Chaumont (Haute-Marne)

Geography

Located at the borders of the Plate of Langres, between Suize and the Marne.

History

The etymology of Chaumont east according to Emile Jolibois (writer of a local history at the 19th century), Calvus Mons or “Mount Bald person”, returns to the site on which the city was built at the 10th century: an abrupt spur which dominates the valleys of Suize and the Marne. Of feudal origin, old residence of the Counts de Champagne who radiated on all the area, the city thus very early profited from a strategic position.

Chaumont would not be a very old city, of feudal origin it was born with Xe century. However, of the archaeological excavations carried out of 1989 to 1992 in the forest of Corgebin allowed to highlight the bases of small a Fanum of rectangular surface, various objects and currencies struck under the reign of Marc Aurèle.

First of all the peasants and the craftsmen settled in periphery of the city which was going to be built. Thus the lords decided to establish two vaults accompanied by their cemetery: Buxereuilles and Saint-Aignan. Hardly two centuries were passed that in XIIe century, the city is involved in debt because of the actions undertaken by the lords (constructions of religious buildings, crusades…), thus it will be yielded to the Count de Champagne.

In XIIIe century Chaumont knew one boom: the number of inhabitants is in constant increase (powerful men, craftsmen, peasants…), a true city is created during this period, after the construction of the Church Jean-Baptiste Saint.

Thibault IV, Count de Champagne of 1201 to 1253, and King de Navarre of 1234 to 1253, is attacked by the Duke of Burgundy but it took refuge in its strengthened castle.

The grand-daughter of Thibault IV, Jeanne de Champagne wife Philippe Beautiful the still oldest son of the King de France. When this one reached the throne of France, Chaumont became extensive as well on its extension as on its fortification. It is in 1292, that Chaumont is recognized capital with whole share.

Chaumont suffered like all the cities from the One hundred Year old war and the plague in the first part of XVe century. When this war stopped feudality gradually also, this disappearance benefitted all the cities which were besieged permanently. Chaumont did not follow Charles Bold the in his eternal fight against the king Louis XI. At the beginning of XVIe century, Chaumont receives the visit of François 1st, he visited the fortifications and noted the échevinage (kind of municipality) founded in 1469.

In spite of the urban expansion to XVIe century, it undergoes the wars of religion which started in Wassy in Haute-Marne with the massacre of several tens of Protestants with the Duke François de Guise. Henri IV, which signed the Edit of Nantes which marked the end of the wars of religion reinforces the statute of the chaumontaise municipality in writing. However the rich person and powerful people do not accept really the capacity of the elected officials who are not always of agreement with them on the future of Chaumont.

A little before the middle the XVIIe century, the plague prevails in Chaumont, the craftsmen and the peasants being outside died per hundreds, the doors of Chaumont being closed. Louis XIII and Richelieu a few years later noted the damage of the plague and the famine which caused many debts.

When Louis XIV became king, all the powers delegated to the cities are disappeared little by little of which those of Chaumont. In 1685, the Edict of Nantes is revoked by the king, which approved the lords of Chaumont.

At the XVIIIe century, when Louis XV was king, a young sculptor pointed out himself, it acts of Edme Bouchardon (1698-1762). In 1790, Chaumont is regarded as a capital with whole share. Chaumont remained impotent vis-a-vis Terror, one period bloody of the history. Chaumont knew an economic advancement and industrial at the XIXe century with in particular the glove factory, hosiery, drapery… A true revolution of transport takes place: channels are created, of the built railroads, the built Viaduct (1856)…

Chaumont was occupied in 1814 by the enemy troops with Napoleon 1st and signed the Treaty of Chaumont secretly on March 9th, 1814 envisaging a defensive alliance of 20ans (Great Britain, Russia, Prussia and the Austria). One year after, the purpose of the Pact of Chaumont brings together the same signatories and is to fight against a new revolution on behalf of France. The city was also occupied in 1871 by the German troops during the Franco-German war (July 1870 - May 1871).

At the time of the First World War (1914-1918), the US president Wilson and his troops unloads in France and more particularly in Chaumont to install the general headquarter of the task force of the general Pershing in September 1917. Chaumont is occupied of 1940 until September 13rd, 1944 during the Second world war. After 1946, the population reached 16000 inhabitants.

In 1951, NATO begins construction from a air base which will be occupied by USAF until 1967. The 61e regiment of artillery is today on this basis.

At Chaumont, the oldest school of gendarmerie of France is located which was creates in 1945. Three years later, it is assigned to the barracks of Damrémont where the American troops of Pershing were accommodated. More than 50.000 gendarmes were formed there since his creation. In 2002, Jacques Chirac then president of the Republic symbolically gives the military decoration to this school.

Economy

Prefecture, Chaumont is a city primarily turned towards the tertiary sector, with the presence of administrations, mutual insurance companies, etc the most important establishment/undertaken in term of employees is the hospital (approximately 850 people).

It has also an antenna of the Chamber of commerce and industry of Haute-Marne. The Room manages the Aérodrome of Chaumont-Semoutiers.

To a lesser extent there exists an industry (medical equipment, Soremo…).

Until the middle of the 20th century, Chaumont had an industry of the glove universally recognized.

Administration

|- | align=right| June 1995 || Jean-Claude Daniel ||align=" center" | DVG || |- | align=right| March 1989 || Cyril de Rouvre ||align=" center" | DVD || |- | align=right| 1976 || Georges Berchet ||align=" center" | UDF - Radical party || |- | align=right| || Marcel Baron ||align=" center" | Radical party || |- | colspan=" 4" align=" center" | the former data are not yet known. |}

Demography

Famous characters

Edme Bouchardon (Chaumont 1698 - Paris 1762), sculptor.
Denis Decrès (1761 - 1820) Minister for the Navy under Napoleon of 1801 to 1815.
Louise Michel (1830-1905), important woman at the time of the Commune of Paris (1871).
Jean Masson (1907-1964), mayor of Chaumont (1945-1958), appointed of Haute-Marne (1946-1958) and several times minister under IVe Republic.

Tourist monuments and places

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