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Mâlain Castle

Château de Mâlain

Mâlain Castle, locally known as Château-fort de Mâlain and sometimes as Château-fort de Saint-Georges, lies above the village of the same name in the Côte-d'Or department in France.

The village actually predates the castle, as it was established in 70 BC as the Gallo-Roman town of Mediolanum.

Mâlain Castle, situated on a rocky outcrop 150 m above the village, was first mentioned in 1075 when it was owned by Gui de Mediolano, who was a direct descendant of the first Lord of Sombernon, to whom Mâlain was probably attached before being established as an independent lordship.

The descendants of Gui de Mediolano held the castle until 1230 when it passed to the Sombernon family. Only 2 decades later it went to the Sombernon-Montagu family who held on to it until the early 15th century.

After the death of Pierre II de Montagu without descendants in 1419, Mâlain Castle passed to his 2 nieces; Jeanne and Catherine de Montagu. They then legally fought each other over this inheritance which led to a division of the castle and the seigneury in 1422. This was effectuated by building a wall through the midst of the castle complex; with the east part belonging to Jeanne and the west part to Catherine.

From then on there would be two Lords of Mâlain. The part of Jeanne later passed through the hands of the Rougemont family. The part of Catherine first passed to the Villers-Sexel family through marriage. And, again through marriage, to the Bauffremont family in 1436. The Bauffremont family held on to it until 1571 when a ruined Claude II de Bauffremont, Bishop of Troyes, sold his castle and seigneury to Denis de Sercey. The Sercey's, who supported the Holy League, then strengthened the castle. In 1598 the Sercey's were succeeded by the Brulart family.

In 1695 the Brulart family reunited the split castle and seigneury, only to quickly abandon it in favor of a new and more fashionable residence which they had built on the remains of Sombernon Castle. Between 1704 and 1763 the abandoned castle belonged to the Luynes family and from then on to the Vichy-Chamron family. In 1793, during the French Revolution, Abel Claude Marie de Vichy-Chamron was executed in Lyon as a counter-revolutionary and his property confiscated as National Property. By that time, however, the abandoned castle had fallen to ruin so much that it was not even mentioned in the official document anymore.

In 1985 an association of volunteers took over the castle ruins, which had almost completely disappeared under abundant vegetation. Since then they have cleared it of the devouring vegetation and restored it to its present state.

At present Mâlain Castle can be visited for a fee. A very nice castle ruin.

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previousnext

Mâlain Castle

Château de Mâlain

Mâlain Castle, locally known as Château-fort de Mâlain and sometimes as Château-fort de Saint-Georges, lies above the village of the same name in the Côte-d'Or department in France.

The village actually predates the castle, as it was established in 70 BC as the Gallo-Roman town of Mediolanum.

Mâlain Castle, situated on a rocky outcrop 150 m above the village, was first mentioned in 1075 when it was owned by Gui de Mediolano, who was a direct descendant of the first Lord of Sombernon, to whom Mâlain was probably attached before being established as an independent lordship.

The descendants of Gui de Mediolano held the castle until 1230 when it passed to the Sombernon family. Only 2 decades later it went to the Sombernon-Montagu family who held on to it until the early 15th century.

After the death of Pierre II de Montagu without descendants in 1419, Mâlain Castle passed to his 2 nieces; Jeanne and Catherine de Montagu. They then legally fought each other over this inheritance which led to a division of the castle and the seigneury in 1422. This was effectuated by building a wall through the midst of the castle complex; with the east part belonging to Jeanne and the west part to Catherine.

From then on there would be two Lords of Mâlain. The part of Jeanne later passed through the hands of the Rougemont family. The part of Catherine first passed to the Villers-Sexel family through marriage. And, again through marriage, to the Bauffremont family in 1436. The Bauffremont family held on to it until 1571 when a ruined Claude II de Bauffremont, Bishop of Troyes, sold his castle and seigneury to Denis de Sercey. The Sercey's, who supported the Holy League, then strengthened the castle. In 1598 the Sercey's were succeeded by the Brulart family.

In 1695 the Brulart family reunited the split castle and seigneury, only to quickly abandon it in favor of a new and more fashionable residence which they had built on the remains of Sombernon Castle. Between 1704 and 1763 the abandoned castle belonged to the Luynes family and from then on to the Vichy-Chamron family. In 1793, during the French Revolution, Abel Claude Marie de Vichy-Chamron was executed in Lyon as a counter-revolutionary and his property confiscated as National Property. By that time, however, the abandoned castle had fallen to ruin so much that it was not even mentioned in the official document anymore.

In 1985 an association of volunteers took over the castle ruins, which had almost completely disappeared under abundant vegetation. Since then they have cleared it of the devouring vegetation and restored it to its present state.

At present Mâlain Castle can be visited for a fee. A very nice castle ruin.

Gallery

Details
Hits: 1749