corréziens or Corréziennes according to gender.-History:...
department in central France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
The city is famous for its chateau and its stud farm, the Pompadour National Anglo-Arab Stud, headquarters of the French National Stud and France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
's principal production centre of Anglo-Arabian
Anglo-Arabian
The Anglo-Arabian or Anglo-Arab is a crossbred horse that now also has its own status as a horse breed. It is a Thoroughbred crossed with an Arabian. The cross can be made between a Thoroughbred stallion and an Arabian mare, or vice-versa...
horses.
History
Arnac was inhabited in Gallo-Roman times by a landowner named Artonacus or Artonos.Pompadour belonged to one of the oldest lordships in Limousin
Limousin (province)
Limousin is one of the traditional provinces of France around the city of Limoges. Limousin lies in the foothills of the western edge of the Massif Central, with cold weather in the winter...
: the Lastours, Vicomte de Pompadour. A first castle was built in 1026 by Guy de Lastours to defend his possessions, coveted by the Vicomte de Ségur. He also rebuilt Arnac church and established a monastery there, given to Saint Martial
Saint Martial
Saint Martial was the first bishop of Limoges in today's France, according to a lost vita of Saturnin, first bishop of Toulouse, which Gregory of Tours quotes in his History of the Franks.-Life:...
's Abbey in Limoges
Limoges
Limoges |Limousin]] dialect of Occitan) is a city and commune, the capital of the Haute-Vienne department and the administrative capital of the Limousin région in west-central France....
.
As centuries went by, the suzerainty of the Pompadours spread to all the adjoining parishes. Geoffroi Hélie de Pompadour rebuilt a sumptuous castle in the 15th century. Having in 1513 inherited the illustrious Vicomté de Comborn, the House of Pompadour had reached the religious, military and political heights. Elevated to a marquisate, it died out at the dawn of the 18th century, with several successive deaths.
After that family died out, the inheritance (including the estate, the title and coat-of-arms), disputed in a long trial between the Prince de Conti
Louis François I de Bourbon, prince de Conti
Louis François de Bourbon, Prince of Conti was a French nobleman, who was the Prince of Conti from 1727 to his death, following his father Louis Armand II. His mother was Louise Élisabeth de Bourbon, a natural granddaughter of Louis XIV...
and the Marquis de La Vallière, was finally transferred to the Crown. In 1745, Louis XV gave it to his favourite, Mme d'Etiolles, who became the Marquise de Pompadour.
Returned to the Crown after the death of Madame de Pompadour, the Château and the 333 ha estate (spread across several communes) became a Royal Stud. Re-established by Napoleon after the Revolution
French Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
, it is currently a famous National Stud, specialising particularly in developing the Anglo-Arab breed.
Population
Personalities
Pompadour was the birthplace of:- Jules CombyJules CombyJules Comby was a French pediatrician. With Antoine Marfan and Jacques-Joseph Grancher , he published the influential Traité des maladies de l’enfance...
(1853–1947), a famous pediatrician - Pierre VillepreuxPierre VillepreuxPierre Villepreux is a former French rugby union player and coach. He played at full back and fly half. He won 34 caps for France between 1967 and 1972....
(1943-), a former rugby unionRugby unionRugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
player and national teamFrance national rugby union teamThe France national rugby union team represents France in rugby union. They compete annually against England, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales in the Six Nations Championship. They have won the championship outright sixteen times, shared it a further eight times, and have completed nine grand slams...
coach