Montreal Castle is an ancient 13th century castle.
The remains of the castle rise above the city of Montréal-la-Cluse, a
commune (incorporated municipality) in the Ain department in the Rhone-Alpes
region of eastern France. It is located in the historical region of
Bugey and its inhabitants are known as the Montréalais.
The castle was
built in 1245 by Etienne II Thoire-Villars (1235-1279) near the parish
of Sénoches on a steep rock he called Montreal (Mons Regalis, Mont
Royal). He remained in the House until 1402 Thoire-Villars Humbert IV
(1255-1301) began to build at the foot of the castle a city that bore
the same name and to which he granted franchises to all who come settle
there (letters patent from 1287) . The walls were erected between 1317
and 1353.
In 1402, Philip of Burgundy, known as "Philip the
Bold," did occupy Montreal and all the castles in the area (Arbent,
Matafelon Brion Fortress de Beauvoir, Cerdon, etc ...) following the
refusal of Humbert VII to pay tribute to some of his possessions. By
deed dated Castle Trevoux 14024 October 29, Humbert VII last name Thoire-Villars
thus resolved to give up to the sum of 100,000 gold florins. All
possessions to Count Amadeus VIII of Savoy. It came fully in possession
of his land than September 13, 1414 following negotiations with Philip
the Bold. Fortification works made this place "the capital city of the
mountain possessions" of the counts and dukes of Savoy. His successors
retained the lordship united in their area until 1523
On
02.11.1523, the Duke Charles III gave Montreal, with right of
redemption, Laurent Gorrevod; this clause was quickly applied. On
18/09/1565, Emmanuel Philibert gave Montreal to Charles House, Baron
Meximieux with right of redemption; Then in 1566 he gave the right to
Oddinet Louis, Lord of Montfort who applied the 07/02/1570 and the
07/22/1570 could obtain the rank of county in Montreal. On 12/10/1574,
Louis Oddinet bequeathed it to his nephew George of Mouxi, lord of St.
Paul.
The war between France
and Savoy demonstrated the
strategic importance of the
Citadel MONTREAL.
In 1602, King
Henry IV ordered the demolition
of the castle. In 1622,
Louis XIII
had it rebuilt the castle and
installed a garrison.
In 1635,
Major Antoine de DOUGLAS was
ordered to demolish
the castle again.
His son,
Charles bought
DOUGLAS County
MONTREAL 1757
MONTREAL Thus
entered the DOUGLAS
family who lived
a more modern castle built in
the foothills of MONTREAL.
This castle was acquired
by the town in
2000.
In 1622, Louis Chamber of Seyssel took the
stronghold of Montreal, which was in the hands of his descendants until
1720, when it was sold to Bernard Bude; the heirs of the latter yielded
on 04/13/1757, for 60,000 florins,
Charles Joseph Douglas, Lord of Mépillat,
Chiloup and Hautepierre, captain of the regiment Royal Scots, whose son,
Louis Archambaud Douglas (1758-1842), was the last lord Count of
Montreal; he built a new castle on the plain near the city. This castle
was acquired by the municipality of Montreal-Cluse during the year 2000.
Pierre Archimbaud de Douglas, born 1758 in Montreal, Canada, is said
to have inherited the Château de Montréal, and probably his title of
Count. He was a Knight of the Order of Saint-Maurice and Saint-Lazare,
lord of Terrebonne and Beauregard.
He received the Legion of
Honor from S.A.R. Monsieur during his visit to Bourg in 1814. He was
elected deputy of Ain on August 22, 1815.
He died in Montréal on
February 22, 1842.
Le château de Montréal est un ancien château fort, du xiiie
siècle.
Les vestiges dominent la ville de Montréal-la-Cluse
dans le département de l'Ain en région Rhône-Alpes.
Le
château aurait été érigé en 1245 par Etienne II de Thoire-Villars (1235
– 1279) à proximité de la paroisse de Sénoches sur un roc escarpé qu’il
appela Montréal (Mons Regalis ; Mont Royal). Il resta au sein de la
Maison de Thoire-Villars jusqu’en 1402. Humbert IV (1255 – 1301)
entreprit de faire construire au pied du château une ville qui porta le
même nom et à laquelle il concéda des franchises à tous ceux qui
viendraient s’y établir (lettres patentes de 1287). Des remparts furent
érigés entre 1317 et 1353.
En 1402, Philippe II de Bourgogne, dit
« Philippe le Hardi », fit occuper Montréal ainsi que toutes les
châteaux de la région (Arbent, Matafelon, Brion, forteresse de Beauvoir,
Cerdon, etc,…) suite au refus d’Humbert VII de lui rendre hommage pour
certaines de ses possessions. Par acte daté du château de Trévoux, le 29
octobre 1402, Humbert VII dernier nom de Thoire-Villars se résolue ainsi
à céder pour la somme de 100.000 florins d'or toutes ses possessions à
Amédée VIII Comte de Savoie. Ce dernier entra entièrement en possession
de ses terres que le 13 septembre 1414 suite à des négociations avec
Philippe le Hardi. Des travaux de fortification firent de cette place
"la ville capitale des possessions de montagne" des comtes puis ducs de
Savoie. Ses successeurs conservèrent la seigneurie unie à leur domaine,
jusqu'en 1523
Le 02/11/1523, le duc Charles III céda Montréal,
avec droit de rachat, à Laurent de Gorrevod ; cette clause fut
rapidement appliquée. Le 18/09/1565, Emmanuel-Philibert céda Montréal à
Charles de la Chambre, baron de Meximieux, avec droit de rachat ; il
céda ensuite en 1566 ce droit à Louis Oddinet, seigneur de Montfort qui
l’appliqua le 02/07/1570 et put obtenir le 22/07/1570 le rang de comté à
Montréal. Le 12/10/1574, Louis Oddinet le légua à son neveu Georges de
Mouxi, seigneur de Saint-Paul.
Le château féodal fut démantelé en
1602, puis complètement détruit en 1635.
En 1622, Louis de la
Chambre de Seyssel reprit le fief de Montréal qui fut aux mains de ses
descendants jusqu’en 1720, année où il fut vendu à Bernard de Budé ; les
héritiers de ce dernier le cédèrent, le 13/04/1757, pour la somme de 60
000 livres1, à Charles-Joseph de Douglas, seigneur de Mépillat, Chiloup
et Hautepierre, capitaine au régiment Royal-Ecossais, dont le fils,
Louis Archambaud de Douglas (1758-1842), fut le dernier seigneur comte
de Montréal ; ce dernier fit bâtir un nouveau château dans la plaine à
proximité de la ville. Ce château a été acquis par la commune de
Montréal-la Cluse au cours de l’année 2000.
In 1601, while
the Savoy rule in Bugey draws to a close, he (???) returned to King
Henry IV to bring the province to FRANCE, and this time for most of the
department of Ain.
And immediately manifest themselves about the
castle MONTREAL-FRANCE, inconsistency and French lightness. On the
report of Baron LUX, Henry IV ordered the demolition of several
fortified places MONTREAL the number.; eight hundred men recruited by
chores in County MONTREAL work tirelessly for a month to raze the
fortress to its foundations. After that, we see that the Franche-Comté
border is nearby, the Franche-Comté belongs to Spain, which may one day
declare war on FRANCE, and there is an urgent need to rebuild the
MONTREAL fortress. A document from 1622 shows:
"Castle sits MONTREAL
and raised on a rock, and owned by Her Majesty LOUIS XIII;
which was
rebuilt again after just a few years, and by his command, his fees will
maintain a garrison of soldiers.
"The city of MONTREAL, sits at the
foot of the rock on the side of the morning, which is a small village,
which formerly was enclosed by walls, but now, the biggest part thereof
are ruined and fallen down. .. "
In 1635, war was declared
between FRANCE and SPAIN, Antoine Duglas governor by King Castle
MONTREAL, receives the Governor of Burgundy strange note as follows: (in
old French)
Mr. Duglas,
Desiring that the chasteau
MONTREAL or Razé according to the intention of the King, I
actually ship ay my committee to proceed with the demolition
dictates, the Bugey syndicqs the country with whom I ay fit to
employ you said works, you have included in ditte commission,
whereby you manquerés together with syndicqs said, to no earlier
razer and demolish said chasteau and fill ditches Therein, so
that the intention of His Majesty, touching razement said, is
fully executed, and this reduced space in a condition of being
unable to bring any harm to his service.
Intended the
artillery and ammunition that are audict chasteau MONTREAL, for
the town of Bourg en Bresse pieces, I ordered ay to Mr. Besson,
Chastellain icelle and trustee of the country Bresse to ship
audict place to remove all artillery and ammunition, which you
put into his hands, for inventory drawn up at the bottom which
said Besson parts will give dudict empties the container
inventory, both to the King as any other.
Promise me you
employerez cestus to share with affection and loyalty vostres
ordinary, I Feray you presnte more expesse and will content
myself to make sure I am, Sir GLAS of your best amy
Monsieur DUGLAS,
Désirant que le chasteau de MONTREAL, soit
razé suivant l'intention du Roy, j'ay fait expédier ma
commission, pour procéder à la dicte démolition, aux syndicqs du
pays du Bugey, avec lesquels j'ay jugé à propos de vous employer
auxdits ouvrages, vous ayant compris dans la ditte commission,
suivant laquelle vous ne manquerés, conjointement avec lesdits
syndicqs, de faire au plus tôt razer et démolir ledit chasteau
et combler les fossés d'iceluy, en sorte que l'intention de Sa
Majesté, touchant ledit razement, soit entièrement exécutée, et
cette place réduite en estat de ne pouvoir apporter aucun
préjudice à son service.
Ayant destiné les pièces
d'artillerie et munitions de guerre qui sont audict chasteau de
MONTREAL, pour le ville de BOURG EN BRESSE, j'ay commandé au
sieur BESSON, chastellain d'icelle et syndic du pays de Bresse,
à se transporter audict lieu pour retirer toutes les pièces
d'artillerie et munitions, lesquelles vous lui mettrez entre les
mains, par inventaire qui sera dressé, au bas duquel ledit
BESSON vous donnera descharge du contenant dudict inventaire,
tant envers le Roy que tous autres. |
Jacques Marie Gabriel "Henri" de DOUGLAS
Né le 16 août 1889 -
Montréal-la-Cluse (01460), Fr-010, Ain, Rhône-Alpes, FRANCE
Décédé le 11
décembre 1924 - Paris (75012), Fr-750112, Paris (Seine), Ile-de-France, FRANCE
, à l’âge de 35 ans
Sous directeur de banque, Chevalier de la Légion
d'honneur, Croix de guerre 1914-1918,
Parents
Jacques Théodore
Sholto de DOUGLAS 1844-1925
Yvonne Marie Félix LE GENTIL de PAROY
1848-1905 Sholto de Douglas was mayor of Montreal 1858-1865
See also:
Francois-Prosper
Douglas, Chevalier de Douglas
The Douglas Chapel
The Douglas family in France |
