Château de Budos
Encyclopedia
The Château de Budos is a ruined castle
north of the village of Budos
, in the Gironde
département of France.
. Originally built by his uncle, he remodelled it from 1306, the old family castle taking on the architectural layout of the neighbouring castle, the Château de Villandraut
. In 1422-23, the English king Henry VI
took possession of the castle and put it in the charge of Pons, lord of Castillon. Around 1433, Henry conceded the lands and castle to his son, the Duke of Gloucester
. In 1446-47, Budos was given to the Count of Foix
, following the death of Gloucester. After the conquest of Guyenne (Aquitaine
), the Budos family, having supported the cause of the French crown, regained possession of its seigneuries in Guyenne. In 1652, Lasserre
seized Budos which he sacked and pillaged and burnt the archives. The seigneury of Budos stayed in the family of La Roque until the French Revolution
. In 1825, the castle was sold as national property. In 1851, the Gironde Commission of Historic Monuments was informed of the castle. They learned at the same time that stones originating from the castle had been sold to a builder by the state.
The ground level appears flat today thanks to embankments which have been placed there. Originally, the ground sloped and the architecture provides evidence of the different levels.
The Château de Budos has been classified since 1988 as a monument historique
by the French Ministry of Culture.
Castle
A castle is a type of fortified structure built in Europe and the Middle East during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars debate the scope of the word castle, but usually consider it to be the private fortified residence of a lord or noble...
north of the village of Budos
Budos
Budos is a commune in the Gironde department in Aquitaine in southwestern France.-Population:-References:*...
, in the Gironde
Gironde
For the Revolutionary party, see Girondists.Gironde is a common name for the Gironde estuary, where the mouths of the Garonne and Dordogne rivers merge, and for a department in the Aquitaine region situated in southwest France.-History:...
département of France.
History
The Château de Budos is largely the work of Raymond Guilhem de Budos, nephew of Pope Clement VPope Clement V
Pope Clement V, born Raymond Bertrand de Got was Pope from 1305 to his death...
. Originally built by his uncle, he remodelled it from 1306, the old family castle taking on the architectural layout of the neighbouring castle, the Château de Villandraut
Château de Villandraut
The Château de Villandraut is a ruined castle in the commune of Villandraut in the Gironde département of France.The castle was built by Bertrand de Goth when he was elected Pope under the name of Clement V....
. In 1422-23, the English king Henry VI
Henry VI of England
Henry VI was King of England from 1422 to 1461 and again from 1470 to 1471, and disputed King of France from 1422 to 1453. Until 1437, his realm was governed by regents. Contemporaneous accounts described him as peaceful and pious, not suited for the violent dynastic civil wars, known as the Wars...
took possession of the castle and put it in the charge of Pons, lord of Castillon. Around 1433, Henry conceded the lands and castle to his son, the Duke of Gloucester
Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester
Humphrey of Lancaster, 1st Duke of Gloucester, 1st Earl of Pembroke, KG , also known as Humphrey Plantagenet, was "son, brother and uncle of kings", being the fourth and youngest son of king Henry IV of England by his first wife, Mary de Bohun, brother to king Henry V of England, and uncle to the...
. In 1446-47, Budos was given to the Count of Foix
Counts of Foix
The counts of Foix ruled the independent County of Foix, in what is now southern France, during the Middle Ages. Later they extended their power to almost the entire Pyrenees mountain range, moving their court to Pau, in Béarn, until eventually the last count of Foix acceded to the French throne as...
, following the death of Gloucester. After the conquest of Guyenne (Aquitaine
Aquitaine
Aquitaine , archaic Guyenne/Guienne , is one of the 27 regions of France, in the south-western part of metropolitan France, along the Atlantic Ocean and the Pyrenees mountain range on the border with Spain. It comprises the 5 departments of Dordogne, :Lot et Garonne, :Pyrénées-Atlantiques, Landes...
), the Budos family, having supported the cause of the French crown, regained possession of its seigneuries in Guyenne. In 1652, Lasserre
Lasserre
Lasserre is the name of several communes in France:Places* Lasserre, Ariège, in the Ariège department* Lasserre, Haute-Garonne, in the Haute-Garonne department* Lasserre, Lot-et-Garonne, in the Lot-et-Garonne department...
seized Budos which he sacked and pillaged and burnt the archives. The seigneury of Budos stayed in the family of La Roque until the French 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...
. In 1825, the castle was sold as national property. In 1851, the Gironde Commission of Historic Monuments was informed of the castle. They learned at the same time that stones originating from the castle had been sold to a builder by the state.
Architecture
The castle is rectangular in plan. A vast U-shaped building range around the courtyard is protected by a high wall contained by towers at the corners. Entry is made through a high square tower. On each face, a non-projecting square tower dominates the curtain wall and the buildings. The north-east curtain wall seems to have been raised several times. The crenellations of the first roundwalk have been filled in.The ground level appears flat today thanks to embankments which have been placed there. Originally, the ground sloped and the architecture provides evidence of the different levels.
The Château de Budos has been classified since 1988 as a monument historique
Monument historique
A monument historique is a National Heritage Site of France. It also refers to a state procedure in France by which national heritage protection is extended to a building or a specific part of a building, a collection of buildings, or gardens, bridges, and other structures, because of their...
by the French Ministry of Culture.