Castle of Pusignan

The castle of Pusignan was a feudal fortress built at the 12th century on the site of an old Roman strengthened camp. Its ruins and its glorious last make today the pride of the commune of Pusignan, near to the airport of Lyon-Saint Exupéry.

A Roman camp

Near Lugdunum ( Lyon ), the Romans had established, on a morainic hill of origin dominating the plain, a strengthened camp, ordered by Pusinius, lieutenant of César, allowing to control the road going of Lugdunum to Crémiacum ( Crémieu ).

With the fall of the Roman Empire, the Burgondes were installed on the site. Later, at the beginning of the the Middle Ages, a feudal mound was set up on the old site of the Roman camp; initially wood turn, then construction of rollers, called “Old man chatel”. But with the wire of the centuries, this construction proved too modest to face the quarrels with the close lords.

Also, at the 12th century, the construction of a strong castle was undertaken by the local lords, “of Moifond”, important fortification, dominating the plain in the south and the forest of Planaise. The enclosure was enough vast to accommodate the peasants coming to take refuge there in the event of conflict. The years passed, and in 1389, the king Charles VI gave the authorization to demolish the antique “Chatel Old man”.

The battle of Anthon (1430)

In June 1430, the castle of Pusignan was mingled with an event with very great importance for the future with the Dauphiné. Often regarded as an important episode of the wars of the 15th century between the Kingdom of France and the Duchy of Burgundy, the Bataille of Anthon indeed had as a stake the integrity of the Dauphine one. Indeed, Louis de Chalon, prince d' Orange, who enjoyed the confidence of his suzerain, the duke of Burgundy, had decided to conquer the Dauphiné in order to connect its field of Franche-Comté to its Principauté of Orange.

Alix de Varax, owner of the castle of Pusignan, takes the party of Prince d' Orange and accommodates a garrison orangist. The governor of Dauphine, Raoul de Gaucourt, feeling the danger, asks for the assistance of the Sénéchal of Lyon, Humbert de Grolée. But, those, being aware of their numerical inferiority, then associate the services of a frightening captain of truck drivers who camps in the Vivarais: Rodrigue de Villandrando.

The From the Dauphine and their allies, guessing the imminent attack, take the initiative and seize the castles already occupied by the troops orangists: Auberive, Azieu, Dovecote, except for that of Anthon, always with the hands of the orangists. As soon as the fortress of Auberive was removed (the May 27th), the small army delphinale moved towards north and penetrated in Velin, where it establishes its camp under the walls of the castle of Pusignan, the June 7th 1430. The garrison orangist could not resist a long time and capitulated with the first attack, as of the June 9th.

At this point in time took place the “Bataille of Anthon”, the June 11th 1430. Louis de Chalon, extremely of its impressive numerical superiority with its 4.000 men, advances in all peace with the help of the Château of Dovecote, of which he is unaware of rendering. It engages on the way of Anthon to Colombier which curves through wood, there or precisely the 1.600 combatants from the Dauphine and allied are in ambush in the coppices, close to the village of Janneyrias.

The column orangist, stretched in the narrow way, is abruptly surprised of all shares. The powerful cavalry orangist is taken with the trap. Soon, it is the general confusion and saves it which can in direction of Anthon. The runaways give up weapons and luggage and are run away through wood. More than 200 men drown while trying to cross the the Rhone tumultuous. Thus was completed the “Bataille of Anthon”. The Dauphiné was saved.

The king Charles VII confiscated the castle of Pusignan with Alix de Varax which had taken the party of Prince d' Orange and made of it gift with Rodrigue de Villandrando, whose valiancy had been determining in the exit of the combat.

Of lieutenant de Jeanne d' Arc with the Brigadier of Louis XIV

The calm one having returned, the castle was bought in 1450 by Aymar de Poisieu - called “ Cape Dorat ” because of its long blond hair - former lieutenant of Jeanne d' Arc, which had been illustrated with the Siège of Orleans. He became the confidant of the Dolphin Louis II, the future King de France Louis XI, and negotiated the marriage of this one with Charlotte of Savoy.

In 1573, the descendants of Aymar de Poisieu sold the seigniory of Pusignan with François de Costaing, lord of the palate. Its grandson Aymar de Costaing was Lieutenant Général of the Grande Fauconnerie de France and frequently accompanied Louis XIII in his displacements. Not having descendants, it establishes a will in favor of a nephew, Claude de Camus d' Arginy, in the condition that this one took the name and arm with Costaing.

With died of Aymar de Costaing, in 1679, and in accordance with the conditions of the will established by his/her uncle, Claude de Camus d' Arginy was called henceforth Claude Costaing de Pusignan. It was used in almost all the campaigns as Louis XIV and ordered the regiments of Plessis Praslin and Languedoc. In 1679, the king was to reward his faithful soldier by raising to the marquisat the seigniory for Pusignan. At the time of an attack in front of Londonderry, seaboard town of the north of the Ireland, Claude Costaing de Pusignan accepted a blow of mousquet in full chest the May 5th 1689. Without care, he failed during five days and died the May 10th.

The castle was sold on different occasions to fall lastly to Hugues Gautier de Mézia, born in 1745.

The July 29th 1789, the castle of Pusignan was plundered and set fire to by a band of brigands from the Dauphine, to which peasants of the surroundings had joined.

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