On December 11, 1621, Monheux was looted by royal troops<

Yesterday, Monheux, a small village of river, between and Aiguillon and Tonneins, commemorated the looting of which he was victim from the royal troops, December 11, 1621. Place Forte Protestant, Monheux was on the way of François de BassompierrreAnd this "war crime" remains quite unknown.Here is the story.

Monheux, a millennial village, has always been coveted for its strategic position downstream of the confluence of the Lot and the Garonne.Passage of Gascogne in Guyenne thanks to its baccalaureate, fishing and trade port, the life of the monheldes has always been punctuated by this impetuous river capable of great generosity when it spreads its silts on agricultural and devastating landWhen he swells, rumbles and submerges the valley.

A strategic site by the river

"Before the arrival of the automobile and the construction of roads and bridges, Garonne was the essential vital axis and the village drew wealth and notoriety, explains the mayor Joé Armand. Here, moreover, we do not say" The Garonne "but" Garonne ". In everyday language, the river was personified by residents because it is part of their lives as a family member. During the wars of religion, the appeasement came by the good king Henri IV and the Edict of Nantes marked a break in the conflict attributing to the Huguenots of strong places including Monheux and Sainte-Foy, both entrusted to a former companion in arms of the king: Arnaud d'Escodeca, Baron de Boesse and de Pardaillan. The governor strengthened the fortifications of Monheux who, from the top of his walls, could control all river circulation with the ability to paralyze all traffic according to his goodwill. Louis XIII surely took shade of this power when he decided , after giving up taking Montauba, n to come and put the siege in 1621 around Monheux whose governor who was faithful to him had been assassinated by extremists in Gensac. "

Louis XIII was brought to the Protestant Montauban, who still defended herself hard.The reinforcements arrived from the Cévennes and the Languedoc had managed to enter the city but their commander M. de Beaufort had been taken prisoner.The king was irritated before the inability and the fatuity of Duke Albert de Luynes.The army decimated by the disease and the fighting was demoralized.Louis XIII was exasperated to see the Ambassador of England Hay coming to offer his mediation between the king and the rebels.Suddenly Louis XIII decided to lift the siege.

Already the rumor was circulating that the royal troops descended the Garonne valley in search of a possible victory to come and erase the failure of Montauban ... From Toulouse, where he was the king, had said that Monheux - whose place wasDeemed stronger than Saint-Jean-d'Angély-would be the subject of the next seat but that the army would continue its route if the resistance was too strong.

The information reached future besieged by passing boats.This is how we learned of the replacement of Albert de Luynes, sick, by bassompierre.

Who is Bassompierre?

The new commander of the royal troops has always attracted jealousies.Beautiful, spiritual, brave and sumptuous, he had always been erased when it was necessary.A very close friend of Henri IV He had given up his love for Charlotte de Montmorency so as not to compete with the gallant green - very in love with the young lady.He then accepted an embassy in Spain so as not to overshadow Albert de Luynes, who saw with a bad eye the ascent of this rival.He had always remained faithful to Queen Marie de Médicis, with such diligence that he was suspected of being her lover ... Liberal, magnificent, his splendor was legendary, his costumes were worth fortunes and (according to legend) had 600 pairsboots.His name had become a nickname, we said "it's Bassompierre" to designate what was beautiful, brilliant, lively and joyful.Such was the man who was responsible for taking Monheux!

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— Carolina Garcia Mon Jul 07 00:11:53 +0000 2014

Threats to Agen

Bassompierre began by asking the Jurade d'Agen 30,000 buns, 600 shovels, 300 peaks, axes, various tools and powder.In front of the lukewarm of the response, he threatened to confine his troops in the suburbs of the city.The Agen have been upset to send the requested supplies.Meanwhile the Schomberg marshal began the preparations for the seat.You could see the soldiers from the top of the walls open the trench to establish the batteries in front of Monheux.On November 17, 1621, the bombardment began.

François de Bassompierre was in Aiguillon, he was informed of the taking of a mill near Monheux, he decided to strengthen the device by the regiments of Piedmont, Normandy and Champagne.He lodged the Les Chevau-Légers in Puch.To complete the city's investment, he seized the two boats on the Garonne serving for the besieged for refueling.He armaled one for the fight and placed two regiments on the right bank of the river, with artillery.

Bassompierre jubilant.He thought the case was going to be folded quickly.He wrote later: "We thought it was going to be a seat that we were going to devour without chewing it."He had secretly contacted the son of Pardaillan who would have said it was agreed to give Monheux to the king against 4,000 ECU.Everything was in place, he immediately warned Louis XIII who decided to come and attend the headquarters.

Massacre due to "rebellion and perfidy"

Louis XIII had arrived in Monheux on November 29, 1621 and had established his headquarters at the Longuetille castle.At the beginning of December 1621, it had been more than twenty days that the small stronghold suffered the bombing and defended itself ardently.The defensive organization was the fruit of the experience and skills of an outstanding officer, Captain Labroue.

A rain of 12,000 balls

On December 10, 1621, eighteen large-caliber cannons, a large number of hawks and small pieces spilled an iron and fire hurricane.According to the local chronicle, the city received more than 12,000 balls.For two hours, the fires, the grenades, the muskets filled the air and the earth of fire and terror.

A first mine led to the door on the side of Monluc and opened a large breach in the Guard regiment which did not know how to take advantage of it and were repulsed.The second mine bans only a bastion on the side of Bordeaux and a first assault was postponed but Labroue at the head of his men was swept away by a ball to the consternation of all the besieged.The small town had held up, but the price paid with the loss of its leader was going to determine the outcome of the fight.Mirambeau, who had been placed by his side, was too young and did not know war.It was his first fight and he was injured during his baptism of fire at the start of the siege.The Duke of the Force [Editor's note: whose castle was located in Périgord Noir, in Castelnaud-la-Chapelle in Dordogne, and who was bought in the 20th century by Jospéhine Baker], long awaited, was far away and there was no longer any morehope of receiving help.

The capitulation

On Saturday December 12, 191621, after twenty-five days of a heroic resistance, M. de Mirambeau, dressed in a long black coat, a white laurel branch in hand, and the Viscount of Castets, in a long red coat,advanced at the top of the walls and showed that they wanted to parliament.They descended into the ditch to meet with M. de Montespan and ask that the articles of capitulation are drawn up.

King Louis XIII's response was scathing.He exclaimed "that there was no articles for such people" and that they had to "go to thank you!"However, he ended up granting life to the gentlemen and the exit of the 260 soldiers, white stick in hand, but he then allowed the looting of Monheux…

The last residents were massacred before fire the city for "cause of rebellion and perfidy".

The few old men who had fled wanted to find refuge in Tonneins but they were expelled.The village was completely shaved and its land was abandoned for several years.Monheux never found its past importance.

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