Château de Faucigny
Interactive map of Château de Faucigny | |
| Location | Country: France Former provinces of the Duchy of Savoy: Faucigny Region: Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Department: Haute-Savoie Municipality: Faucigny |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 46°06′57.91″N 6°21′28.66″E / 46.1160861°N 6.3579611°E[1] |
| Type | Castle |
| Beginning date | 11th century |
| Purpose | Original: Seigneurial residence Current: Community of municipalities of the four rivers |
The Château de Faucigny is a former fortified castle dating from the 11th century, the ruins of which stand in the commune of Faucigny in the department of Haute-Savoie, within the Auvergne–Rhône-Alpes region. It was the original seat of the lords of Faucigny, who controlled the Arve Valley, and later became the center of a châtellenie from their disappearance, from the 13th to the 16th century.
Location
The remains of the Château de Faucigny are located in the commune of Faucigny in the Haute-Savoie department, on a dolomitic limestone outcrop at an elevation of 706 meters. The site overlooks the Arve Valley and the commune of Contamine-sur-Arve by more than 250 meters.[2]
History
The castle, the original seat of the House of Faucigny, probably already existed around 930, although it is not explicitly recorded until 1119.[3][4][5] According to historian Nicolas Carrier, it constituted the core of the family's authority.[6]
The lords of Faucigny remained at the site until the early 13th century. Around 1200, Aymon II of Faucigny left the ancestral castle and established his residence at the Château de Châtillon-sur-Cluses, which occupied a more central position within the family's domains.[7][8]
As the seat of a châtellenie, the site lost prominence in 1251 with the establishment of Bonneville and its new castle,[9] although it remained the center of a seigneury.
It passed to the House of Savoy in 1262.[4] In her will, Agnès of Faucigny left the castle to her husband, Peter of Savoy, whom she had married in February 1234. The site was thereafter occupied by a garrison commanded by a seneschal selected from the House of Faucigny–Lucinge. In the peace treaty of August 1308 between the Count of Savoy and Béatrice, known as the "Grande Dauphine," the castles of Faucigny, Bonne, Monthoux, Bonneville, Châtelet-de-Credo, Alinge-le-Vieux, and Lullin, along with their mandements and jurisdictions, were confirmed as fiefs of the Count of Savoy.[10]
At the beginning of the 14th century, the castle was administered by a châtelain. Families holding this office included, in addition to the Lucinge, the La Fléchère, Menthon, and Moyron families.[11]
Under the apanage of the Genevois-Nemours in the 16th century, the site was used as a prison and, after being abandoned, had fallen into ruin by the mid-16th century.[9] The Barnabites purchased the castle and its mandement from Victor Amadeus II in 1699.[8][7] By 1738, it was described as completely ruined, although the main structure was still standing,[7] and during the occupation of the Duchy of Savoy by French Revolutionary troops, it was used as a stone quarry for building materials.[7]
Under the Sardinian monarchy, the surrounding land and the castle ruins were purchased by a deputy named Bastian. The cross erected at the end of the rocky spur dates from the 17th century and is attributed to one of his descendants.[11]
Description
The castle consisted of two successive enclosures. The first, or lower enclosure, surrounded the plain castle. Bordered by ditches, it enclosed the village of Faucigny. Access was defended by a fortified gate flanked by two square towers, later converted into dwellings. The gate was equipped with a portcullis, the groove of which remains visible, and a drawbridge.[2]
The second, or upper enclosure, contained on its northern side a Romanesque square keep measuring 9.50 meters per side, with angle buttresses, which was demolished in 1891.[4] Owing to its small dimensions, it resembled the Bergfrieden commonly found in imperial territories and in southern France. Its stones were reused in the construction of the presbytery. A residential building was attached to the keep, and at its far end stood a tower known as the "Queen's Tower." These structures appear to be the oldest parts of the castle, built of small ashlar and probably dating from the 11th century.[4] A description indicates that this residence contained large rooms, kitchens with ample light, stables, and a storeroom.[2]
Châtellenie of Faucigny
When the Faucigny family settled in Châtillon, the Château de Faucigny was placed under the authority of a seneschal and later a châtelain.[7]
Organization
According to local historian Lucien Guy, the Château de Faucigny was the residence of the seneschal of Faucigny.[7] It later became the center of a châtellenie, or mandement,[7][12] established from the 13th century. At the end of the 12th century,[13] the Faucigny region was organized around nine châtellenies,[Note 1] with Faucigny ranked fifth in order of precedence, according to the old inventory of the titles of Faucigny (1431), as cited by Canon Jean-Louis Grillet.[14][12]
During the Delphinal period (1342–1343), Faucigny was organized around fifteen châtellenies, including Faucigny.[15]
| Commune | Name | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Faucigny | Château de Faucigny | castle |
| Fillinges | Château de Couvette | castle |
| Fillinges | Maison forte de Chillaz | fortified house |
| Fillinges | Maison forte de Fillinges | fortified house |
| Fillinges | Maison forte de Bouger | fortified house |
| Saint-Jean-de-Tholome | Grand Château | castle |
| Saint-Jeoire | Château Cornu | fortified house |
| Saint-Jeoire | Château de Beauregard | fortified house |
| Saint-Jeoire | Château de Cormand | castle |
| Saint-Jeoire | Maison forte de la Ravoire | fortified house |
| Saint-Jeoire | Maison forte de Saint-Jeoire | fortified house |
| Saint-Jeoire | Maison forte de Turchon | fortified house |
| La Tour | La Tour | other |
During the early 14th century, the barony of Faucigny was reorganized into seventeen châtellenies.[17]
Seneschals, then châtelains
The office of seneschal of Faucigny remained with the Lucinge family.[7][18] The seneschal, a knight dependent on the lord of Faucigny, held the position as a fief[19] and occupied the highest rank among the officers of the lord's household,[18] serving as a lieutenant or commander-in-chief, according to Canon Jean-Marie Lavorel (1846–1926).[20]
In the County of Savoy, the châtelain was an "officer appointed for a fixed term, revocable and removable."[21][22] He was responsible for managing the châtellenie or mandement, collecting the domain's fiscal revenues, and maintaining the castle.[23] The châtelain was sometimes assisted by a financial receiver, who drafted the "final version of the annual report submitted by the châtelain or his lieutenant."[24]
Faucigny Administration[7]
Administration under Savoyard control, then definitively Savoyard[7][25]
Administration of the apanage of Genevois (1514–1659) Châtelains and Fermiers[27]
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See also
Notes
References
- ^ Coordinates found on Géoportail.
- ^ a b c "Le château de Faucigny" [The castle of Faucigny]. A la découverte de la France et du monde (in French). Retrieved November 25, 2025.
- ^ Lullin, Paul; Le Fort, Charles (1866). Régeste genevois : Répertoire chronologique et analytique des documents imprimés relatifs à l'histoire de la ville et du diocèse de Genève avant l'année 1312 [Régeste genevois: Chronological and analytical directory of printed documents relating to the history of the city and diocese of Geneva prior to 1312] (in French). Société d'histoire et d'archéologie de Genève. p. 71. Retrieved November 25, 2025.
- ^ a b c d Salch 1987, p. 468
- ^ D'Agostino, L; Chevalier, M; Guffond, C (2012). Les châteaux du Moyen Âge en Haute-Savoie, entre recherches et mises en valeur. État de la question et perspectives [Medieval castles in Haute-Savoie: research and promotion. Current status and prospects] (in French). Actes du colloque de clôture du projet AVER. p. 75.
- ^ Carrier, Nicolas (2001). La vie montagnarde en Faucigny à la fin du Moyen Âge : économie et société, fin XIIIe-début XVIe siècle [Mountain life in Faucigny at the end of the Middle Ages: economy and society, late 13th to early 16th century] (in French). Éditions L'Harmattan. p. 31. ISBN 978-2-7475-1592-4. Retrieved November 25, 2025.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Guy 1929, p. 137
- ^ a b Chapier 2005, p. 17
- ^ a b Baud, Mariotte & Guerrier 1980, pp. 64–65
- ^ "REG 0/0/1/1625" (Peace treaty signed in Montmélian between the Count of Savoy and the Dauphine on August 16, 1308) (in French). Retrieved November 25, 2025.
- ^ a b "Le château de Faucigny" [The castle of Faucigny] (in French). Retrieved November 25, 2025.
- ^ a b Dufour, Auguste; Rabut, François (1867). Histoire de la commune de Flumet [History of the municipality of Flumet]. Mémoires et documents (in French). Vol. 11. Chambéry: Imprimerie du Gouvernement - Société savoisienne d'histoire et d'archéologie.
- ^ Gavard, Guy (2006). Histoire d'Annemasse et des communes voisines : les relations avec Genève de l'époque romaine à l'an 2000 [History of Annemasse and neighboring towns: relations with Geneva from Roman times to the year 2000]. Les Savoisiennes (in French). Montmélian: La Fontaine de Siloé. p. 65. ISBN 978-2-84206-342-9. Retrieved November 25, 2025.
- ^ a b Grillet, Jean-Louis (1807). Dictionnaire historique, littéraire et statistique des départements du Mont-Blanc et du Léman, contenant l'histoire ancienne et moderne de la Savoie [Historical, literary, and statistical dictionary of the departments of Mont Blanc and Lake Geneva, containing the ancient and modern history of Savoy] (in French). Vol. 3. Chambéry: J.F. Puthod. p. 264. Retrieved November 25, 2025.
- ^ de la Corbière, Matthieu (2002). L'invention et la défense des frontières dans le diocèse de Genève : Étude des principautés et de l'habitat fortifié (XIIe - XIVe siècle) [The invention and defense of borders in the diocese of Geneva: A study of principalities and fortified settlements (12th–14th centuries)] (in French). Annecy: Académie salésienne. p. 195. ISBN 978-2-901102-18-2.
- ^ Payraud 2009, Appendix 8: List of fortified complexes included in the corpus
- ^ Carrier & de La Corbière 2005, p. XX, [1]
- ^ a b Menabrea, Léon (1865). Des origines féodales dans les Alpes occidentales [Feudal origins in the Western Alps] (in French). Imprimerie royale. p. 355. Retrieved November 25, 2025.
- ^ Constant, Monique (1972). "L'établissement de la maison de Savoie au sud du Léman. La châtellenie d'Allinges-Thonon (XIIe siècle-1536)" [The establishment of the House of Savoy south of Lake Geneva. The castellany of Allinges-Thonon (12th century-1536)]. Mémoires et documents (in French). LX: 25.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Lavorel, Jean-Marie (1890). "Cluses et le Faucigny, usages locaux, les actes de famille dès la fin du XVIe siècle" [Cluses and Faucigny, local customs, family records from the end of the 16th century]. Congrès des sociétés savantes de Savoie (in French): 26–28, 213. Retrieved November 25, 2025.
- ^ Sorrel, Christian (2006). Histoire de la Savoie : images, récits [History of Savoy: images, stories] (in French). La Fontaine de Siloé. pp. 146–147. ISBN 978-2-84206-347-4. Retrieved November 25, 2025.
- ^ Carrier, Nicolas (2001). "Une justice pour rétablir la « concorde » : la justice de composition dans la Savoie de la fin du Moyen Âge (fin XIIIe -début XVIe siècle)" [Justice to restore "harmony": composition justice in Savoy at the end of the Middle Ages (late 13th to early 16th century)]. Le règlement des conflits au Moyen Âge. Actes du XXXIe Congrès de la SHMESP (Angers, 2000) [Conflict resolution in the Middle Ages. Proceedings of the 31st SHMESP Congress (Angers, 2000)] (in French). Paris: Publications de la Sorbonne. pp. 237–257. ISBN 978-2-85944-438-9.
- ^ Barbero, Alessandro (2006). "Les châtelains des comtes, puis ducs de Savoie en vallée d'Aoste (XIIIe – XVIe siècle)" [The lords of the counts, then dukes of Savoy in the Aosta Valley (13th–16th centuries)]. « De part et d'autre des Alpes » : les châtelains des princes à la fin du moyen âge : actes de la table ronde de Chambéry, 11 et 12 octobre 2001 ["On both sides of the Alps": the princes' castellanies at the end of the Middle Ages: proceedings of the round table in Chambéry, October 11 and 12, 2001] (in French). Publications de la Sorbonne. ISBN 978-2-85944-560-7.
- ^ Carrier, Nicolas. "A travers les archives médiévales de la principauté savoyarde - Les comptes de châtellenies" [Through the medieval archives of the Savoy principality - The accounts of the castellanies]. Archives départementales de la Savoie (in French). Archived from the original on March 3, 2015.
- ^ Payraud 2009, pp. 671–682
- ^ Lullin & Le Fort 1866, pp. 417–418
- ^ Perrillat, Laurent (2006). L'apanage de Genevois aux XVIe et XVIIe siècles : pouvoirs, institutions, société [The prerogative of Genevois in the 16th and 17th centuries: powers, institutions, society] (in French). Vol. 113. Académie salésienne. Retrieved November 25, 2025.
- ^ Nicolas, Jean (2003). La Savoie au XVIIIe siècle, Noblesse et Bourgeoisie [Savoy in the 18th century, Nobility and Bourgeoisie]. Le Champ régional (in French). La Fontaine de Siloé. p. 66. ISBN 978-2-84206-222-4. Retrieved November 25, 2025.
Bibliography
- Baud, Henri; Mariotte, Jean-Yves; Guerrier, Alain (1980). Histoire des communes savoyardes : Le Faucigny [History of Savoyard municipalities: Le Faucigny] (in French). Roanne: Éditions Horvath. ISBN 2-7171-0159-4.
- Carrier, Nicolas; de La Corbière, Matthieu (2005). Entre Genève et Mont-Blanc au XIVe siècle : enquête et contre-enquête dans le Faucigny delphinal de 1339 [Between Geneva and Mont Blanc in the 14th century: investigation and counter-investigation in the Dauphin's Faucigny in 1339] (in French). Librairie Droz. ISBN 978-2-88442-019-8. Retrieved November 24, 2025.
- Chapier, Georges (2005). Châteaux Savoyards : Faucigny, Chablais, Tarentaise, Maurienne, Savoie propre, Genevois [Savoyard castles: Faucigny, Chablais, Tarentaise, Maurienne, Savoie propre, Genevois]. L'amateur Averti (in French). La Rochelle: Éditions La Découvrance. ISBN 978-2-84265-326-2.
- Guy, Lucien (1929). "Les anciens châteaux du Faucigny" [The ancient castles of Faucigny]. Mémoires & documents (in French). 47. Retrieved November 25, 2025.
- Payraud, Nicolas (2009). "Châteaux, espace et société en Dauphiné et en Savoie du milieu du XIIIe siècle à la fin du XVe siècle" [Castles, space, and society in Dauphiné and Savoie from the mid-13th century to the end of the 15th century] (PDF). HAL - Archives Ouvertes (in French): 3–4. Retrieved November 21, 2025.
- Salch, Charles-Laurent (1987). Dictionnaire des châteaux et des fortifications du Moyen Âge en France [Dictionary of Medieval Castles and Fortifications in France] (in French) (28th ed.). Strasbourg: Éditions Publitotal. ISBN 2-86535-070-3. OCLC 1078727877.
- Regat, Christian; Aubert, François (1999). Châteaux de Haute-Savoie : Chablais, Faucigny, Genevois [Castles of Haute-Savoie: Chablais, Faucigny, Genevois] (in French). Éditions Cabédita. ISBN 978-2-88295-117-5.
Archival collections
- "Inventaire-Index des comptes de châtellenie et de subsides" [Inventory-Index of accounts for the castellany and subsidies] (PDF). Archives départementales de la Savoie (in French). Retrieved November 25, 2025.
- Leguil, Matthieu (2015). "Le châtelain, le compte et le clerc. Les acteurs de la reddition des comptes de châtellenie en Bourgogne aux xive et xve siècles, d'après l'exemple du bailliage d'Auxois" [The lord of the manor, the count, and the clerk. The actors involved in the rendering of accounts for the manor in Burgundy in the 14th and 15th centuries, based on the example of the bailiwick of Auxois.]. Comptabilités (in French). 7. Retrieved November 25, 2025.
External links
- "Le Château des Sires de FAUCIGNY à Faucigny" [The Castle of the Lords of FAUCIGNY in Faucigny] (PDF) (in French). Archived from the original (PDF) on November 12, 2008.