Rambervillers
Encyclopedia
Rambervillers is a commune
in the Vosges
department in Lorraine
in northeastern France
.
Inhabitants are called Rambuvetais.
, some 28 kilometres (17.4 mi) to the west of Saint-Dié
and 22 kilometres (13.7 mi) to the north-east of Épinal
.
The river flows from Haut Jacques and the forests to the south-east of the town: where it passes through Rambervillers it has been channeled, but unfortunately the work was done without sufficient planning for the volume of water unleashed in stormy weather, which gives rise to flooding. Notably, during 2006 the town centre was under 2 meters of water after an outbreak of torrential rain.
, or the Abbot of
Senones
: sources differ.
Through the later medieval period, Rambervillers belonged to the Bishops opf Metz
. The care taken with its maintenance and fortification indicate that it was an important regional commercial centre. In the twelfth century the Bishop of Metz, Étienne of Bar
protected the town with wooden fortifications and ditches: in the thirteenth century another Bishop of Metz, Jacques of Lorraine, replaced the stone fortifications with a stone wall backed up with 24 large towers.
Despite its fortifications, Rambervillers found itself torched by a Huguenot
army
acting on the orders of the Baron of Bollweiler, in the sixteenth century. Recovery seems to have been relatively rapid, however, since in 1581 the leading citizens resolved to construct the Town Hall.
In 1718 the town was integrated into the Duchy of Lorraine, becoming formally part of France
on the death of the last Duke in 1766.
On 9 October 1870, manning the fortifications against the invading
Prussians
, 200 national guardsmen
held out for a day against 2,000 Germans. Their courage won the town the Légion d'honneur medal
, and had a street in Paris
(in the 12th arrondissement) named after it.
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 Vosges
Vosges
Vosges is a French department, named after the local mountain range. It contains the hometown of Joan of Arc, Domrémy.-History:The Vosges department is one of the original 83 departments of France, created on February 9, 1790 during the French Revolution. It was made of territories that had been...
department in Lorraine
Lorraine (région)
Lorraine is one of the 27 régions of France. The administrative region has two cities of equal importance, Metz and Nancy. Metz is considered to be the official capital since that is where the regional parliament is situated...
in northeastern 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...
.
Inhabitants are called Rambuvetais.
Geography
The town is built on the banks of the MortagneMortagne (river)
The Mortagne is a long river in the Vosges and Meurthe-et-Moselle départements, northeastern France. Its source is at Saint-Léonard, west of the village, in the Vosges Mountains. It flows generally northwest...
, some 28 kilometres (17.4 mi) to the west of Saint-Dié
Saint-Dié-des-Vosges
Saint-Dié-des-Vosges, commonly referred to as Saint-Dié, is a commune in the Vosges department in Lorraine in northeastern France.It is a sub-prefecture of the department.-Geography:...
and 22 kilometres (13.7 mi) to the north-east of Épinal
Épinal
Épinal is a commune in northeastern France and the capital of the Vosges department. Inhabitants are known as Spinaliens.-Geography:The commune has a land area of 59.24 km²...
.
The river flows from Haut Jacques and the forests to the south-east of the town: where it passes through Rambervillers it has been channeled, but unfortunately the work was done without sufficient planning for the volume of water unleashed in stormy weather, which gives rise to flooding. Notably, during 2006 the town centre was under 2 meters of water after an outbreak of torrential rain.
History
Rambervillers was the creation in the ninth century of a man called Rambert, who was the Count of MortagneMortagne
Mortagne is a commune in the Vosges department in Lorraine in northeastern France.It shares its name with the eponymous river which borders the commune on its south-eastern side.-Geography:...
, or the Abbot of
Senones Abbey
Senones Abbey was a Benedictine abbey located in the valley of the Rabodeau, in the present village of Senones in Lorraine, France.-History:...
Senones
Senones
The Senones were an ancient Gaulish tribe.In about 400 BC they crossed the Alps and, having driven out the Umbrians settled on the east coast of Italy from Forlì to Ancona, in the so-called ager Gallicus, and founded the town of Sena Gallica , which became their capital. In 391 BC they invaded...
: sources differ.
Through the later medieval period, Rambervillers belonged to the Bishops opf Metz
Bishopric of Metz
The Bishopric of Metz was a prince-bishopric of the Holy Roman Empire. It was one of the Three Bishoprics that were annexed by France in 1552....
. The care taken with its maintenance and fortification indicate that it was an important regional commercial centre. In the twelfth century the Bishop of Metz, Étienne of Bar
Etienne de Bar
Etienne de Bar was a French cardinal and cardinal-nephew of Pope Callixtus II, his uncle who elevated him in 1120.-References:...
protected the town with wooden fortifications and ditches: in the thirteenth century another Bishop of Metz, Jacques of Lorraine, replaced the stone fortifications with a stone wall backed up with 24 large towers.
Despite its fortifications, Rambervillers found itself torched by a Huguenot
Huguenot
The Huguenots were members of the Protestant Reformed Church of France during the 16th and 17th centuries. Since the 17th century, people who formerly would have been called Huguenots have instead simply been called French Protestants, a title suggested by their German co-religionists, the...
army
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...
acting on the orders of the Baron of Bollweiler, in the sixteenth century. Recovery seems to have been relatively rapid, however, since in 1581 the leading citizens resolved to construct the Town Hall.
In 1718 the town was integrated into the Duchy of Lorraine, becoming formally part 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...
on the death of the last Duke in 1766.
On 9 October 1870, manning the fortifications against the invading
Franco-Prussian War
The Franco-Prussian War or Franco-German War, often referred to in France as the 1870 War was a conflict between the Second French Empire and the Kingdom of Prussia. Prussia was aided by the North German Confederation, of which it was a member, and the South German states of Baden, Württemberg and...
Prussians
Prussian Army
The Royal Prussian Army was the army of the Kingdom of Prussia. It was vital to the development of Brandenburg-Prussia as a European power.The Prussian Army had its roots in the meager mercenary forces of Brandenburg during the Thirty Years' War...
, 200 national guardsmen
National Guard (France)
The National Guard was the name given at the time of the French Revolution to the militias formed in each city, in imitation of the National Guard created in Paris. It was a military force separate from the regular army...
held out for a day against 2,000 Germans. Their courage won the town the Légion d'honneur medal
Légion d'honneur
The Legion of Honour, or in full the National Order of the Legion of Honour is a French order established by Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul of the Consulat which succeeded to the First Republic, on 19 May 1802...
, and had a street in 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...
(in the 12th arrondissement) named after it.
Personalities
- Jean Joseph VaudechampJean Joseph VaudechampJean Joseph Vaudechamp was a French painter born in Rambervillers, Vosges. He was a pupil of Anne-Louis Girodet de Roussy-Trioson. The market in Paris was competitive, so in the winter of 1831–32, he went to try his fortunes in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Louisiana Creole people identified with...
1790 - 1866, portraitist, was born at Rambervillers. - Nicolaus Serarius 1555 - 1609, scholar and theologian, was born at Rambervillers.