Castle of Brie-Count-Robert

The castle of Brie-Count-Robert is a medieval castle located on the commune of Brie-Count-Robert in the department of the Seine-et-Marne.

The castle of Brie-Count-Robert was built at the end of the 12th century, whereas Robert {{Romanian|I|1}} {{er}} of Dreux, brother of the king Louis {{Romanian|VII|7}}, was lord of Brie. Archaeological indices, elements of decoration and the choice of techniques of construction, make choose an architecture of this period hinge.

14th century

The castle remained in the family of Dreux until in 1254, then passed in the family of Châtillon. By Dowry successive S and heritages, it échut with Marguerite d' Artois then with his/her daughter Jeanne d' Évreux.

Jehanne d' Évreux, which held the châtellenie of Brie-Count-Robert by heritage, became the wife of the last direct king capétien, Charles {{Romanian|IV|4}} Beautiful the. With died from this one (1328), it profited from comfortable incomes (Douaire royal sitted on many Fief S in Brie and Champagne), which enabled him to devote important sums to the maintenance and the improvement of its own possessions, of which Brie-Count-Robert. She made do important work with the castle, as its accounts preserved at the Public records attest it.

The castle became a residence of prestige where all the large lords of the kingdom, in particular the dukes of Burgundy, did not hesitate to remain. One saw there, also in 1349, the marriage of Philippe {{Romanian|VI|6}} of Valois and White of Évreux-Navarre, niece of the Jeanne queen.

The lady of Brie made, in particular, arrange the residence seigneuriale luxuriously located against the Courtine S south-western, south-eastern and the especially North-East. It made build a Chapelle dedicated to Denis saint, joined with the Midsummer's Day tower, and draw vast pleasure gardens. Jeanne d' Evreux died in the castle in 1371, at the 69 years age.

At the end of the 14th century, the castle returned to the royal field, then with the family of Orleans.

15th century

Louis of Orleans led a life brilliant to the castle of Brie-Count-Robert (Tournoi S, receptions of large lords), but, in front of the growing insecurity, it made arm the castle since 1405. After its assassination by Jean without Fear, duke of Burgundy, and the constitution of the left Armagnac (1407), the castle passed under the control of the left Bourguignon, which thus secured a sure stage on the road carrying out of Paris towards Burgundy.

In 1420, the passage of the English army, on the way for Troyes, and the seat of Melun which followed, brought some disorders in the city, but did not affect the castle. It is from 1429 that the city was, “by four various times in three years”, catch and taken again by the French and the English. The major fact remains however the put seat in September 1430 by the count de Stafford, which caused immense damage, as well in the city as in the castle. The place was repurchased by the French in 1434 and was returned to its rightful owner, Charles of Orleans. His/her son, the future king Louis {{Romanian|XII|12}}, inserted the castle in the royal field.

16th century

Starting from the reign of, the castle and its grounds were entrusted by the king to some of his close relations, either as favor (“gift for a time”), or by conditional sale with faculty of repurchase (“engagement”). Let us quote among them: Louis Poncher, Philippe de Chabot, the marshal Jean Caraccioli, Balthazar Goblin, Claude de Bullion superintendent of finances of Louis {{Romanian|XIII|13}}.

In the middle of the century, various families of Italian lords, close to Catherine de Médicis (Aquaviva, Pierrevive, Gondi), held the castle, but let the building be degraded, causing even the fire of the Plancher S and some Charpente S.

A stop of the Parlement was necessary in 1567 to put an end to these depredations. At the end of the century, Balthazar Goblin, faithful of Henri {{Romanian|IV|4}}, made there make repairs.

The castle was still in a position to receive the Louis young person XIII|13 by twice, in 1609 and 1611.

17th century

In 1649, at the time of the disorders of the Sling, the city, then the castle of Brie-Count-Robert, were taken by the royal troops ordered by the count de Grancey. The castle was cannonaded by a battery during more than five hours, thus losing its south-eastern tower.

The later repairing had to be very modest: in 1681, the castle was regarded as “… uninhabitable, the filled ditches of rubbish, the garden in waste land… ”.

The President Jean-Antoine de Mesmes, another engagist, made make various maintenance work on the level of the Toiture S, and of repairs to the bridges of access. Statements of visit of the field, and beams with farm of this time, describe some interior installations. The castle was then inhabited by private individuals.

18th century

In 1750, Germain-Louis de Chauvelin, lord engagist since 1734, asserting outdatedness of the building, obtained the authorization to shave the turns and the curtains at the level of the first stage, by saving however the tower Midsummer's Day, symbol seigneurial.

Repurchased by the king Louis {{Romanian|XV|15}} in 1766, the field of Brie-Count-Robert (whose castle) was the subject of an exchange between this last and its cousin, the count of Have. Its heirs, the duke of Penthièvre, then his/her daughter, the duchess of Orleans, were the last lords.

During the French revolution, the building was used as prison with the baron de Besenval, colonel of the Swiss Gardes and ordering military Ile-de-France. The building was then sold like Bien national.

Repurchased by the city in 1803, the castle was resold in 1813. In 1879, one of the private owners who followed one another during this period, unfortunately made shave what remained of the Midsummer's Day tower, to build a parasitic modern building.

Massive topsoil contributions transformed the court and the strings into vast a Vegetable garden. The commune repurchased the castle in 1923 and historic building in 1925 made it classify.

Since 1982, the municipality undertook a programme of handing-over in value of the site, of which forms part the archaeological building site. This one precedes and often directs the programme of restoration of the vestiges of the castle.

21e century

The year 2003 sees the beginning of the great programme of restoration of the castle, with the reassembly of curtains on more than six meters height, the restoration of the tower of Brie, then the déconstruction of the house of the 19th century, allowing the rebuilding partial of the Midsummer's Day tower, according to the archaeological statements.

Inside the enclosure, the construction of a contemporary building, the Center of Interpretation of the Inheritance, allows association Friends of the Old Castle to conceive and manage a permanent exposure of site and to undertake teaching activities to it.

External bonds

Official site of the castle
Official site of the Town hall of Brie Count Robert

Random links: