Moulins, Allier
Encyclopedia
Moulins is a commune
in central France, capital of the Allier
department.
Among its many tourist attractions are the Maison Mantin
the Anne de Beaujeu Museum.
, Moulins was the capital of the province
of Bourbonnais
and the seat of the Dukes of Bourbon. Its documented existence may be traced back at least as far as the year 990. In 1232, Archambaud VIII, Sire de Bourbon, granted a franchise to the village's inhabitants. The town achieved greater prominence in 1327, when Charles IV
elevated Louis I de Clermont
to Duke of Bourbon. Either Louis or the later Peter II, Duke of Bourbon
and of Auvergne moved the capital of the province from Bourbon-l'Archambault
to Moulins.
In February 1566 it became eponymous to the Edict of Moulins, an important royal ordinance dealing with many aspects of the administration of justice and feudal and ecclesiastical privilege, including limitations on the appanage
s held by French princes, abrogation of the levy of rights of tallage
claimed by seigneurs over their dependants and provisions for a system of concessions on rivers.
Moulins was where the famous dress designer and fashion leader Coco Chanel
went to school as an orphan. It was also the birthplace of the great 19th-century operatic baritone
and art collector Jean-Baptiste Faure
.
taking around 2 hours 25 minutes.
Montbeugny Airport is a small airport located near Moulins.
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 central France, capital of the Allier
Allier
Allier is a department in central France named after the river Allier.- History :Allier is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on 4 March 1790. It was created from parts of the former provinces of Auvergne and Bourbonnais.In 1940, the government of Marshal...
department.
Among its many tourist attractions are the Maison Mantin
Maison Mantin
The Maison Mantin is a late 19th-century French mansion located in the town of Moulins in the Allier department of central France....
the Anne de Beaujeu Museum.
History
Before the French RevolutionFrench 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...
, Moulins was the capital of the province
Provinces of France
The Kingdom of France was organised into provinces until March 4, 1790, when the establishment of the département system superseded provinces. The provinces of France were roughly equivalent to the historic counties of England...
of Bourbonnais
Bourbonnais
Bourbonnais was a historic province in the centre of France that corresponded to the modern département of Allier, along with part of the département of Cher. Its capital was Moulins.-History:...
and the seat of the Dukes of Bourbon. Its documented existence may be traced back at least as far as the year 990. In 1232, Archambaud VIII, Sire de Bourbon, granted a franchise to the village's inhabitants. The town achieved greater prominence in 1327, when Charles IV
Charles IV of France
Charles IV, known as the Fair , was the King of France and of Navarre and Count of Champagne from 1322 to his death: he was the last French king of the senior Capetian lineage....
elevated Louis I de Clermont
Louis I, Duke of Bourbon
Louis I de Bourbon, le Boiteux, the Lame was Count of Clermont-en-Beauvaisis and La Marche, and the first Duke of Bourbon.-Life:...
to Duke of Bourbon. Either Louis or the later Peter II, Duke of Bourbon
Peter II, Duke of Bourbon
Peter II, Duke of Bourbon was the son of Charles I, Duke of Bourbon and Agnes of Burgundy, and a member of the House of Bourbon...
and of Auvergne moved the capital of the province from Bourbon-l'Archambault
Bourbon-l'Archambault
Bourbon-l'Archambault is a spa town and a commune in the Allier department in Auvergne in central France.-Population:-Personalities:In 1681, Louise Marie Anne de Bourbon, Mademoiselle de Tours, the third daughter of Louis XIV and his mistress Françoise-Athénaïs, marquise de Montespan died there at...
to Moulins.
- Note: This article in French suggests Pierre II moved the capital, while the local tourism website (also in French) suggests it was Louis I.
In February 1566 it became eponymous to the Edict of Moulins, an important royal ordinance dealing with many aspects of the administration of justice and feudal and ecclesiastical privilege, including limitations on the appanage
Appanage
An apanage or appanage or is the grant of an estate, titles, offices, or other things of value to the younger male children of a sovereign, who would otherwise have no inheritance under the system of primogeniture...
s held by French princes, abrogation of the levy of rights of tallage
Tallage
Tallage or talliage may have signified at first any tax, but became in England and France a land use or land tenure tax. Later in England it was further limited to assessments by the crown upon cities, boroughs, and royal domains...
claimed by seigneurs over their dependants and provisions for a system of concessions on rivers.
Moulins was where the famous dress designer and fashion leader Coco Chanel
Coco Chanel
Gabrielle Bonheur "Coco" Chanel was a pioneering French fashion designer whose modernist thought, menswear-inspired fashions, and pursuit of expensive simplicity made her an important figure in 20th-century fashion. She was the founder of one of the most famous fashion brands, Chanel...
went to school as an orphan. It was also the birthplace of the great 19th-century operatic baritone
Baritone
Baritone is a type of male singing voice that lies between the bass and tenor voices. It is the most common male voice. Originally from the Greek , meaning deep sounding, music for this voice is typically written in the range from the second F below middle C to the F above middle C Baritone (or...
and art collector Jean-Baptiste Faure
Jean-Baptiste Faure
Jean-Baptiste Faure was a celebrated French operatic baritone and an art collector of great significance. He also composed a number of classical songs.-Singing career:Faure was born in Moulins...
.
Population
Transport
Moulins-sur-Allier station, in the centre of the town, has direct trains to Paris-Gare de LyonParis-Gare de Lyon
Paris Lyon is one of the six large railway termini in Paris, France. It is the northern terminus of the Paris–Marseille railway. It is named after the city of Lyon, a stop for many long-distance trains departing here, most en route to the south of France. In general the station's SNCF services run...
taking around 2 hours 25 minutes.
Montbeugny Airport is a small airport located near Moulins.
Personalities
- Coco ChanelCoco ChanelGabrielle Bonheur "Coco" Chanel was a pioneering French fashion designer whose modernist thought, menswear-inspired fashions, and pursuit of expensive simplicity made her an important figure in 20th-century fashion. She was the founder of one of the most famous fashion brands, Chanel...
, fashion designer, started as a cabaret singer here - Philippe N'DioroPhilippe N'DioroPhilippe N'Dioro is a French footballer of Cameroonian descent who played 94 matches and scored 13 goals in Ligue 1 for clubs Lyon and Nice in the period 1980-1991.-References:...
, footballer - Stéphane RisacherStéphane RisacherStéphane Risacher is a basketball player from France, who won the silver medal at the 2000 Summer Olympics with the Men's National Team.-References:*...
, basketball player with the French national team, born in Moulins - Jean-Baptiste FaureJean-Baptiste FaureJean-Baptiste Faure was a celebrated French operatic baritone and an art collector of great significance. He also composed a number of classical songs.-Singing career:Faure was born in Moulins...
, opera singer, born in Moulins - Claude Louis Hector de VillarsClaude Louis Hector de VillarsClaude Louis Hector de Villars, Prince de Martigues, Marquis then Duc de Villars, Vicomte de Melun was the last great general of Louis XIV of France and one of the most brilliant commanders in French military history, one of only six Marshals who have been promoted to Marshal General of...
, Marshal General of France, lived 1653–1734, born in Moulins
See also
- Moulins Cathedral
- Diocese of Moulins
- AS MoulinsAS MoulinsAS Moulins is a French football club based in Moulins. It was founded in 1927. The colours of the club are white and blue.Moulins play at the Stade Hector Rolland in the Championnat de France amateur.- Current squad :As of January 2011....
- Communes of the Allier department
External links
- City council website (in French)
- Local tourism website (in French)
- Picture of Moulins Cathedral
