Château de Montaigne
Encyclopedia
The Château de Montaigne is a castle
situated on the borders of Périgord
and Bordelais
, near Bergerac
and Saint-Émilion
, in the small commune of Saint-Michel-de-Montaigne
in the Dordogne
département of France
. This fortified castle dates to the 14th century and was the family residence of the Renaissance
philosopher and thinker Michel de Montaigne
.
Michel's father, Pierre Eyquem, settled in the castle with his family, and there Michel spent a studious childhood—he is said to have spoken Latin at the age of seven—before leaving to continue his studies at the college of Guyenne in Bordeaux
.
In 1584, Montaigne entertained in his castle the king of Navarre, Henri de Bourbon, the future Henry IV
, and thus became a close royal friend at the same time as Condé
, de Rohan and Turenne. Henry IV had already named him gentleman of the chamber by a patent letter of 1577.
From 1571 until his death in 1592, Michel de Montaigne wrote his famous Essays
, major works of humanism of the renaissance, and fruits of a lifetime of reflection and reading.
After his death, the widow Françoise de La Chassaigne continued to reside in the castle. She entertained there Marie de Gournay
, whom she had befriended in 1588 during a voyage to Paris
, and to whom she had sent an annotated copy of the Essays requesting that she take care of its publication (which didn't happen until fifteen months later).
In 1860, Pierre Magne
, minister of Napoleon III, bought the castle. He withdrew there after the 16 May 1877 crisis
and became generally distant from the meetings of the Senate. He died of disease on February 17, 1879.
The castle was completely restored after a fire that seriously damaged it in 1885.
here. Many of his reflections are engraved in the roof-beams of the library in letters of fire .
Since 1952, Château de Montaigne has been listed 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...
situated on the borders of Périgord
Périgord
The Périgord is a former province of France, which corresponds roughly to the current Dordogne département, now forming the northern part of the Aquitaine région. It is divided into four regions, the Périgord Noir , the Périgord Blanc , the Périgord Vert and the Périgord Pourpre...
and Bordelais
Bordelais
Bordelais is a French term meaning "of Bordeaux" and can refer to* an inhabitant of the city Bordeaux* the area surrounding the city Bordeaux* an inhabitant of the commune Les Bordes-sur-Lez* Bordeaux wine, or the Bordeaux wine region...
, near Bergerac
Bergerac, Dordogne
Bergerac is a commune and a sub-prefecture of the Dordogne department in southwestern France.-Population:-Economy:The region is primarily known for wine and tobacco...
and Saint-Émilion
Saint-Émilion
Saint-Émilion is a commune in the Gironde department in Aquitaine in southwestern France.-History:Saint-Émilion's history goes back to prehistoric times and is a World Heritage site, with fascinating Romanesque churches and ruins stretching all along steep and narrow streets.The Romans planted...
, in the small commune of Saint-Michel-de-Montaigne
Saint-Michel-de-Montaigne
Saint-Michel-de-Montaigne is a commune in the Dordogne department in Aquitaine in southwestern France.-Population:-References:*...
in the Dordogne
Dordogne
Dordogne is a départment in south-west France. The départment is located in the region of Aquitaine, between the Loire valley and the High Pyrénées named after the great river Dordogne that runs through it...
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...
. This fortified castle dates to the 14th century and was the family residence of the Renaissance
Renaissance
The Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. The term is also used more loosely to refer to the historical era, but since the changes of the Renaissance were not...
philosopher and thinker Michel de Montaigne
Michel de Montaigne
Lord Michel Eyquem de Montaigne , February 28, 1533 – September 13, 1592, was one of the most influential writers of the French Renaissance, known for popularising the essay as a literary genre and is popularly thought of as the father of Modern Skepticism...
.
History
Built in the heart of a majestic park, whose layout was designed by the philosopher himself, the residence was acquired in 1477 by the great-grandfather of Michel, Ramon Eyquem, a Bordeaux trader, who thus acquired the hereditary title of Seigneur de Montaigne ("Lord of Montaigne").Michel's father, Pierre Eyquem, settled in the castle with his family, and there Michel spent a studious childhood—he is said to have spoken Latin at the age of seven—before leaving to continue his studies at the college of Guyenne in Bordeaux
Bordeaux
Bordeaux is a port city on the Garonne River in the Gironde department in southwestern France.The Bordeaux-Arcachon-Libourne metropolitan area, has a population of 1,010,000 and constitutes the sixth-largest urban area in France. It is the capital of the Aquitaine region, as well as the prefecture...
.
In 1584, Montaigne entertained in his castle the king of Navarre, Henri de Bourbon, the future Henry IV
Henry IV of France
Henry IV , Henri-Quatre, was King of France from 1589 to 1610 and King of Navarre from 1572 to 1610. He was the first monarch of the Bourbon branch of the Capetian dynasty in France....
, and thus became a close royal friend at the same time as Condé
Prince of Condé
The Most Serene House of Condé is a historical French house, a noble lineage of descent from a single ancestor...
, de Rohan and Turenne. Henry IV had already named him gentleman of the chamber by a patent letter of 1577.
From 1571 until his death in 1592, Michel de Montaigne wrote his famous Essays
Essays (Montaigne)
Essays is the title given to a collection of 107 essays written by Michel de Montaigne that was first published in 1580. Montaigne essentially invented the literary form of essay, a short subjective treatment of a given topic, of which the book contains a large number...
, major works of humanism of the renaissance, and fruits of a lifetime of reflection and reading.
After his death, the widow Françoise de La Chassaigne continued to reside in the castle. She entertained there Marie de Gournay
Marie de Gournay
Marie de Gournay was a French writer, who wrote a novel and a number of other literary compositions, including two proto-feminist works, The Equality of Men and Women and The Ladies' Grievance . In her novel Le Promenoir de M...
, whom she had befriended in 1588 during a voyage to Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, and to whom she had sent an annotated copy of the Essays requesting that she take care of its publication (which didn't happen until fifteen months later).
In 1860, Pierre Magne
Pierre Magne
Pierre Magne was a French professional road bicycle racer. Magne won one stage in the 1928 Tour de France, and finished 6th in the 1930 Tour de France. Pierre Magne was the younger brother of Tour de France winner Antonin Magne.- Palmarès :1927...
, minister of Napoleon III, bought the castle. He withdrew there after the 16 May 1877 crisis
16 May 1877 crisis
The 16 May 1877 crisis was a constitutional crisis in the French Third Republic concerning the distribution of power between the President and the legislature. When the Royalist President Patrice MacMahon dismissed the Opportunist Republican Prime Minister Jules Simon, parliament on 16 May 1877...
and became generally distant from the meetings of the Senate. He died of disease on February 17, 1879.
The castle was completely restored after a fire that seriously damaged it in 1885.
Architecture
The architecture has a neo-renaissance flavour. After crossing the gate, one arrives in a square court surrounded by ramparts. The round tower of the library is the only vestige of the 16th century and is a popular location for visitors of the castle. It is said that Michel de Montaigne composed his EssaysEssays (Montaigne)
Essays is the title given to a collection of 107 essays written by Michel de Montaigne that was first published in 1580. Montaigne essentially invented the literary form of essay, a short subjective treatment of a given topic, of which the book contains a large number...
here. Many of his reflections are engraved in the roof-beams of the library in letters of fire .
Since 1952, Château de Montaigne has been listed 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.