Bully-les-Mines
Encyclopedia
Bully-les-Mines is a commune
in the Pas-de-Calais département in northern France
, seat of the canton in the arrondissement of Lens
. It forms part of the Lens-Liévin urban area, which encompasses thirty-six French communes and 250,000 inhabitants..
According to many sources, the name has Gaulish origins. Ricouart proposes that "Bullire" derives from the French "bouillonner," a reference to the source of the river Surgeon
in a neighboring commune. The current use of "les mines" indicates the importance of mining to the commune and the region. The train station has maintained the older name of Bully-Grenay
, leading to occasional confusion among travellers.
Although the region has been inhabited from prehistory onward, no evidence of prehistoric settlements has yet been found at Bully. The oldest relic so far discovered in the commune is a Celtic bracelet; Bully once belonged to the "Pagus Silvinus" region of the Atrébates
. Gallo-Roman discoveries have been numerous within the commune.
During the sixth century, Bully came under the spiritual leadership of the bishop of Cambrai-Arras.
As an integral part of Artois
, Bully fell under the domination of the Counts of Flanders from 862 to 1191 before passing with the rest of the region to French control. Governed directly by the French Crown from 1191 to 1237, the town and region remained part of France until 1384, when they submitted to the rule of Burgundy
. A brief return to French control between 1477 and 1492 ended in an absorption into Spanish
territory, which lasted until the region returned definitively to France with the 1659 Treaty of the Pyrenees
.
, Béthune
, and Lens
- often situated it in the path of war. In 1213 the village was raided; in 1303 it was destroyed completely, even its trees cut down. In 1348 a third of the population fell to the Black Death
, which returned four times in the next century, alternating with famines and wars.
In 1537 Bully was sacked by the troops of Louis XII
, and similar misfortunes continued until the French took Lens in 1556-1557. By this time Bully was so destitute that the victorious French proved unable to levy a tax on its inhabitants. In 1648, the village billeted troops involved in the Battle of Lens
.
From 1709 to 1712, Bully was buffeted by the advances and retreats of armies fighting in the War of the Spanish Succession
, a situation aggravated by an epidemic that killed 24 villagers. In 1796, a fire destroyed half the village, an event commemorated by the present-day "Chemin brûlé."
François Lemaire.
Information provided by : Mérimée, base de données du Ministère de la culture
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 Pas-de-Calais département in northern 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...
, seat of the canton in the arrondissement of Lens
Arrondissement of Lens
The arrondissement of Lens is an arrondissement of northern France, located in the Pas-de-Calais département, in the Nord-Pas de Calais région...
. It forms part of the Lens-Liévin urban area, which encompasses thirty-six French communes and 250,000 inhabitants..
History
The name of Bully-les-Mines has frequently changed over the centuries : from Bulgi (in 1135), to Bugi (1152), Builli (1157), Bullia (1198), Bully (1270), Boulli (1303), Buylly (1410), Builly-lez-Aix (1486), Builly-lez-Grenay (1511), Builly-en-Gohelle (1569), Bully-en-Gohelle (1709), Bully-Grenay (1750), Bully-en-Gohelle (1782), and finally to Bully-les-Mines in 1925.According to many sources, the name has Gaulish origins. Ricouart proposes that "Bullire" derives from the French "bouillonner," a reference to the source of the river Surgeon
Surgeon
In medicine, a surgeon is a specialist in surgery. Surgery is a broad category of invasive medical treatment that involves the cutting of a body, whether human or animal, for a specific reason such as the removal of diseased tissue or to repair a tear or breakage...
in a neighboring commune. The current use of "les mines" indicates the importance of mining to the commune and the region. The train station has maintained the older name of Bully-Grenay
Grenay, Pas-de-Calais
Grenay is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France.-Geography:An ex-coalmining and light industrial town situated some northwest of Lens, at the junction of the D165 and the D58.-Population:...
, leading to occasional confusion among travellers.
Although the region has been inhabited from prehistory onward, no evidence of prehistoric settlements has yet been found at Bully. The oldest relic so far discovered in the commune is a Celtic bracelet; Bully once belonged to the "Pagus Silvinus" region of the Atrébates
Atrebates
The Atrebates were a Belgic tribe of Gaul and Britain before the Roman conquests.- Name of the tribe :Cognate with Old Irish aittrebaid meaning 'inhabitant', Atrebates comes from proto-Celtic *ad-treb-a-t-es, 'inhabitants'. The Celtic root is treb- 'building', 'home' The Atrebates (singular...
. Gallo-Roman discoveries have been numerous within the commune.
During the sixth century, Bully came under the spiritual leadership of the bishop of Cambrai-Arras.
As an integral part of Artois
Artois
Artois is a former province of northern France. Its territory has an area of around 4000 km² and a population of about one million. Its principal cities are Arras , Saint-Omer, Lens and Béthune.-Location:...
, Bully fell under the domination of the Counts of Flanders from 862 to 1191 before passing with the rest of the region to French control. Governed directly by the French Crown from 1191 to 1237, the town and region remained part of France until 1384, when they submitted to the rule of Burgundy
Duchy of Burgundy
The Duchy of Burgundy , was heir to an ancient and prestigious reputation and a large division of the lands of the Second Kingdom of Burgundy and in its own right was one of the geographically larger ducal territories in the emergence of Early Modern Europe from Medieval Europe.Even in that...
. A brief return to French control between 1477 and 1492 ended in an absorption into Spanish
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
territory, which lasted until the region returned definitively to France with the 1659 Treaty of the Pyrenees
Treaty of the Pyrenees
The Treaty of the Pyrenees was signed to end the 1635 to 1659 war between France and Spain, a war that was initially a part of the wider Thirty Years' War. It was signed on Pheasant Island, a river island on the border between the two countries...
.
Misfortunes of Bully
Bully's close proximity to three military strongholds - ArrasArras
Arras is the capital of the Pas-de-Calais department in northern France. The historic centre of the Artois region, its local speech is characterized as a Picard dialect...
, Béthune
Béthune
Béthune is a city in northern France, sub-prefecture of the Pas-de-Calais department.-Geography:Béthune is located in the former province of Artois. It is situated South-East of Calais, West of Lille, and North of Paris.-Landmarks:...
, and Lens
Lens, Pas-de-Calais
Lens is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in northern France. It is one of France's large Picarde cities along with Lille, Valenciennes, Amiens, Roubaix, Tourcoing, Arras, and Douai.-Metropolitan area:...
- often situated it in the path of war. In 1213 the village was raided; in 1303 it was destroyed completely, even its trees cut down. In 1348 a third of the population fell to the Black Death
Black Death
The Black Death was one of the most devastating pandemics in human history, peaking in Europe between 1348 and 1350. Of several competing theories, the dominant explanation for the Black Death is the plague theory, which attributes the outbreak to the bacterium Yersinia pestis. Thought to have...
, which returned four times in the next century, alternating with famines and wars.
In 1537 Bully was sacked by the troops of Louis XII
Louis XII of France
Louis proved to be a popular king. At the end of his reign the crown deficit was no greater than it had been when he succeeded Charles VIII in 1498, despite several expensive military campaigns in Italy. His fiscal reforms of 1504 and 1508 tightened and improved procedures for the collection of taxes...
, and similar misfortunes continued until the French took Lens in 1556-1557. By this time Bully was so destitute that the victorious French proved unable to levy a tax on its inhabitants. In 1648, the village billeted troops involved in the Battle of Lens
Battle of Lens
The Battle of Lens was a French victory under Louis II de Bourbon, Prince de Condé against the Spanish army under Archduke Leopold in the Thirty Years' War . It was the last major battle of the war....
.
From 1709 to 1712, Bully was buffeted by the advances and retreats of armies fighting in the War of the Spanish Succession
War of the Spanish Succession
The War of the Spanish Succession was fought among several European powers, including a divided Spain, over the possible unification of the Kingdoms of Spain and France under one Bourbon monarch. As France and Spain were among the most powerful states of Europe, such a unification would have...
, a situation aggravated by an epidemic that killed 24 villagers. In 1796, a fire destroyed half the village, an event commemorated by the present-day "Chemin brûlé."
Administration
Michel Vancaille, onetime vice-president of the Conseil Général of the Pas-de-Calais, served as mayor of Bully-les-Mines from 1989 to 2002, when he was replaced by fellow SocialistSocialist Party (France)
The Socialist Party is a social-democratic political party in France and the largest party of the French centre-left. It is one of the two major contemporary political parties in France, along with the center-right Union for a Popular Movement...
François Lemaire.
Historic Sites and Monuments
The bell tower of the Church of Saint-Maclou is inscribed in the French registry of historic sites and monuments.Information provided by : Mérimée, base de données du Ministère de la culture
People
- André StrappeAndré StrappeAndré Strappe was a French footballer who played striker, and later served as a manager....
, footballer - Jean-Marie VanlerenbergheJean-Marie VanlerenbergheJean-Marie Vanlerenberghe is a French politician.Vanlerenberghe was born in Bully-les-Mines, Pas-de-Calais. He has served as mayor of Arras since June 1995, and was elected UDF senator from the Pas-de-Calais at the elections of 2001....
, mayor of ArrasArrasArras is the capital of the Pas-de-Calais department in northern France. The historic centre of the Artois region, its local speech is characterized as a Picard dialect...
and MoDem Senator for the Pas-de-Calais
External Links (in French)
- The website of the Town of Bully-les-Mines
- The website of the Lens-Liévin Communaupole
- The website of the Bully-les-Mines Youth Centre
- The website of the Espace François Mitterrand in Bully-les-Mines
- Bully-les-Mines on the Quid website
- Location of Bully-les-Mines in France, with neighboring communes
- Map of Bully-les-Mines on Mapquest