Montmorency, Val-d'Oise
Encyclopedia
Montmorency is a commune
in the northern suburbs of Paris
, France
. It is located 15.3 km (9.5 mi) from the center of Paris
.
Montmorency was the fief of the Montmorency family
, one of the oldest and most distinguished families of the French nobility
. It is now a wealthy suburb of Paris.
as Mons Maurentiacus (attested in 993). Mons Maurentiacus, literally "Mount Maurentiacus", was the name given to the promontory
over which a castle was built in the Early Middle Ages
. Maurentiacus, the name of the area surrounding the promontory, meant "estate of Maurentius", probably a Gallo-Roman landowner.
In 1689 Montmorency was officially renamed Enghien (read history section below), but the village on the slopes of the promontory was still referred to as "Montmorency" by most people.
Indeed, during the French Revolution
, at the creation of French communes in 1790, the newly born commune was named Montmorency. Three years later in 1793, at the peak of the French Revolution, the name of the commune, which was probably thought of as too reminiscent of the overthrown Ancien Régime, was changed into Émile, in honor of French philosopher and writer Jean-Jacques Rousseau
who had composed his educational treaty Émile
a few decades earlier while in residence at Montmorency.
In 1813 the commune was renamed Montmorency. In 1815, at the Restoration of monarchy, the commune was renamed Enghien. Throughout these troubled years, however, the village was always referred to as "Montmorency" by people, no matter the repeated official name changes.
The name "Enghien", on the other hand, was used for the lake and marshland in the valley beneath Montmorency, an area that was withdrawn from the jurisdiction of the commune of Montmorency/Enghien in 1790, and was divided between the jurisdictions of several neighboring communes. In other words, the place called "Enghien" was not located within the commune of Enghien.
This confusing situation was ended on 27 November 1832 when the commune of Enghien was definitely renamed Montmorency. Eighteen years later in 1850 the area of Enghien, which had developed as a spa resort, was incorporated as a commune (named Enghien-les-Bains
) by detaching its territory from the territory of four communes neighboring Montmorency. The commune of Montmorency did not lose territory, and as such was not concerned by the incorporation of the commune of Enghien-les-Bains.
, one of the oldest and most distinguished families of the French nobility
, who owed their name to the location of their ancestral castle on the promontory
of Montmorency. The castle of Montmorency was destroyed by the English during the Hundred Years' War
and was not rebuilt. After the Hundred Years' War, the Montmorency moved their residence to the Château d'Écouen
in Écouen
, 5.6 km (3.5 mi) to the northeast of Montmorency.
In 1632 the last Montmorency, Henri II de Montmorency
, was executed for treason in Toulouse
and the duchy of Montmorency
was inherited by the Princes of Condé
, a cadet branch of the French royal family who, like the Montmorency, did not reside in Montmorency, choosing instead the Château de Chantilly
as their residence. In 1689 King Louis XIV allowed the duchy of Montmorency to be renamed duchy of Enghien
, in memory of the duchy of Enghien
(modern-day Belgium
) which the Princes of Condé had lost in 1569 at the death of Louis I de Bourbon, Prince de Condé
. Montmorency/Enghien was the fief of the Princes of Condé until the French Revolution
.
, 2.1 km (1.3 mi) from the town center of Montmorency.
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 northern suburbs of 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...
, 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 is located 15.3 km (9.5 mi) from the center of Paris
Kilometre Zero
In many countries, Kilometre Zero or similar terms in other languages, is a particular location , from which distances are traditionally measured...
.
Montmorency was the fief of the Montmorency family
Montmorency family
Montmorency, pronounced , the name of one of the oldest and most distinguished families in France, derived from the city of Montmorency, now in the Val-d'Oise département, in the immediate neighborhood of Enghien-les-Bains and Saint-Denis, about 9 miles northwest of Paris.The family, since its...
, one of the oldest and most distinguished families of the French nobility
French nobility
The French nobility was the privileged order of France in the Middle Ages and the Early Modern periods.In the political system of the Estates General, the nobility made up the Second Estate...
. It is now a wealthy suburb of Paris.
Name
The name Montmorency was recorded for the first time in Medieval LatinMedieval Latin
Medieval Latin was the form of Latin used in the Middle Ages, primarily as a medium of scholarly exchange and as the liturgical language of the medieval Roman Catholic Church, but also as a language of science, literature, law, and administration. Despite the clerical origin of many of its authors,...
as Mons Maurentiacus (attested in 993). Mons Maurentiacus, literally "Mount Maurentiacus", was the name given to the promontory
Promontory
Promontory may refer to:*Promontory, a prominent mass of land which overlooks lower lying land or a body of water*Promontory, Utah, the location where the United States first Transcontinental Railroad was completed...
over which a castle was built in the Early Middle Ages
Early Middle Ages
The Early Middle Ages was the period of European history lasting from the 5th century to approximately 1000. The Early Middle Ages followed the decline of the Western Roman Empire and preceded the High Middle Ages...
. Maurentiacus, the name of the area surrounding the promontory, meant "estate of Maurentius", probably a Gallo-Roman landowner.
In 1689 Montmorency was officially renamed Enghien (read history section below), but the village on the slopes of the promontory was still referred to as "Montmorency" by most people.
Indeed, during 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...
, at the creation of French communes in 1790, the newly born commune was named Montmorency. Three years later in 1793, at the peak of the French Revolution, the name of the commune, which was probably thought of as too reminiscent of the overthrown Ancien Régime, was changed into Émile, in honor of French philosopher and writer Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Jean-Jacques Rousseau was a Genevan philosopher, writer, and composer of 18th-century Romanticism. His political philosophy influenced the French Revolution as well as the overall development of modern political, sociological and educational thought.His novel Émile: or, On Education is a treatise...
who had composed his educational treaty Émile
Emile: Or, On Education
Émile, or On Education is a treatise on the nature of education and on the nature of man written by Jean-Jacques Rousseau, who considered it to be the “best and most important of all my writings”. Due to a section of the book entitled “Profession of Faith of the Savoyard Vicar,” Émile was be...
a few decades earlier while in residence at Montmorency.
In 1813 the commune was renamed Montmorency. In 1815, at the Restoration of monarchy, the commune was renamed Enghien. Throughout these troubled years, however, the village was always referred to as "Montmorency" by people, no matter the repeated official name changes.
The name "Enghien", on the other hand, was used for the lake and marshland in the valley beneath Montmorency, an area that was withdrawn from the jurisdiction of the commune of Montmorency/Enghien in 1790, and was divided between the jurisdictions of several neighboring communes. In other words, the place called "Enghien" was not located within the commune of Enghien.
This confusing situation was ended on 27 November 1832 when the commune of Enghien was definitely renamed Montmorency. Eighteen years later in 1850 the area of Enghien, which had developed as a spa resort, was incorporated as a commune (named Enghien-les-Bains
Enghien-les-Bains
Enghien-les-Bains is a commune in the northern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the centre of Paris, in the département of Val-d'Oise....
) by detaching its territory from the territory of four communes neighboring Montmorency. The commune of Montmorency did not lose territory, and as such was not concerned by the incorporation of the commune of Enghien-les-Bains.
History
Montmorency was the fief of the Montmorency familyMontmorency family
Montmorency, pronounced , the name of one of the oldest and most distinguished families in France, derived from the city of Montmorency, now in the Val-d'Oise département, in the immediate neighborhood of Enghien-les-Bains and Saint-Denis, about 9 miles northwest of Paris.The family, since its...
, one of the oldest and most distinguished families of the French nobility
French nobility
The French nobility was the privileged order of France in the Middle Ages and the Early Modern periods.In the political system of the Estates General, the nobility made up the Second Estate...
, who owed their name to the location of their ancestral castle on the promontory
Promontory
Promontory may refer to:*Promontory, a prominent mass of land which overlooks lower lying land or a body of water*Promontory, Utah, the location where the United States first Transcontinental Railroad was completed...
of Montmorency. The castle of Montmorency was destroyed by the English during the Hundred Years' War
Hundred Years' War
The 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...
and was not rebuilt. After the Hundred Years' War, the Montmorency moved their residence to the Château d'Écouen
Château d'Écouen
The Château d'Écouen is a historical building in Écouen, north of Paris, France. It was built in 1538–1550 for Anne de Montmorency, who was made connétable in 1538. He had inherited the château in 1515, and his building campaigns were informed by his first-hand experience in overseeing royal works...
in Écouen
Écouen
Écouen is a commune in the northern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the center of Paris.Écouen houses the Château d'Écouen, home of the Montmorency family...
, 5.6 km (3.5 mi) to the northeast of Montmorency.
In 1632 the last Montmorency, Henri II de Montmorency
Henri II de Montmorency
Henri II de Montmorency was a French nobleman and military commander.Born at Chantilly, Oise, he was the son of duke Henry I, whom he succeeded in 1614, having previously been made grand admiral...
, was executed for treason in Toulouse
Toulouse
Toulouse is a city in the Haute-Garonne department in southwestern FranceIt lies on the banks of the River Garonne, 590 km away from Paris and half-way between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea...
and the duchy of Montmorency
Duke of Montmorency
The title of Duke of Montmorency was created several times for members of the Montmorency family, who were lords of Montmorency, near Paris.The first creation was in 1551 for Anne of Montmorency, Constable of France...
was inherited by the Princes 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...
, a cadet branch of the French royal family who, like the Montmorency, did not reside in Montmorency, choosing instead the Château de Chantilly
Château de Chantilly
The Château de Chantilly is a historic château located in the town of Chantilly, France. It comprises two attached buildings; the Grand Château, destroyed during the French Revolution and rebuilt in the 1870s, and the Petit Château which was built around 1560 for Anne de Montmorency...
as their residence. In 1689 King Louis XIV allowed the duchy of Montmorency to be renamed duchy of Enghien
Duke of Enghien
The title of Duke of Enghien may, like many noble titles, refer to any of several historical figures.-Dukes of Enghien - first creation :...
, in memory of the duchy of Enghien
Enghien
Enghien is a Walloon municipality located in the Belgian province of Hainaut. On January 1, 2006 Enghien had a total population of 11,980. The total area is 40.59 km² which gives a population density of 295 inhabitants per km²....
(modern-day Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
) which the Princes of Condé had lost in 1569 at the death of Louis I de Bourbon, Prince de Condé
Louis I de Bourbon, prince de Condé
Louis de Bourbon was a prominent Huguenot leader and general, the founder of the House of Condé, a cadet branch of the House of Bourbon.-Life:...
. Montmorency/Enghien was the fief of the Princes of Condé 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...
.
Transport
Montmorency is served by no station of the Paris Métro, RER, or suburban rail network. The closest station to Montmorency is Enghien-les-Bains station on the Transilien Paris – Nord suburban rail line. This station is located in the neighboring commune of Enghien-les-BainsEnghien-les-Bains
Enghien-les-Bains is a commune in the northern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the centre of Paris, in the département of Val-d'Oise....
, 2.1 km (1.3 mi) from the town center of Montmorency.