The castle , or extremely , or fortress of Ham is a castle-extremely located at Ham (Somme), in Picardy, with the doors of the Île-de-France.

History

The primitive castle, whose construction is lost in the mists of time, was restored by Odon IV at the 13th century, then at the 15th century by Jean II of Luxembourg-Ligny. The nephew of this last, Louis of Luxembourg-Saint-pol., count of Saint-pol. and constable of Louis XI in 1465, made build in 1441 a monumental keep, the gross tower or “turn of the constable”, who was 33 meters in diameter, 33 meters height and whose walls made 11 meters thickness.

The castle of Ham was besieged on several occasions, in particular by Philippe II of Spain in 1557.

Attached to the crown of France under the reign of Henri IV, it was the object of transformations at the end of the 17th century by Vauban.

It was then transformed into prison of State. It accommodated famous prisoners with number of which the last was prince Louis-Napoleon Bonaparte (future Napoleon III) which remained six years there, and ends up escaping from it, disguised as a mason, under the identity of Badinguet .

In 1870, the second army of North encircled the town of Ham occupied by the Prussians and obliged them to sign a capitulation.

Like the Castle of Coucy, the fort was dynamited by the Germans, on March 19th 1917. There remains beautiful building today only picturesque ruins dominating the peaceful course of the channel of the Sum.

Famous prisoners imprisoned at the height of Ham

• Jacques Cassard, French corsair

• Mirabeau
• the marshal of Moncey
• Martial de Guernon-Ranville and Jean de Chantelauze, ministers of Charles X (1831 - 1836)
• Louis-Napoleon Bonaparte, future Napoleon III

See too

• House of Ham

External bond

• Castle of Ham

Bibliography and sources

• Ham, its castle and its prisoners , Charles Gomart, 1864 - rééd. : The Vague Green one, 2000