Sancerre
Encyclopedia
Sancerre is a medieval hilltop town (ville), commune and canton in the Cher department of central France
overlooking the Loire River. It is noted for its wine.
settled by the powerful Celtic (Gaule Celtique) tribe, the Bituriges
, or the "Kings of the World", and after their defeat at Bourges
(Avaricum), part of Roman
Aquitania
. Some evidence points to the existence of an early hillside Roman temple dedicated to Julius Caesar
; located on the Roman road
(Gordaine) from Bourges
to the river town of Gordona (Castle-Gordon), now Saint Thibault and Saint Satur. Name possibly derived from "Sacred to Caesar" and later Christianized to "Saint-Cere". During the Carolingian
period there was a small village on the hillside, clustered around the Saint Romble Church. An Augustinian
abbey was founded in Saint Satur in 1034. A natural fortress 312 meters in height, Sancerre is a former feudal possession of the Counts of Champagne
(1152) in the province
of Berry
. They built a chateau on the hill and ramparts to protect the city. The chateau had six towers including the Tower of the Strongholds (Tour des Fiefs) and the Tower of Saint George. In times of war, a fire was lit on the top of the Saint George tower that could be seen for 40 kilometres (25 mi)around. The Customs of Lorris (1155), a charter granted by Stephen I
( Étienne I ) to the merchants of Sancerre was considered one of the most progressive in the Capetian
kingdom. In 1184, the Count of Sancerre led a band of rebels called the Brabançon
s against the king. They were defeated by the Confrères de la Paix
, the Confraternity of Peace, a group charged with keeping order in the kingdom. In 1190, Stephen I was among the first feudal lords to abolish serfdom. The fortified city repelled the English forces twice during the Hundred Years' War
but much of the surrounding area, including the Augustinian Abbey in Saint Satur and Saint Romble, were destroyed by the forces of Edward, the Black Prince
. Sancerre was the seat of Joan of Arc
's great comrade-in-arms, Jean V de Bueil
.
Sancerre was also the site of the infamous Siege of Sancerre
(1572–1573) during the Wars of Religion
where the Huguenot
population held out for nearly eight months against the Catholic forces of the king. The siege was one of the last times in European history where sling
s (trebuchet
), the "Arquebuses of Sancerre", were used in warfare. The siege was documented by a Protestant minister who survived the battle, Jean de Léry
, in The Memorable History of the Siege of Sancerre. In 1621 much of the feudal chateau and city walls were destroyed by orders of the king to prevent further resistance. In 1640 the county became the possession of the Prince of Condé
, Henry II of Bourbon, the governor of Berry. The area suffered economically from the mass exodus of Protestant merchants, tradesmen and others during the 17th century, especially after the revocation of the Edict of Nantes
(1685).
During the French Revolution
, Sancerre was the site of a royalist rebellion led by Louis-Edmond de Phelippeaux – small "Vendee Sancerroise". Sancerre was designated the seat of government for the district during the First Republic, but in 1926 the sous-préfecture and other administrative services were transferred to Bourges
. Count Jean-Pierre de Montalivet
, of Chateau de Thauvenay
, Minister of the Interior under Napoleon
, was a large landowner in Sancerre during the 19th century.
Area transportation was improved by the construction of a suspension bridge at Saint Thibault (1834), the Lateral Canal of the Loire
(1838) and later, the Bourges-Sancerre railroad line (1885). A mansion was built on the ruins of the original Chateau de Sancerre in 1874 by Mlle de Crussol d'Uzès
in the style of Louis XII
. In 1919, the mansion and part of the vineyards were purchased by Louis Alexandre Marnier-Lapostolle, the liqueur manufacturer. During World War I
, Sancerre was the site of a military hospital.
During World War II
, Sancerre was a regional command center for the French Resistance
. "Operation Spencer” in 1944 was to prevent the Germans from crossing the Loire River between Gien
and Nevers
and reinforcing troops in Brittany
. The French Resistance
and Free French Forces
blew up the bridge at Sancerre and sabotaged communication, road and railway lines. On June 25, 1944, German troops based in Cosne-sur-Loire set fire to the village of Thauvenay
in reprisal for an ambush of the French Resistance
, burning fifty houses, executing six men and taking eleven people hostage.
grape until the 20th century, the Sancerre area was devastated by phylloxera
in the late 19th century. The vineyards were replanted in Sauvignon Blanc
(also see Sancerre (wine)
). In 1936 Sancerre white was given AOC
(INAO
) status; reds were classified in 1959. The area now produces white, red and rose wine. The following communes fall inside the "Sancerre" and "Sancerre-Loire Valley" controlled label of origin area: Bannay, Bué, Crézancy-en-Sancerre, Menetou-Râtel, Ménétréol
, Montigny, Saint Satur, Sainte-Gemme, Sancerre, Sury-en-Vaux, Thauvenay
, Veaugues, Verdigny et Vinon.
The area is also noted for its goat cheese. The nearby village of Chavignol, which gave its name to the cheese – Crottin de Chavignol
– is located on the territory of the commune.
Maison des Sancerre: Wine exposition located in 14th–16th century house with tower.
The city is a cobweb of twisted streets with many buildings surviving from the Middle Ages.
Sancerre is "twinned" with the town of Eccleshall
in England
.
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...
overlooking the Loire River. It is noted for its wine.
History
Located in the area of GaulGaul
Gaul was a region of Western Europe during the Iron Age and Roman era, encompassing present day France, Luxembourg and Belgium, most of Switzerland, the western part of Northern Italy, as well as the parts of the Netherlands and Germany on the left bank of the Rhine. The Gauls were the speakers of...
settled by the powerful Celtic (Gaule Celtique) tribe, the Bituriges
Bituriges
The Bituriges was a tribe with its capital at Bourges .Early in the 1st century BCE, they had been one of the main tribes, especially in terms of Druids and their political influence. But they soon declined in power as the Druids were an important target for Julius Caesar in his conquest of Gaul...
, or the "Kings of the World", and after their defeat at Bourges
Bourges
Bourges is a city in central France on the Yèvre river. It is the capital of the department of Cher and also was the capital of the former province of Berry.-History:...
(Avaricum), part of Roman
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
Aquitania
Gallia Aquitania
Gallia Aquitania was a province of the Roman Empire, bordered by the provinces of Gallia Lugdunensis, Gallia Narbonensis, and Hispania Tarraconensis...
. Some evidence points to the existence of an early hillside Roman temple dedicated to Julius Caesar
Julius Caesar
Gaius Julius Caesar was a Roman general and statesman and a distinguished writer of Latin prose. He played a critical role in the gradual transformation of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire....
; located on the Roman road
Roman road
The Roman roads were a vital part of the development of the Roman state, from about 500 BC through the expansion during the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire. Roman roads enabled the Romans to move armies and trade goods and to communicate. The Roman road system spanned more than 400,000 km...
(Gordaine) from Bourges
Bourges
Bourges is a city in central France on the Yèvre river. It is the capital of the department of Cher and also was the capital of the former province of Berry.-History:...
to the river town of Gordona (Castle-Gordon), now Saint Thibault and Saint Satur. Name possibly derived from "Sacred to Caesar" and later Christianized to "Saint-Cere". During the Carolingian
Carolingian
The Carolingian dynasty was a Frankish noble family with origins in the Arnulfing and Pippinid clans of the 7th century AD. The name "Carolingian", Medieval Latin karolingi, an altered form of an unattested Old High German *karling, kerling The Carolingian dynasty (known variously as the...
period there was a small village on the hillside, clustered around the Saint Romble Church. An Augustinian
Augustinians
The term Augustinians, named after Saint Augustine of Hippo , applies to two separate and unrelated types of Catholic religious orders:...
abbey was founded in Saint Satur in 1034. A natural fortress 312 meters in height, Sancerre is a former feudal possession of the Counts of Champagne
Count of Champagne
The Counts of Champagne ruled the region of Champagne from 950 to 1316. Champagne evolved from the county of Troyes in the late eleventh century and Hugh I was the first to officially use the title "Count of Champagne". When Louis became King of France in 1314, upon the death of his father Philip...
(1152) in 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 Berry
Berry (province)
Berry is a region located in the center of France. It was a province of France until the provinces were replaced by départements on 4 March 1790....
. They built a chateau on the hill and ramparts to protect the city. The chateau had six towers including the Tower of the Strongholds (Tour des Fiefs) and the Tower of Saint George. In times of war, a fire was lit on the top of the Saint George tower that could be seen for 40 kilometres (25 mi)around. The Customs of Lorris (1155), a charter granted by Stephen I
Stephen I of Sancerre
Stephen I , first Count of Sancerre and third son of Count Theobald II of Champagne, inherited the county of Sancerre on his father's death, when his eldest brother Henry received Champagne and his elder brother Theobald Blois and Chartres...
( Étienne I ) to the merchants of Sancerre was considered one of the most progressive in the Capetian
House of Capet
The House of Capet, or The Direct Capetian Dynasty, , also called The House of France , or simply the Capets, which ruled the Kingdom of France from 987 to 1328, was the most senior line of the Capetian dynasty – itself a derivative dynasty from the Robertians. As rulers of France, the dynasty...
kingdom. In 1184, the Count of Sancerre led a band of rebels called the Brabançon
Brabançon
Historically, the adjective Brabançon refers to a native of the Duchy of Brabant. It can also refer to:*Brabançon horse - see Belgian *Petit Brabançon, type of toy dog...
s against the king. They were defeated by the Confrères de la Paix
Confrères de la Paix
The Confrères de la Paix formed an organisation of warriors dedicated to maintaining peace and order in France in the late thirteenth century. They were first organised at Le Puy in 1182 and participated conspicuously in support of Philip Augustus against Stephen I of Sancerre and his Brabançon...
, the Confraternity of Peace, a group charged with keeping order in the kingdom. In 1190, Stephen I was among the first feudal lords to abolish serfdom. The fortified city repelled the English forces twice 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...
but much of the surrounding area, including the Augustinian Abbey in Saint Satur and Saint Romble, were destroyed by the forces of Edward, the Black Prince
Edward, the Black Prince
Edward of Woodstock, Prince of Wales, Duke of Cornwall, Prince of Aquitaine, KG was the eldest son of King Edward III of England and his wife Philippa of Hainault as well as father to King Richard II of England....
. Sancerre was the seat of Joan of Arc
Joan of Arc
Saint Joan of Arc, nicknamed "The Maid of Orléans" , is a national heroine of France and a Roman Catholic saint. A peasant girl born in eastern France who claimed divine guidance, she led the French army to several important victories during the Hundred Years' War, which paved the way for the...
's great comrade-in-arms, Jean V de Bueil
Jean V de Bueil
Jean V de Bueil , called le Fléau des Anglais "plague of the English", count of Sancerre, vicount of Carentan, lord of Montrésor, Château-la-Vallière, Saint-Calais, Vaujours, Ussé and Vailly, son of Jean IV de Bueil and Margarete Dauphine of Auvergne. He is the author of Le Jouvencel Jean V de...
.
Sancerre was also the site of the infamous Siege of Sancerre
Siege of Sancerre
The Siege of Sancerre was a siege of the fortified hilltop city of Sancerre in central France during the Wars of Religion where the Huguenot population held out for nearly eight months against the Catholic forces of the king.-Background:...
(1572–1573) during the Wars of Religion
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...
where the 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...
population held out for nearly eight months against the Catholic forces of the king. The siege was one of the last times in European history where sling
Sling (weapon)
A sling is a projectile weapon typically used to throw a blunt projectile such as a stone or lead "sling-bullet". It is also known as the shepherd's sling....
s (trebuchet
Trebuchet
A trebuchet is a siege engine that was employed in the Middle Ages. It is sometimes called a "counterweight trebuchet" or "counterpoise trebuchet" in order to distinguish it from an earlier weapon that has come to be called the "traction trebuchet", the original version with pulling men instead of...
), the "Arquebuses of Sancerre", were used in warfare. The siege was documented by a Protestant minister who survived the battle, Jean de Léry
Jean de Léry
Jean de Léry was an explorer, writer and Reformed Pastor born in Lamargelle, Côte-d'Or, France. Little is known of his early life; and he might have remained unknown had he not accompanied a group of Protestants to their new colony on an island in the Bay of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil...
, in The Memorable History of the Siege of Sancerre. In 1621 much of the feudal chateau and city walls were destroyed by orders of the king to prevent further resistance. In 1640 the county became the possession of 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...
, Henry II of Bourbon, the governor of Berry. The area suffered economically from the mass exodus of Protestant merchants, tradesmen and others during the 17th century, especially after the revocation of the Edict of Nantes
Edict of Nantes
The Edict of Nantes, issued on 13 April 1598, by Henry IV of France, granted the Calvinist Protestants of France substantial rights in a nation still considered essentially Catholic. In the Edict, Henry aimed primarily to promote civil unity...
(1685).
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...
, Sancerre was the site of a royalist rebellion led by Louis-Edmond de Phelippeaux – small "Vendee Sancerroise". Sancerre was designated the seat of government for the district during the First Republic, but in 1926 the sous-préfecture and other administrative services were transferred to Bourges
Bourges
Bourges is a city in central France on the Yèvre river. It is the capital of the department of Cher and also was the capital of the former province of Berry.-History:...
. Count Jean-Pierre de Montalivet
Jean-Pierre de Montalivet
Jean-Pierre Bachasson, Seigneur et 1er Comte de Montalivet was a French statesman and Peer of France...
, of Chateau de Thauvenay
Thauvenay
Thauvenay is a commune in the Cher department in the Centre region of France.-Geography:A winegrowing and farming village situated by the banks of both the river Vauvise and the Loire lateral canal, some northeast of Bourges at the junction of the D920 with the D206, D202 and the D159 roads. The...
, Minister of the Interior under Napoleon
Napoleon I of France
Napoleon Bonaparte was a French military and political leader during the latter stages of the French Revolution.As Napoleon I, he was Emperor of the French from 1804 to 1815...
, was a large landowner in Sancerre during the 19th century.
Area transportation was improved by the construction of a suspension bridge at Saint Thibault (1834), the Lateral Canal of the Loire
Canal latéral à la Loire
The Canal Latéral à la Loire was constructed between 1827 and 1838 to connect the Canal de Briare at Briare and the Canal du Centre at Digoin, a distance of 196 km. It replaced the use of the River Loire which had reliability problems arising from winter floods and summer droughts...
(1838) and later, the Bourges-Sancerre railroad line (1885). A mansion was built on the ruins of the original Chateau de Sancerre in 1874 by Mlle de Crussol d'Uzès
Uzès
Uzès is a commune in the Gard department in southern France.It lies about 25 km north-northeast of Nîmes.-History:Originally Ucetia, Uzès was a small Gallo-Roman oppidum, or administrative settlement. The town lies at the source of the Eure, from where a Roman aqueduct was built in the first...
in the style of Louis XII
Louis XII of France
Louis proved to be a popular king. At the end of his reign the crown deficit was no greater than it had been when he succeeded Charles VIII in 1498, despite several expensive military campaigns in Italy. His fiscal reforms of 1504 and 1508 tightened and improved procedures for the collection of taxes...
. In 1919, the mansion and part of the vineyards were purchased by Louis Alexandre Marnier-Lapostolle, the liqueur manufacturer. During World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, Sancerre was the site of a military hospital.
During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Sancerre was a regional command center for the French Resistance
French Resistance
The French Resistance is the name used to denote the collection of French resistance movements that fought against the Nazi German occupation of France and against the collaborationist Vichy régime during World War II...
. "Operation Spencer” in 1944 was to prevent the Germans from crossing the Loire River between Gien
Gien
Gien is a commune in the Loiret department in north-central France.Gien is on the Loire River, from Orléans. The town was bought for the royal property by Philip II of France. The town is twinned with Malmesbury in England.-Sights:*Faience de Gien...
and Nevers
Nevers
Nevers is a commune in – and the administrative capital of – the Nièvre department in the Bourgogne region in central France...
and reinforcing troops in Brittany
Brittany
Brittany is a cultural and administrative region in the north-west of France. Previously a kingdom and then a duchy, Brittany was united to the Kingdom of France in 1532 as a province. Brittany has also been referred to as Less, Lesser or Little Britain...
. The French Resistance
French Resistance
The French Resistance is the name used to denote the collection of French resistance movements that fought against the Nazi German occupation of France and against the collaborationist Vichy régime during World War II...
and Free French Forces
Free French Forces
The Free French Forces were French partisans in World War II who decided to continue fighting against the forces of the Axis powers after the surrender of France and subsequent German occupation and, in the case of Vichy France, collaboration with the Germans.-Definition:In many sources, Free...
blew up the bridge at Sancerre and sabotaged communication, road and railway lines. On June 25, 1944, German troops based in Cosne-sur-Loire set fire to the village of Thauvenay
Thauvenay
Thauvenay is a commune in the Cher department in the Centre region of France.-Geography:A winegrowing and farming village situated by the banks of both the river Vauvise and the Loire lateral canal, some northeast of Bourges at the junction of the D920 with the D206, D202 and the D159 roads. The...
in reprisal for an ambush of the French Resistance
French Resistance
The French Resistance is the name used to denote the collection of French resistance movements that fought against the Nazi German occupation of France and against the collaborationist Vichy régime during World War II...
, burning fifty houses, executing six men and taking eleven people hostage.
Economy: Food and wine
Known principally for the production of red wine from the Pinot NoirPinot Noir
Pinot noir is a black wine grape variety of the species Vitis vinifera. The name may also refer to wines created predominantly from Pinot noir grapes...
grape until the 20th century, the Sancerre area was devastated by phylloxera
Phylloxera
Grape phylloxera ; originally described in France as Phylloxera vastatrix; equated to the previously described Daktulosphaira vitifoliae, Phylloxera vitifoliae; commonly just called phylloxera is a pest of commercial grapevines worldwide, originally native to eastern North America...
in the late 19th century. The vineyards were replanted in Sauvignon Blanc
Sauvignon blanc
Sauvignon Blanc is a green-skinned grape variety which originates from the Bordeaux region of France. The grape most likely gets its name from the French word sauvage and blanc due to its early origins as an indigenous grape in South West France., a possible descendant of savagnin...
(also see Sancerre (wine)
Sancerre (wine)
Sancerre is a French wine Appellation d'origine contrôlée for wine produced in the environs of Sancerre in the eastern part of the Loire valley, southeast of Orléans. Almost all of the appellation lies on the left bank of the Loire, opposite Pouilly-Fumé. It is well regarded for and primarily...
). In 1936 Sancerre white was given AOC
Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée
Appellation d’origine contrôlée , which translates as "controlled designation of origin", is the French certification granted to certain French geographical indications for wines, cheeses, butters, and other agricultural products, all under the auspices of the government bureau Institut National...
(INAO
Institut National des Appellations d'Origine
The Institut National des Appellations d'Origine is the French organization charged with regulating French agricultural products with Protected Designations of Origin . Controlled by the French government, it forms part of the Ministry of Agriculture...
) status; reds were classified in 1959. The area now produces white, red and rose wine. The following communes fall inside the "Sancerre" and "Sancerre-Loire Valley" controlled label of origin area: Bannay, Bué, Crézancy-en-Sancerre, Menetou-Râtel, Ménétréol
Ménétréol
Ménétréol may refer to two communes in the Cher department, central France:*Ménétréol-sous-Sancerre*Ménétréol-sur-Sauldre...
, Montigny, Saint Satur, Sainte-Gemme, Sancerre, Sury-en-Vaux, Thauvenay
Thauvenay
Thauvenay is a commune in the Cher department in the Centre region of France.-Geography:A winegrowing and farming village situated by the banks of both the river Vauvise and the Loire lateral canal, some northeast of Bourges at the junction of the D920 with the D206, D202 and the D159 roads. The...
, Veaugues, Verdigny et Vinon.
The area is also noted for its goat cheese. The nearby village of Chavignol, which gave its name to the cheese – Crottin de Chavignol
Crottin de Chavignol
Crottin de Chavignol is the most famous goat cheese of the many varieties produced in the Loire Valley. This cheese is the claim to fame for the village of Chavignol, France, which has only two hundred inhabitants.-History:...
– is located on the territory of the commune.
Population
Sights and tourism
Of architectural significance: Belfry of St. Jean, a 16th century bell tower built by the prosperous merchants of Sancerre; Tour des Fiefs (1390), the lone remaining tower of the feudal chateau; and the ruins of Saint Romble, a medieval church destroyed by the English.Maison des Sancerre: Wine exposition located in 14th–16th century house with tower.
The city is a cobweb of twisted streets with many buildings surviving from the Middle Ages.
Sancerre is "twinned" with the town of Eccleshall
Eccleshall
Eccleshall is a town in Staffordshire, England. It is located seven miles north west of Stafford, and six miles west of Stone. Eccleshall is twinned with Sancerre in France.-History:...
in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
Personalities
- Stephen I of SancerreStephen I of SancerreStephen I , first Count of Sancerre and third son of Count Theobald II of Champagne, inherited the county of Sancerre on his father's death, when his eldest brother Henry received Champagne and his elder brother Theobald Blois and Chartres...
(Étienne I), Count of Sancerre (1133–1191) Crusader; died at the Siege of Acre. - Etienne II of Sancerre, Count of Sancerre (1252–1306) Grand Bouteiller of France
- Louis II de Sancerre, Count of Sancerre (d. August 26, 1346) One of the few French nobles to penetrate the English front line at the Battle of CrécyBattle of CrécyThe Battle of Crécy took place on 26 August 1346 near Crécy in northern France, and was one of the most important battles of the Hundred Years' War...
. Killed in the battle. - Louis de Sancerre, Marshal of FranceMarshal of FranceThe Marshal of France is a military distinction in contemporary France, not a military rank. It is granted to generals for exceptional achievements...
, Constable of FranceConstable of FranceThe Constable of France , as the First Officer of the Crown, was one of the original five Great Officers of the Crown of France and Commander in Chief of the army. He, theoretically, as Lieutenant-general of the King, outranked all the nobles and was second-in-command only to the King...
(1342–1402) Buried in Saint Denis BasilicaSaint Denis BasilicaThe Cathedral Basilica of Saint Denis is a large medieval abbey church in the commune of Saint-Denis, now a northern suburb of Paris. The abbey church was created a cathedral in 1966 and is the seat of the Bishop of Saint-Denis, Pascal Michel Ghislain Delannoy...
near King Charles VCharles V of FranceCharles V , called the Wise, was King of France from 1364 to his death in 1380 and a member of the House of Valois...
. - Stephen of Sancerre, Lord of Vailly (d. 1390 in Tunis) Died fighting the Moors under the command of Louis II de Bourbon, Duke of Bourbon (1337–1410).
- Jean V de BueilJean V de BueilJean V de Bueil , called le Fléau des Anglais "plague of the English", count of Sancerre, vicount of Carentan, lord of Montrésor, Château-la-Vallière, Saint-Calais, Vaujours, Ussé and Vailly, son of Jean IV de Bueil and Margarete Dauphine of Auvergne. He is the author of Le Jouvencel Jean V de...
, Admiral of FranceAdmiral of FranceThe title Admiral of France is one of the Great Officers of the Crown of France, the naval equivalent of Marshal of France.The title was created in 1270 by Louis IX of France, during the Eighth Crusade. At the time it was equivalent to the office of Constable of France. The Admiral was responsible...
(1406–1477) The Plague of the English and author of Le Jouvencel. - Jean de LéryJean de LéryJean de Léry was an explorer, writer and Reformed Pastor born in Lamargelle, Côte-d'Or, France. Little is known of his early life; and he might have remained unknown had he not accompanied a group of Protestants to their new colony on an island in the Bay of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil...
, Protestant minister and author, History of a Voyage to the Land of Brazil, 1578 and The Memorable History of the Siege of Sancerre, 1574. - Samuel BernardSamuel BernardSamuel Bernard , Count of Coubert , was a French financier.-Life:Of Dutch origin, Samuel Bernard was the son of the painter and engraver Samuel-Jacques Bernard...
, comte de Coubert (1651–1739) Protestant Financier - Count Louis of Sancerre, companion of explorer Sieur de la SalleRené-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La SalleRené-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle, or Robert de LaSalle was a French explorer. He explored the Great Lakes region of the United States and Canada, the Mississippi River, and the Gulf of Mexico...
, 1682. - Étienne MacDonaldÉtienne-Jacques-Joseph-Alexandre MacDonaldÉtienne Jacques Joseph Alexandre MacDonald, 1st duke of Taranto was a Marshal of France and military leader during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars.-Family background:...
, Duke of TarantoTarantoTaranto is a coastal city in Apulia, Southern Italy. It is the capital of the Province of Taranto and is an important commercial port as well as the main Italian naval base....
, Marshal of FranceMarshal of FranceThe Marshal of France is a military distinction in contemporary France, not a military rank. It is granted to generals for exceptional achievements...
(1765–1840) NapoleonNapoleon I of FranceNapoleon Bonaparte was a French military and political leader during the latter stages of the French Revolution.As Napoleon I, he was Emperor of the French from 1804 to 1815...
made him Marshal of France on the battlefield at WagramBattle of WagramThe Battle of Wagram was the decisive military engagement of the War of the Fifth Coalition. It took place on the Marchfeld plain, on the north bank of the Danube. An important site of the battle was the village of Deutsch-Wagram, 10 kilometres northeast of Vienna, which would give its name to the...
. - Jean-Pierre Bachasson, comte de Montalivet (1766–1823) French statesman
- Louis Mairet, Commander of the Legion of Honor, Companion of the Order of Liberation (1916–1998) Parachutist with the Free French Squadron; destroyed the bridge at Sancerre in World War IIWorld War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
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