History of Haute-Marne

The grounds of the current department of the Haute-Marne are occupied by man 300.000 to 200.000 years before our era. The process of neolithisation intervenes towards 4000 av. J. - C.

Antiquity

From Ve front S.J. - C. the Celtes settle in the area, in particular the tribe of the Lingons which found the future city of Langres. In 58 av. J. - C. the Lingons join with Jules César which launched out to the conquest of Gaulle. This alliance was a wise choice because under the reign of the emperor Auguste the cities lingonnes were promoted " quoted alliées" , which accelerated the assimilation with the Latin culture and exempted to pay a tribute to mark its subjection to Rome. Under the Roman empire the whole of Haute-Marne belonged to the province of Gaulle Lyonnaise.

Christianity develops starting from IIIe S. and Langres becomes the seat of a Diocèse.

In IVe S. the cruel invasions see the Francs settling in the north of the current department, while the Burgonde S are established in its southern part. The southern half passes then under the control of the Francs during the reign of Clovis.

The Middle Ages

Under the dynasties mérovingiennes and Carolingien born the grounds haut-marnaises are subjected to the risks of the History. The northern part being rather included/understood in the Duchy of Champagne, 575 with 751; while in the south, the diocese of Langres follows the influence of Burgondie. After incorporatebeing incorporated in the empire of Charlemagne, Haute-Marne is integrated in the kingdom of Francie Occidentale at the time of the division of Verdun in 843.

From XIe S. Haute-Marne is included/understood in the county of Champagne. However the diocese of Langres remains a Burgundian ground. The valleys of current Haute-Marne then seem a walk, leant with the Lotharingie and moved away from the centers of being able. Local lords follow to it an almost independent policy thanks to strategic fortresses: Chaumont, Vignory, Joinville, Montigny, Clefmont, Bourmont, Andelot, Reynel.

In 1284 the county of Champagne is allocated to the single Jeanne heiress, who marries the king of France Philippe Beautiful the. Their son Louis X links then the future grounds tops-marnaises with the Crown.

During the War One hundred Year old, the majority of the local lords and the towns of Chaumont and Langres are subjected to the Duc of Burgundy, then combined with the English. But thereafter the territory is reconquered by the king Charles VII.

Modern time

In XVIe S. Haute-Marne remains a walk of the kingdom of France because it borders the Lorraine, ground of the Saint Empire Romain Germanique. In 1544 the emperor Charles Quint puts the seat in front of Saint-Dizier. The city resists during 6 weeks and allows François I {{er}} to go to the meeting of the enemies. The inhabitants of Saint-Dizier will acquerront the nickname of " thereafter; Bragards" (good sort).

As in all the kingdom of France, the Réforme is established in Haute-Marne, in particular with Wassy and Langres. March 1st 1562 the duke François de Guise on the way for Paris, accompanied by his/her cardinal brother and an armed escort, passes by the town of Wassy. They discover Protestants collecting itself in a barn. The soldiers of the duke come to importune them, and after the mockeries and the insults blood runs and several tens of Protestants are killed. The news is spread and of the Protestants try to stop, without success, François de Guise which arrives except to Paris. This event marks the beginning of the Wars of religion in France.

The Guerre Thirty Year old bring new dangers, but under the Bourbons current Haute-Marne is relatively saved by the wars. The valleys are good arable lands, the forging mills and the blast furnaces multiply, the iron ores is abundant in the Northern half of the department, the vine develops, the forests are exploited more and more, of the Jésuites colleges function with Langres and Chaumont.

Contemporary time

In 1814 Chaumont is the involuntary witness of the nearest end of Ier Empire. Indeed on March 1st Prussia, Russia, England and Austria sign an agreement where they are committed not concluding from separate peace and to fight the emperor Napoleon i until his final defeat.

During the Second world war Haute-Marne is divided under the German occupation. The channel of the Marne in the Saone (which crosses the department in its length of North to the South) is used as border: in the East the " zone réservée" , intended for the creation of a country thiois, and for the West traditional the " zone occupée". Haute-Marne is released by the Allies, in particular by the division of the Général Leclerc, enters at the end of August and at the beginning of September 1944.

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