Wednesday 30 March 2011

Chateaux - dozens of 'em!

We have written before about Foulkes Nerra (The Black Falcon),Comte d'Anjou from 987 to 1040 and our local badman. (Read more about him here, here, and here)

Whilst working on ideas for future tours, I came across a list of the building he caused to happen, and a mighty impressive read it is too.
991 to 994
Tour de Montbazon
Château de Montrésor
Château de Sainte-Maure
Château de Langeais
Tour de Chérament (disparue)

After 1005
Château de Montrevault
Tour de Trève
Abbaye de Beaulieu-les-Loches
Tour de Mirebeau
Motte de Cornillé (disparue)
Château de Montrichard


1007
Château-Gonthier

1011
Motte de Montboyau (actuel Fondettes, disparue)

1013
Saint-Rémi-sur-Loire
Château de Montjean-sur-Loire
Beaupréau

1016
Saint-Nicolas d'Angers

1020
Saint-Aubin
Saint-Martin d'Angers
Prieuré de Châteauneuf

1025
Château de Chemillé
Château de Montfaucon

From 1028 or unknown dates:
Abbaye de Ronceray à Angers (14 July 1028)
Château du Lude
Château de Durtal
Château de Beaufort
Tour d'Allones
Monastère de Saint-Jean-du-Grais
Château de Seiches
Tour de Montglonne ?
Château de Baugé
Château de Segré
Château de Brissac
Château de Mouliherne
Château de Pouancé
Château de Moncontour
Château de Faye
Château de Montreuil-Bellay
Château de Passavant
Château de Maulevrier
Château de Briollay
Château de Saint-Florent-le-Vieil et église
Tour de Loudun
Château de Vihiers

renovations and enlargements
Château de Semblançay
Château d'Amboise
Château de Chinon
Abbaye de Saint-Maur-sur-Loire
Château de Loches

Most of these buildings still exist in one form or another. Many were destroyed in 700 years of warfare, some were left to rot by owners who couldn't afford to maintain them, but many of the ruined chateaux were restored in the 19th century and are now hotels or private homes. My new project (one of many) is to visit all of these places and photograph them, and I have no doubt that in the process I will find some that are not on the list.

In addition to all this construction work, he travelled to Jerusalem 3 times (remember, this is 1000 years ago), was married twice, and was constantly battling the Count of Blois, the Bretons, and the Dukes of Normandy. This, no doubt, is why he only managed to father three children (legitimate ones, anyway).

Both photos are of our nearest Foulkes fortess, the Donjon at Loches. If you have a look through previous blog posts you will find photos of some of the other chateaux as well.

Simon

6 comments:

Ken Broadhurst said...

I thought Foulques was behind the château-fort de Saint-Aignan too, but I don't see it on the list. Maybe he wasn't.

Gonthier with an H must be an old spelling. Everything I find on Google has the H-less spelling Château-Gontier.

Niall & Antoinette said...

Busy chappie wasn't he? But it really set the Comtes d'Anjou up to be big players on the medieval stage.

chm said...

Can you just imagine the amount of real estate taxes he had to pay?

Did he go as far east as Châteaudun? Worth the visit, by the way.

Simon said...

Ken - maybe not behind it, but I bet he owned St Aignan at some stage - he walloped the Blois mob at Pontlevoy

N&A He is my Anti-Hero: so much to admire, but no sane person would make him a role model!

CHM. I think Chateaudun might be too far north, but who knows.... He had the energy for it!

GaynorB said...

What a work rate!

Something for me to aspire to in the few years (fingers crossed) that I have before retirement.

My knowledge of History (be it French, Welsh, English or World)is sadly lacking, so reading your blog has got to be a good use of my time!

Ken Broadhurst said...

I think I was wrong about Foulques and Saint-Aignan. The château here was built by the counts of Blois and/or Nevers, from what I've read.

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