Mirande

Mirande is a common French, located in the department of the Gers and the area the Midday-Pyrenees.

The Mirandaise is a bovine race.

Geography

The commune is located on on the Baïse

History

Mirande is a country house 13th century built on left bank of the Fall. Seen since the greens slopes which surround it, Mirande offers a which charms aspect which justifies its name (Miranda, to admire). In the neighborhoods, many prehistoric vestiges and Tumulus testify to an old occupation of the region.

Eminent archeologists put forth the assumption of an establishment Gallo-Roman E on the territory where Mirande rises. It is accredited by the pile and them funerary enclosures of the district of Artigues, but also by several lucky finds fortuitous whose last in date is that of a marble head of size natural setting with discovered during work carried out in a street of Mirande.

Foundation

Mirande was founded in 1280, close to the village of Midsummer's Day de Lézian, by the abbot of Berdoues and the count d' Astarac, Bernard IV, who granted habits to him often confirmed and extended thereafter. The king of France, associated with their paréage, promised its support for the incipient city.

Completed towards 1288, the city presented a regular layout of country house, with its place drawn power station and its streets with the chalk line. It was protected by a solid bored walled enclosure of four doors which remained partly until 19th century. A splendid castle comtal was drawn up out of the walls.

Growth

Thanks to its ideal situation on the Fall, Mirande knew a fast expansion and was not long in being with narrow in its fortifications. As of 1297, it became the capital of the county of Astarac. Its jurisdiction extended soon to eighteen villages which one called the Pole of Mirande. Mirandais, jealous of their rights and their freedom, are reflected quickly in search of new concessions. For that, they entered successively in conflict with the count de Pardiac, the lords of the manor of Laas and Monclar, and even their own lords.

In 1283, Bernard IV and his wife had founded outside the city the convent of Cordeliers, which was increased about 1320 on order of the pope Jean XXII. Destroyed by the Protestants, then rebuilt, it was closed in 1790 and was given up with the insults of time. In 1338, Mirandais, P. Arnaud, fought the English under the orders of Raymond-Arnaud de Béarn, captain of Marsan. The same year, Philippe VI helped Mirande, attacked on all sides by the enemies of France.

With the house of Astarac, the militia of the place took party for the count de Foix and the lord of Antin, against the count of Armagnac and the baron de Montesquiou. Their equipped devastators were followed terrible reprisals and one needed the intervention of the Parlement of Toulouse to put an end to it, under Charles VI.

In 1442, Jean III, count d' Astarac, led several valorous Mirandais to the forwarding of Charles VII against the English and, in 1453, to that which removed the Guyenne definitively to them. With the battle of Castillon it ordered sixty-six men-at-arms. About 1526, the Mathe countess besieged Mirande to avenge an insult which his/her children had received there. After some unproductive attacks, it changed the seat into blockade and, of the convent of Cordeliers where it had been cut off, devoted itself to all kinds of violences on its adversaries. The population, courageous but too weak to resist a long time, called upon the Parliament of Toulouse which delivered it relentless countess and confiscated the county with the profit of the Crown. The debates continued in front Parliament of Bordeaux, the large Council of the king and Parliament of Paris. They finished only in 1562, by a transaction which reinforced the old privileges of Mirandais. Eight years later, the grandson of Mathe, Henri of Foix-Caudal, entered in possession of all Astarac by royal letters data to Gallon.

Henri IV

In 1577, king de Navarre, at the beginning of his fight against the League, took Mirande. With the assistance of some lords of which the knight of Antras, inhabitants demolished garrison inhabitant of Béarn at the end of a bloody combat. Winners could respect the future Henri IV which, arrived at the throne of France, granted to them new favors. They were worthy of the royal benevolence and transfer to entrust the guard of their city in 1615, following letters very flattering of the court, including two written by Louis XIII.

In 1630 in Mirande a convent of Clariste S. Rebâti at the next century is established, it undergoes with Revolution fate of that of Cordeliers, without being however completely forsaken since it became college. Mirande also had a hospital of Saint Jacques, close to Kisses, open to the pilgrims on the way for Compostelle, and one brotherhood of Penitent white rested by the commune itself in 1630.

The church

The Notre-Dame church, whose construction is due to the abbot of Berdoues and the count of Astarac, goes back to the first years of the 15th century. It became parochial and archpriest after the destruction of the church of Midsummer's Day de Lézian, with 16th century. In 1410 the pope had indicated it for seat of évêché that it founded for the benefit of the abbey of Berdoues. Three years after the bubble of erection was revoked, but the évêché transitory one of Mirande was worth with its church a title of cathedral which him sied well. The building, imposing, spans the road by one astonishing porch being next to the bell-tower, which supports pinnacles. It also announce by its stalls, like a furnace bridge coming from the abbey from Berdoues, a beautiful stained glass of XVe and the way of cross. One can see moreover in Mirande some remainders of the old fortifications, beautiful houses of 15th century neighbors of the place with arches, a bridge of XVIIIe on the Fall, the town hall, with its pleasant public garden, and the flowered walks. With surroundings appear the ruins of the castle of the counts d' Astarac, which disappeared in even time that the church of SaintJean. Close to the barracks of the Guards, a plate recall that Alain Fournier, the author of “Large Meaulnes”, placed here. Weapons of city: of azure with three round mirrors of money bordered of gold, two and one.

Today

Mirande, district during the Revolution, today sub-prefecture and seat of the archpriest, is twinned within the European framework with the towns of Korntal in Germany and of Tubize in Belgium. It is a center of breeding and export poultry. Geese, turkeys and chickens which are negotiated there the day of the market have acquired by their savor a fame which exceeds our borders.

Exploiting the facilities which the Fall offers, Mirande knew to obtain important equipment of leisures. On the river banks are an arranged camp-site, a superb swimming pool, sports grounds: Rugby, tennis, balls, a pediment of winds into a ball Basque and a horse club. Equestrian excursions are possible in region. A very alive folk group makes known with the tourists the dances old of the area. Dimensioned sport, Mirande can be enorgueillir of three titles of champion of France of Tennis shoe (LFB) in 1988,1989 and 1990.

As for the festivals of the August 15th, they always attract a vast public. Life cultural, it, is pressed on a library, a company philharmonic which gives many concerts and especially a museum of painting known as of the “Minor artists”, who is one of richest of Gascogne. Founded in 1832 by a child of Mirande, Joseph Delort, it has remarkable fabrics school Rebirth of the Netherlands and schools Frenchwoman and Italian of XVIIe and 19th centuries. Mirande-the-pretty can receive and its hotels and restaurants, modern and very accessible, are faithful to the Gascon kitchen traditional. Mirande remains one of these provincial boroughs which can combine them pleasures of the countryside to the conveniences of the city.

Administration

|- | align=right| March 2001 || || Pierre Beaudran ||align=" center" | UMP ||Usher

Demography

Places and monuments

Personalities related to the commune

Louis Arenilla

Twinning

(since 1964)

See too

Common of Gers
VAT Mirande

External bonds

Official site of the tourist office of Mirande
Mirande on the site of the national geographical Institute
Mirande on the site of INSEE
Mirande on the site of Quid
Localization of Mirande on a chart of France and communes bordering
Plane on Mirande on Mapquest

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