Arlay
Encyclopedia
Arlay is a commune
in the Jura department in Franche-Comté
in eastern France
.
" forded the river Seille. It was refounded by the Romans as an oppidum
and functioned as a Gallo-Roman city until it was repeatedly laid waste from the third to the fifth century in the barbarian invasions. The presence of Burgundians
at the site is testified to by their tombs. Waldalenus
, Patrician of Burgundy, had his palatium
here at the end of the sixth century, and his son, Donatus, abbot of Luxeuil
, established a monastery here, dedicated to Saint Vincent
; the abbey church was noted in 654. A hospital associated with the abbey
was in existence in the twelfth century.
In the thirteenth century the barony of Arlay, on the borders with the Bresse
region, passed into the dynasty of the counts of Châlons
, the preeminent noblemen in the south of the Franche-Comté. They controlled the exploitation of salt
mined at Salins
. Their heirs became Princes of Orange in the early fifteenth century, when Jean III de Chalon-Arlay married the heiress of the Principality of Orange
; the title baroness of Arlay is still held by Beatrix of the Netherlands
.
The castle of Arlay, rebuilt in stone in the ninth to eleventh centuries, was attacked by the French forces of Louis XI
and of Henri IV
and was fully destroyed in 1637 by troops of Louis XIII
; though the château-fort was reduced to ruins, Arlay and the Franche-Comté did not definitively become French until 1674.
and Mme de Lauraguais died under the guillotine in 1794, but in 1825 the property was assumed by prince Pierre d’Arenberg, grandson of Mme de Lauraguais, who refurnished it with the classical furniture in pale veneers and fruitwoods (bois clair) characteristic of the reign of Charles X, which remain in the house today; in addition to its interior decor, it preserves remains of its park and modern flower gardens.
The caves called the Grottes de Saint-Vincent contain marks of human presence in the Upper Paleolithic
Magdalenian
epoch.
Communes of France
The commune is the lowest level of administrative division in the French Republic. French communes are roughly equivalent to incorporated municipalities or villages in the United States or Gemeinden in Germany...
in the Jura department in Franche-Comté
Franche-Comté
Franche-Comté the former "Free County" of Burgundy, as distinct from the neighbouring Duchy, is an administrative region and a traditional province of eastern France...
in eastern France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
History
Arlay's early importance lay in the fact that it was a station where the "Salt RoadSalt Road
A salt road ) is any of the prehistoric and historical trade routes by which essential salt has been transported to regions that lacked it ....
" forded the river Seille. It was refounded by the Romans as an oppidum
Oppidum
Oppidum is a Latin word meaning the main settlement in any administrative area of ancient Rome. The word is derived from the earlier Latin ob-pedum, "enclosed space," possibly from the Proto-Indo-European *pedóm-, "occupied space" or "footprint."Julius Caesar described the larger Celtic Iron Age...
and functioned as a Gallo-Roman city until it was repeatedly laid waste from the third to the fifth century in the barbarian invasions. The presence of Burgundians
Burgundians
The Burgundians were an East Germanic tribe which may have emigrated from mainland Scandinavia to the island of Bornholm, whose old form in Old Norse still was Burgundarholmr , and from there to mainland Europe...
at the site is testified to by their tombs. Waldalenus
Waldalenus
Waldalenus or Wandalenus , dux in the region between the Alps and the Jura, in the Frankish Kingdom of Burgundy, was a Frankish magnate who served as mayor of the Austrasian palace at Metz from 581, during the minority of Childebert II.One of his seats of government as Patricius of Burgundy was at...
, Patrician of Burgundy, had his palatium
Palace
A palace is a grand residence, especially a royal residence or the home of a head of state or some other high-ranking dignitary, such as a bishop or archbishop. The word itself is derived from the Latin name Palātium, for Palatine Hill, one of the seven hills in Rome. In many parts of Europe, the...
here at the end of the sixth century, and his son, Donatus, abbot of Luxeuil
Luxeuil Abbey
Luxeuil Abbey was one of the oldest and best-known monasteries in Burgundy, located in the "département" of Haute-Saône in Franche-Comté, France.-Columbanus:...
, established a monastery here, dedicated to Saint Vincent
Vincent of Saragossa
Saint Vincent of Saragossa, also known as Vincent Martyr, Vincent of Huesca or Vincent the Deacon, is the patron saint of Lisbon. His feast day is 22 January in the Roman Catholic Church and Anglican Communion and 11 November in the Eastern Orthodox Churches...
; the abbey church was noted in 654. A hospital associated with the abbey
Abbey
An abbey is a Catholic monastery or convent, under the authority of an Abbot or an Abbess, who serves as the spiritual father or mother of the community.The term can also refer to an establishment which has long ceased to function as an abbey,...
was in existence in the twelfth century.
In the thirteenth century the barony of Arlay, on the borders with the Bresse
Bresse
Bresse is a former French province. It is located in the regions of Rhône-Alpes, Bourgogne, and Franche-Comté of eastern France. The geographical term Bresse has two meanings: Bresse bourguignonne , which is situated in the east of the department of Saône-et-Loire, and Bresse, which is located...
region, passed into the dynasty of the counts of Châlons
Chalons
Chalons may refer to:Places* Châlons, in France's Isère département* Châlons-en-Champagne, formerly Châlons-sur-Marne, in the Marne département* Chalon-sur-Saône, in the Saône-et-Loire département* Roman Catholic Diocese of Châlons...
, the preeminent noblemen in the south of the Franche-Comté. They controlled the exploitation of salt
Salt
In chemistry, salts are ionic compounds that result from the neutralization reaction of an acid and a base. They are composed of cations and anions so that the product is electrically neutral...
mined at Salins
Salins
Salins is the name or part of the name of several communes in France and Switzerland:In France:* Salins, Cantal, in the Cantal département* Salins, Seine-et-Marne, in the Seine-et-Marne département...
. Their heirs became Princes of Orange in the early fifteenth century, when Jean III de Chalon-Arlay married the heiress of the Principality of Orange
Principality of Orange
The Principality of Orange was a feudal state in Provence, in the south of modern-day France, on the left bank of the River Rhone north of the city of Avignon....
; the title baroness of Arlay is still held by Beatrix of the Netherlands
Beatrix of the Netherlands
Beatrix is the Queen regnant of the Kingdom of the Netherlands comprising the Netherlands, Curaçao, Sint Maarten, and Aruba. She is the first daughter of Queen Juliana of the Netherlands and Prince Bernhard of Lippe-Biesterfeld. She studied law at Leiden University...
.
The castle of Arlay, rebuilt in stone in the ninth to eleventh centuries, was attacked by the French forces of Louis XI
Louis XI of France
Louis XI , called the Prudent , was the King of France from 1461 to 1483. He was the son of Charles VII of France and Mary of Anjou, a member of the House of Valois....
and of Henri IV
Henry IV of France
Henry IV , Henri-Quatre, was King of France from 1589 to 1610 and King of Navarre from 1572 to 1610. He was the first monarch of the Bourbon branch of the Capetian dynasty in France....
and was fully destroyed in 1637 by troops of Louis XIII
Louis XIII of France
Louis XIII was a Bourbon monarch who ruled as King of France and of Navarre from 1610 to 1643.Louis was only eight years old when he succeeded his father. His mother, Marie de Medici, acted as regent during Louis' minority...
; though the château-fort was reduced to ruins, Arlay and the Franche-Comté did not definitively become French until 1674.
Vineyards
The vineyards that surround the ruins of the castle are among the oldest continuously-worked vineyards of France, though the label Château d'Arlay (Côtes du Jura AOC), on 30 hectares (74 acres) was only established in 1960, by comte R. de Laguiche.Château d'Arlay
The eighteenth-century Château d'Arlay was built by the comtesse de Lauraguais, c 1770-80, on the former site of the convent of the Minimes near the foot of the small eminence occupied by the château-fort. Its contents were dispersed at the French RevolutionFrench Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
and Mme de Lauraguais died under the guillotine in 1794, but in 1825 the property was assumed by prince Pierre d’Arenberg, grandson of Mme de Lauraguais, who refurnished it with the classical furniture in pale veneers and fruitwoods (bois clair) characteristic of the reign of Charles X, which remain in the house today; in addition to its interior decor, it preserves remains of its park and modern flower gardens.
The caves called the Grottes de Saint-Vincent contain marks of human presence in the Upper Paleolithic
Paleolithic
The Paleolithic Age, Era or Period, is a prehistoric period of human history distinguished by the development of the most primitive stone tools discovered , and covers roughly 99% of human technological prehistory...
Magdalenian
Magdalenian
The Magdalenian , refers to one of the later cultures of the Upper Paleolithic in western Europe, dating from around 17,000 BP to 9,000 BP...
epoch.