Château de Clisson
Encyclopedia
The Château de Clisson is a castle
in the commune
of Clisson
in the Loire-Atlantique
département of France
. It stands on the right bank of the Sèvre Nantaise
.
, the castle, situated at a crossroads for Anjou
and Poitou
, was one of the great fortified places on the frontiers of the Duchy of Brittany
The first Lords of Clisson occupied the site from the 11th century. They are mentioned for the first time in 1040. Clisson was then the seat of a powerful châtellenie covering 23 parishes.
Most of the present castle was built in the 13th century. Constructed by Guillaume de Clisson, on a rocky outcrop dominating the Sèvre Nantaise, its form at that time was an irregular polygon flanked by round towers and isolated from the rocky plateau by a shallow moat
.
In the 14th century, Olivier III de Clisson incorporated the gatehouse into a massive quadrilangular keep
. The two semicircular towers of the gatehouse collapsed in the 17th century. The castle became the setting for the turbulent lives of Olivier IV de Clisson and Olivier V de Clisson
, named Constable of France
in succession to Du Guesclin in 1380.
In the 15th century, the fortifications were modernised to permit the use of artillery. In the second half of the century, the former entrance was modified and the curtain wall
was extended and completed by a barbican
. At the same time, the castle was enlarged to the west with a new rectangular enclosure nearly 100 m long, armed with towers with artillery casemates.
After 1420, the castle became the property of the Duke of Brittany
. It was one of the favourite residences of Duke Francis II who was remarried there, to Marguerite de Foix in 1474. He built a second rectangular enceinte
flanked by artillery towers.
Around 1590, the troubled period of the French Wars of Religion
necessitated the construction of three terraced bastions on the south. Thus, three lines of defence in depth protected the site.
Until the 17th century, the castle was the residence of the Avaugour family, descendants of François Ier d'Avaugour, illegitimate son of François II. He modified and transformed the castle to suit the tastes and fashions of the day.
During the War in the Vendée, the town and its castle were burned by the Infernal columns
of Jean-Baptiste Kléber
.
In 1807, the estate was bought by the sculptor François-Frédéric Lemot
with the goal of conservation. During the 19th century, the ruined castles attracted Romantic painters and sculptors.
The remains of the castle were classified as a monument historique
by a French Ministry of Culture decree of 13 August 1924.
In 1962, the castle was sold by the Lamot family to the Conseil général of the Loire-Atlantique
, who carried out important restoration works with the assistance of the French Ministry of Culture.
's painting, Le château de Clisson (1905), displayed in the Musée des Beaux-Arts de Nantes
.
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...
in the commune
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...
of Clisson
Clisson
Clisson , is a commune in the Loire-Atlantique département in western France.It is situated at the confluence of the Sèvre Nantaise and the Moine southeast of Nantes ....
in the Loire-Atlantique
Loire-Atlantique
Loire-Atlantique is a department on the west coast of France named after the Loire River and the Atlantic Ocean.-History:...
département of 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...
. It stands on the right bank of the Sèvre Nantaise
Sèvre Nantaise
The Sèvre Nantaise is a river in western France, left tributary to the river Loire. Its source is in the Deux-Sèvres département, near Secondigny.It flows through the following départements and towns:*Deux-Sèvres: Moncoutant, La Forêt-sur-Sèvre...
.
History
Within then independent BrittanyBrittany
Brittany is a cultural and administrative region in the north-west of France. Previously a kingdom and then a duchy, Brittany was united to the Kingdom of France in 1532 as a province. Brittany has also been referred to as Less, Lesser or Little Britain...
, the castle, situated at a crossroads for Anjou
Anjou
Anjou is a former county , duchy and province centred on the city of Angers in the lower Loire Valley of western France. It corresponds largely to the present-day département of Maine-et-Loire...
and Poitou
Poitou
Poitou was a province of west-central France whose capital city was Poitiers.The region of Poitou was called Thifalia in the sixth century....
, was one of the great fortified places on the frontiers of the Duchy of Brittany
The first Lords of Clisson occupied the site from the 11th century. They are mentioned for the first time in 1040. Clisson was then the seat of a powerful châtellenie covering 23 parishes.
Most of the present castle was built in the 13th century. Constructed by Guillaume de Clisson, on a rocky outcrop dominating the Sèvre Nantaise, its form at that time was an irregular polygon flanked by round towers and isolated from the rocky plateau by a shallow moat
Moat
A moat is a deep, broad ditch, either dry or filled with water, that surrounds a castle, other building or town, historically to provide it with a preliminary line of defence. In some places moats evolved into more extensive water defences, including natural or artificial lakes, dams and sluices...
.
In the 14th century, Olivier III de Clisson incorporated the gatehouse into a massive quadrilangular keep
Keep
A keep is a type of fortified tower built within castles during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars have debated the scope of the word keep, but usually consider it to refer to large towers in castles that were fortified residences, used as a refuge of last resort should the rest of the...
. The two semicircular towers of the gatehouse collapsed in the 17th century. The castle became the setting for the turbulent lives of Olivier IV de Clisson and Olivier V de Clisson
Olivier de Clisson
Olivier de Clisson , nicknamed "The Butcher", was a Breton soldier, the son of the Olivier de Clisson who was put to death in 1343 on the suspicion of having wished to give up Nantes to the English.- Biography :...
, named Constable of France
Constable of France
The Constable of France , as the First Officer of the Crown, was one of the original five Great Officers of the Crown of France and Commander in Chief of the army. He, theoretically, as Lieutenant-general of the King, outranked all the nobles and was second-in-command only to the King...
in succession to Du Guesclin in 1380.
In the 15th century, the fortifications were modernised to permit the use of artillery. In the second half of the century, the former entrance was modified and the curtain wall
Curtain wall
A curtain wall is an outer covering of a building in which the outer walls are non-structural, but merely keep out the weather. As the curtain wall is non-structural it can be made of a lightweight material reducing construction costs. When glass is used as the curtain wall, a great advantage is...
was extended and completed by a barbican
Barbican
A barbican, from medieval Latin barbecana, signifying the "outer fortification of a city or castle," with cognates in the Romance languages A barbican, from medieval Latin barbecana, signifying the "outer fortification of a city or castle," with cognates in the Romance languages A barbican, from...
. At the same time, the castle was enlarged to the west with a new rectangular enclosure nearly 100 m long, armed with towers with artillery casemates.
After 1420, the castle became the property of the Duke of Brittany
Duke of Brittany
The Duchy of Brittany was a medieval tribal and feudal state covering the northwestern peninsula of Europe,bordered by the Alantic Ocean on the west and the English Channel to the north with less definitive borders of the Loire River to the south and Normandy to the east...
. It was one of the favourite residences of Duke Francis II who was remarried there, to Marguerite de Foix in 1474. He built a second rectangular enceinte
Enceinte
Enceinte , is a French term used technically in fortification for the inner ring of fortifications surrounding a town or a concentric castle....
flanked by artillery towers.
Around 1590, the troubled period of the French Wars of Religion
French Wars of Religion
The French Wars of Religion is the name given to a period of civil infighting and military operations, primarily fought between French Catholics and Protestants . The conflict involved the factional disputes between the aristocratic houses of France, such as the House of Bourbon and House of Guise...
necessitated the construction of three terraced bastions on the south. Thus, three lines of defence in depth protected the site.
Until the 17th century, the castle was the residence of the Avaugour family, descendants of François Ier d'Avaugour, illegitimate son of François II. He modified and transformed the castle to suit the tastes and fashions of the day.
During the War in the Vendée, the town and its castle were burned by the Infernal columns
Infernal columns
The infernal columns were operations led by general Louis Marie Turreau during the War in the Vendee, aimed at eliminating all resistance after the setback of the virée de Galerne.-Other uses:...
of Jean-Baptiste Kléber
Jean Baptiste Kléber
Jean Baptiste Kléber was a French general during the French Revolutionary Wars. His military career started in Habsburg service, but his plebeian ancestry hindered his opportunities...
.
In 1807, the estate was bought by the sculptor François-Frédéric Lemot
François-Frédéric Lemot
François-Frédéric Lemot was a French sculptor, working in the Neoclassical style.-Biography:Lemot was born at Lyon....
with the goal of conservation. During the 19th century, the ruined castles attracted Romantic painters and sculptors.
The remains of the castle were classified 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 a French Ministry of Culture decree of 13 August 1924.
In 1962, the castle was sold by the Lamot family to the Conseil général of the Loire-Atlantique
Loire-Atlantique
Loire-Atlantique is a department on the west coast of France named after the Loire River and the Atlantic Ocean.-History:...
, who carried out important restoration works with the assistance of the French Ministry of Culture.
Art
The castle was the subject of Jean MetzingerJean Metzinger
Jean Metzinger was a French painter.Metzinger was born in Nantes, France. Initially he was influenced by Fauvism and Impressionism, but from 1908 he was associated with Cubism. Metzinger was a member of the Section d'Or group of artists...
's painting, Le château de Clisson (1905), displayed in the Musée des Beaux-Arts de Nantes
Musée des Beaux-Arts de Nantes
The Fine arts Museum of Nantes is an art museum in Nantes, France.The museum was created in 1801 with the purchase of the Cacault collection and was located in is actual Palais des Beaux-Arts since 1900....
.
See also
- List of castles in France
- ClissonClissonClisson , is a commune in the Loire-Atlantique département in western France.It is situated at the confluence of the Sèvre Nantaise and the Moine southeast of Nantes ....
- Église Notre Dame de ClissonÉglise Notre Dame (Clisson)Église Notre Dame is a church in the French town of Clisson.Founded by Olivier V Clisson, this church would date from the 14th-15th century. Burned and looted during the Wars of Vendée, the church was restored under the Empire . The church was completely demolished and rebuilt in 1887-88, by...