Château de Ventadour
Encyclopedia
The Château de Ventadour is in the commune of Moustier-Ventadour
in the département of Corrèze
(Limousin
).
, only few vestiges remain on the site of this feudal castle, which is still remarkably wild. The existing enclosure follows the contour of the plateau thus protecting a place of 170 m length and 30 m wide at its maximum. One finds inside some traces of a chapel and a residence, an important round tower and a section of wall seeming to be that of a square keep.
and Ussel
. Of viscounty until 1350, it was transformed into county by Philippe de Valois
, then in Duchy-Peerage in 1578. It belonged thus to the first lineage of Ventadour, resulting from the lineage of Comborn, until 1472, date of the marriage of the last heiress with Louis de Lévis, baron de la Voulte. After Lévis-Ventadour, the stronghold belonged, still by marriage, to Rohans
; and to Rohan-Soubises-Ventadour, passed to the Prince of Condé
, who ignored the castle.
Sold as a national asset, the castle became the prey of the demolition contractors, especially after the Bourbon Restoration
, when it was acquired by a material merchant of the name of Pertuis du Gay. It was then the property of the duke of Lévis-Mirepoix.
in 1946, the site already strongly damaged required important work for its safeguard. It was only in 1965 that at the same time some consolidation work and excavations were undertaken to try to reconstitute the former splendor of the fortress.
The excavations continued until 1980 when it beaceme possible to identity contours of a certain number of rooms inside the enclosure and to bring to light several important decorations of the lordly residence. Excavations were performed in 2003 (north-eastern curtain wall), in 2004 and 2005 (barbican
, tower) with consolidations. Nevertheless, the site remains closed to the public.
Moustier-Ventadour
Moustier-Ventadour is a commune in the Corrèze department in central France.-Population:-References:*...
in the département of 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:...
(Limousin
Limousin (région)
Limousin is one of the 27 regions of France. It is composed of three départements: Corrèze, Creuse and the Haute-Vienne.Situated largely in the Massif Central, as of January 1st 2008, the Limousin comprised 740,743 inhabitants on nearly 17 000 km2, making it the second least populated region of...
).
Situation
Placed on a rocky outcrop overhanging the valley of LuzègeLuzège
The Luzège is a long river in the Corrèze département, south-central France. Its source is on the Plateau de Millevaches, in Meymac, north-northwest of the town. It flows generally south...
, only few vestiges remain on the site of this feudal castle, which is still remarkably wild. The existing enclosure follows the contour of the plateau thus protecting a place of 170 m length and 30 m wide at its maximum. One finds inside some traces of a chapel and a residence, an important round tower and a section of wall seeming to be that of a square keep.
History
The castle built in 11th century, probably altered during several periods of construction and rebuilding spreading out essentially from the 12th to the 15th century, controlled the viscounty of Ventadour whose capitals were ÉgletonsÉgletons
Égletons is a commune in the Corrèze department in central France.-Population:-References:*...
and Ussel
Ussel, Corrèze
Ussel is a commune in the Corrèze department in central France. Its inhabitants are named Ussellois. The town is best known for its charming old streetscapes and for its pastoral and natural landscapes offering a perfect setting for green alternative vacations.-Location:The community of Ussel is...
. Of viscounty until 1350, it was transformed into county by Philippe de Valois
Philip VI of France
Philip VI , known as the Fortunate and of Valois, was the King of France from 1328 to his death. He was also Count of Anjou, Maine, and Valois from 1325 to 1328...
, then in Duchy-Peerage in 1578. It belonged thus to the first lineage of Ventadour, resulting from the lineage of Comborn, until 1472, date of the marriage of the last heiress with Louis de Lévis, baron de la Voulte. After Lévis-Ventadour, the stronghold belonged, still by marriage, to Rohans
Rohan (family)
The House of Rohan is a family of viscounts, later dukes and princes, coming from the locality of Rohan in Brittany. Their line descends from the viscounts of Porhoët and said to trace back to the legendary Conan Meriadoc. Through the Porhoët, the Rohan are related to the Dukes of Brittany, with...
; and to Rohan-Soubises-Ventadour, passed to the Prince of Condé
Prince of Condé
The Most Serene House of Condé is a historical French house, a noble lineage of descent from a single ancestor...
, who ignored the castle.
Sold as a national asset, the castle became the prey of the demolition contractors, especially after the Bourbon Restoration
Bourbon Restoration
The Bourbon Restoration is the name given to the period following the successive events of the French Revolution , the end of the First Republic , and then the forcible end of the First French Empire under Napoleon – when a coalition of European powers restored by arms the monarchy to the...
, when it was acquired by a material merchant of the name of Pertuis du Gay. It was then the property of the duke of Lévis-Mirepoix.
Restoration
Classed as a Monument historiqueMonument 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...
in 1946, the site already strongly damaged required important work for its safeguard. It was only in 1965 that at the same time some consolidation work and excavations were undertaken to try to reconstitute the former splendor of the fortress.
The excavations continued until 1980 when it beaceme possible to identity contours of a certain number of rooms inside the enclosure and to bring to light several important decorations of the lordly residence. Excavations were performed in 2003 (north-eastern curtain wall), in 2004 and 2005 (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...
, tower) with consolidations. Nevertheless, the site remains closed to the public.
Chronology
- 1059: One of the sons of the Viscount of Archambaud II of Comborn received the prerogative of Ventadour and decided to establish a fortress there. Construction continued until 1060 with the simultaneous establishment of several châtellenies like Lieuteret, Fontmartin, and in several cities like Égletons, Neuvic, Corrèze, Meymac and Ussel.
- 1060: Ebles I founded the priory of Moustier-Ventadour then those of Meymac and Bonnesaigne.
- 1096: Ebles I died and his son Ebles II was interested in courteous art of Languedoc and became friend with Guillaume IX of Aquitaine, one of the most famous troubadours of the time. Ebles has founded a poetic school with Ventadour.
- 1125: birth of BernardBernart de VentadornBernart de Ventadorn , also known as Bernard de Ventadour or Bernat del Ventadorn, was a prominent troubador of the classical age of troubadour poetry. Now thought of as "the Master Singer" he developed the cançons into a more formalized style which allowed for sudden turns...
, son of a servant who became a famous troubadour - 1182: Henry II of EnglandHenry II of EnglandHenry II ruled as King of England , Count of Anjou, Count of Maine, Duke of Normandy, Duke of Aquitaine, Duke of Gascony, Count of Nantes, Lord of Ireland and, at various times, controlled parts of Wales, Scotland and western France. Henry, the great-grandson of William the Conqueror, was the...
established a siege of Ventadour. After a few months, the fortress not going, it raised the siege. - 1198: Richard the Lionheart tride once again a siege which failed; after which he went to ChalusChalusChalus can refer to:* Châlus, a commune in the Haute-Vienne département of France* Chalus, Puy-de-Dôme, a commune in the Puy-de-Dôme département of France* Chalus, Iran, a city in Mazandaran province of Iran...
where he died. - 1250-1350: The fortress is deeply altered with higher and thicker ramparts and also more decorated and more comfortable apartments.
- 1379: During the Hundred Years' WarHundred Years' WarThe Hundred Years' War was a series of separate wars waged from 1337 to 1453 by the House of Valois and the House of Plantagenet, also known as the House of Anjou, for the French throne, which had become vacant upon the extinction of the senior Capetian line of French kings...
, the castle was invested by the robber Geoffroy and a band of plundering rovers who, starting from the fortified place, ransomed and plundered all the area during nearly 10 years. - 1450: a new residence was built in the walls of the castle by Charles de Ventadour.
- 1450-1500: Charles and his Louis son organized a military academy in Ventadour for the formation of pagesPage (servant)A page or page boy is a traditionally young male servant, a messenger at the service of a nobleman or royal.-The medieval page:In medieval times, a page was an attendant to a knight; an apprentice squire...
for the service of the King. - 1575: Gilbert III of Ventadour became governor of the Limousin; important religious confrontations ruined his territory. The abbey of Bonnesaigne was burned but Ventadour remained intact.
- 1578: Henri III raised the county of Ventadour to a duchy. It becomed the first Duchy of the Bas-Limousin
- 1599: The wars of religion were sources of destruction and plunderings of fortified towns in the Limousin but Ventadour, citadel of the governors, has resisted.
- 1631: Charles, new Duke of Ventadour was admitted among the close relations of Louis XIIILouis XIII of FranceLouis XIII was a Bourbon monarch who ruled as King of France and of Navarre from 1610 to 1643.Louis was only eight years old when he succeeded his father. His mother, Marie de Medici, acted as regent during Louis' minority...
. He was at the same time Lieutenant Général of Languedoc and Gouverneur of the Limousin. - 1649: Charles’ son, Louis-Charles became Duc and Pair of FrancePeerage of FranceThe Peerage of France was a distinction within the French nobility which appeared in the Middle Ages. It was abolished in 1789 during the French Revolution, but it reappeared in 1814 at the time of the Bourbon Restoration which followed the fall of the First French Empire...
. He lived in Paris and it was the beginning of the decline of the castle. - 1793: The Comité de salut public of Égletons and the Conventional of Tulle ordered the destruction of Ventadour. The castle was plundered and the roofs were destroyed.
- 1796: On July 11, Ventadour is sold to a farrierFarrierA farrier is a specialist in equine hoof care, including the trimming and balancing of horses' hooves and the placing of shoes on their hooves...
of Égletons. - 1800: The castle is resold to a demolition contractor who sold materials and who undertook to take off the stones.
- 1804: An access path and an opening in the enclosing wall were carried out to facilitate the transport of materials of demolition.
- 1829: The vestiges of Ventadour were purchased by Madam d' Ambert de Lamazière to organize pastoral afternoons in the “romantic ruins”.
- 1895: The site was transferred to the Lévis-Mirepoix, cousins ot the Lévis-Ventadour.
- 1900: A feast celebrates Bernard, the troubadour.
- 1930-1939: Feasts were organized annually in the site by the mayor of Moustier-Ventadour.
- 1965: Beginning of the excavations and of the emergency works of consolidation.