Orgelet (the Jura)

Geography

History

Middle Ages

One is unaware of the date of foundation of the city, related to the construction of the first castle of Orgelet, undoubtedly in the middle of the 12th century. The prevalence of Orgelet on the surroundings will continue with the arrival of a family of large lords, the Counts de Chalon, at the beginning of the 13th century. Jean the Antique establishes its districts of there 1232 with 1234 and Orgelet becomes soon the chief town of vast a baronnie controlling all the territory ranging between Right Bank of the Ain and the Revermont, of Largillay with Oliferne.

In 1267, with died of his/her father, Jean Ier of Châlon-Auxerre recovers after some disputes with his/her younger brother, Perrin, the baronnie of Orgelet, and grants to the city autonomous municipal authorities ensured by four consuls elected by the inhabitants. This charter of frankness fixes the rights that reserves the lord. In 1292, Jean Ier makes build a hospital whose administration is entrusted to the hospital of the Saint Spirit in Besancon charged to recruit the personnel and to ensure operation of it. This is why it is named the Notre Dame hospital or of the Saint Spirit. It is undoubtedly about the same time, that is posed in the castle the very beautiful tiling put at the day at the time of the excavations carried out in the years 1975. Jean Ier takes part in the conflict which opposes 1294 to 1301 a league of barons comtois to the king de France Philippe Beautiful the, and in 1305 it is in war against Renaud, Count de Montbéliard, it to force to recognize its suzerainté on the castles of Dramelay, Binans and Pimorin.

The son of Jean Ier having been killed in 1304 with the Battle of Mons-in-Pévèle, it is his small son, Jean II, which succeeds to him in 1309. This one leaves to lend strong hand in 1323 to the count de Savoie in war against the dolphin of the Viennese. Taken by the enemy with the Battle of Varey (1325), he remains prisoner until in 1329. In 1335, it leads a rebellion of the barons comtois against the duke of Burgundy Eudes IV, which has just joined together between its hands, by marriage, the Duché and the Comté of Burgundy. Orgelet is burned at the time of this war which finishes in 1336 by the defeat of Jean II with the Bataille of Malecombe. In 1342, it creates in Orgelet a monetary workshop where one struck money and gold coins, which is worth judgment and excommunication by his/her relative to him the archevèque of Besancon. In 1356, it is made prisoner with the Bataille of Poitiers (1356), at the same time as the king de France Jean the Good, and, like, is held to him with London until in 1360.

Like all the area, Orgelet is depopulated by several epidemics of Black Death, in 1349 and 1362 which carries with the tomb this year Jean II.

It is to the junior by wire of Jean II, Tristan which returns the baronnie of Orgelet. It hastens to confirm the franknesses granted to the city and reinforces the fortifications to face the intrusions of the Grandes Companies which afflict the area.

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