Castle of Foix

The castle of Foix is a strong Château which dominates the town of Foix. Important tourist resort, it is famous in all the Ariège like high-place Cathare.

History

Succeeding a strengthened construction (castrum) of the VII^e and 8th centuries, the castle is announced as of 987. In 1002, it appears in the will of Roger Ier, count of Carcassonne which bequeaths the fortress to its Bernard junior. Indeed, the seigneuriale family reigning on the country, had settled at this place which made it possible to order the accesses to the high valley of Ariège, to supervise of this strategic point the low country all while protecting itself behind impregnable walls.

In 1034, the castle becomes chief town of the Comté of Foix and plays a determining role in the medieval military history. During the two following centuries, the castle shelters counts with the brilliant personalities which were the heart of resistance occitane during the crusade against the Albigensians and their county became the privileged refuge of the persecuted Cathares.

The castle, often besieged in particular by Simon de Montfort (in 1211 & 1212), resisted the attack warriors well and was taken only once, in 1486, by treason at the time of the war between the two branches of the family of Foix. Prowess at the time, the counts succeeded in preserving their site of the annexation and begins even an extraordinary rise! In 1290, Roger-Bernard III becomes Viscount of Béarn, of which he marries the Marguerite heiress. As of the 14th century, the counts de Foix, whose brilliance Gaston Phébus (1343-1391) forsake more and more the castle, because uncomfortable, with the profit of the Palate of the governors (the current court). From 1479, the count de Foix becomes king de Navarre and the last of them, become Henri IV, king de France in 1607, appendix his grounds Pyrenean with the France. Sit of the governor of the Country of Foix since the 15th century, the castle continues to ensure the defense of the Country, in particular during the wars of religion. There only remains of all the castles of the area, after order of rasement of Richelieu (1632-1638). Until the Revolution, the fortress remains seat of garrison. Its life is enamelled imposing receptions at the time of arrivals of the governors of which the count de Tréville, captain of the musketeers of Louis XIII, and the marshal of Ségur, minister of Louis XVI. High the Ronde tower at the 15th century is most recent, the two square towers having been built before the 11th century. They were used as political and civil prison during four centuries until 1862.

Since 1930, the castle shelters the collections of the departmental museum of the Ariège. Prehistory, Gallo-Roman and medieval archeology… testify to the history of Ariège since the oldest times. Currently, the museum redeploys the collections around the history of the site of the castle attempting to restore the life with Foix at the time of the counts.

See too

County of Foix
List of the counts de Foix

External bonds

Castle of Foix

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