Castle of Ferrette

A little history

It is on a rock piton which culminates to 612 m of altitude, overhanging the town of Ferrette, Haut-Rhin, which Frederic of Montbeliard, wire of Louis IV, count de Monbéliard, made build the castle of Ferrette, classified historic building in 1842. It is not known if Frederic completely built the castle or only restored one fortress while constuisant on the ruins of what was a tower of observation built by the Romans.

In 1103 Frederic 1st, inherits the grounds of higher Alsace, which took later the name of county of Ferrette. He dies about the year 1168. His/her Louis son succeeds to him but dies at the time of a crusade to which it took share in 1189.

The son of Louis, Frederic II takes the changing. He will make bear fruit his grounds at the point to cause the covetousness of Évèque of Basle with which he will have many conflicts. He will be assassinated in 1233, officially by his Louis son who will be accused of parricide and will be excommunicated. Its other wire, Ulrich seizes the power. They are only six centuries later that one will discover a parchment containing the consent, per Ulrich, of the assassination of his father.

This parricide will not succeed to him because in 1271 Ulrich is forced to sell with évêché of Basle the castle and the town of Ferrette becoming thus vassal of Évèque of Basle, like will be his/her son Thiébaut and his small son Ulrich III.

With died Ulrich III, in 1324, Jeanne de Ferrette inherits the County of Ferrette. She marries the Archduke Albert de Habsbourg and thus integrates her county into Austria which will make it manage by administrators named by the Emperors. Given into bailliage the lords Reich de Reichenstein in 1504, then in Fugger of Augsburg of 1540 to 1567, the castle is transformed into garrison.

The castle in 1600

In 1600, the castle has three buildings: - L'" Oberschloss" or castle higher, made up of six rooms and eleven rooms, cooks, cabinet of bath and suckers. This part of the castle has a puit 60m of depth and a vault dedicated to the virgin Holy-Catherine.

- The house of the baillif has it four rooms, seven rooms, two kitchens, a stable to place three horses there, a cellar and even a room of baths. It has also attics to place 1000 rézaux grains there. A bastion with two dungeons was designed to defend this building.

- The House of the knights, has only one room and a room but especially of the attics able to contain 500 rézaux grains.

A wall with turns and bastions designed to be held a specific attack, surrounds the castle.

Today

Set fire to by the French in 1635, the castle is destroyed after war the Thirty Year old and only the low part will be restored. In 1644, to the treaty of Munster in Wesphalie, the Emperor of Austria yields the county of Ferrette to King de France Louis XIV, even makes of it him gift with its Mazarin minister who offers it to his niece whose husband takes the Titles of Duke of Mazarin and count de Ferrette. These titles will be transmitted to its heirs who always exist in the person of S.A.S. the prince of Monaco which always carries the title of count de Ferrette.

Thereafter, the castle was sold the family Zuber, rich person textile manufacturer of the area of Mulhouse. Its ruins are maintained and consolidated with the financial aid of the town of Ferrette, of the Department of Haut-Rhin and the Services of the Building industries of France.

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