Roquelaure
Encyclopedia
Roquelaure is a commune
in the Gers
department in southwestern France
.
and Gallo Roman
villa
on the neighboring hill of La Ciotat (La Sioutat). The ruins of Roman baths
were found in the 18th century, which may be part of the same villa that was discovered more recently in 1898 and excavated in the 1960s.
The name Roquelaure means "laurel hill" in Gascon. A medieval fortified town
was built at the current location sometime in the 12th century under the auspices of a lord
of Roquelaure, and it received its charter
(charte de coutumes) in 1244. From the 16th century on, the lords of Roquelaure built and maintained a chapel in the Gothic
Church of Saint-Loup. The lords of Roquelaure, including Antoine de Roquelaure
(1544-1625), are buried in the church crypt. Antoine de Roquelaure built the nearby château of Rieutort and began refurbishing the castle at Lavardens
, a project which was never completed. Francis I
had a fort built on the northern slope of the village hill, guarding the road to Peyrusse-Massas
, the ruins of which remain. The grounds of the fort have been the Robert Dauzère Stadium since 1969.
The former commune of Arcamont was joined to Roquelaure in 1952.
and Côtes de Gascogne
vin de pays
zones. They are also part of the Haut-Armagnac
zone.
After this line died out, a different marquisate of Roquelaure was created in 1766 for their relatives, the lords of Saint-Aubin, today Roquelaure-Saint-Aubin
.
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 Gers
Gers
The Gers is a department in the Midi-Pyrénées region in the southwest of France named after the Gers River.Inhabitants are called les Gersois or Gersoises.-History:...
department in southwestern 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
The village is situated on a rocky height near the site of an Iron-Age oppidumOppidum
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 Gallo Roman
Gallo-Roman culture
The term Gallo-Roman describes the Romanized culture of Gaul under the rule of the Roman Empire. This was characterized by the Gaulish adoption or adaptation of Roman mores and way of life in a uniquely Gaulish context...
villa
Villa
A villa was originally an ancient Roman upper-class country house. Since its origins in the Roman villa, the idea and function of a villa have evolved considerably. After the fall of the Roman Republic, villas became small farming compounds, which were increasingly fortified in Late Antiquity,...
on the neighboring hill of La Ciotat (La Sioutat). The ruins of Roman baths
Thermae
In ancient Rome, thermae and balnea were facilities for bathing...
were found in the 18th century, which may be part of the same villa that was discovered more recently in 1898 and excavated in the 1960s.
The name Roquelaure means "laurel hill" in Gascon. A medieval fortified town
Medieval fortification
Medieval fortification is military methods of Medieval technology that covers the development of fortification construction and use in Europe roughly from the fall of the Western Roman Empire to the Renaissance...
was built at the current location sometime in the 12th century under the auspices of a lord
Manorialism
Manorialism, an essential element of feudal society, was the organizing principle of rural economy that originated in the villa system of the Late Roman Empire, was widely practiced in medieval western and parts of central Europe, and was slowly replaced by the advent of a money-based market...
of Roquelaure, and it received its charter
Charter
A charter is the grant of authority or rights, stating that the granter formally recognizes the prerogative of the recipient to exercise the rights specified...
(charte de coutumes) in 1244. From the 16th century on, the lords of Roquelaure built and maintained a chapel in the Gothic
Gothic architecture
Gothic architecture is a style of architecture that flourished during the high and late medieval period. It evolved from Romanesque architecture and was succeeded by Renaissance architecture....
Church of Saint-Loup. The lords of Roquelaure, including Antoine de Roquelaure
Antoine de Roquelaure
Antoine de Roquelaure , lord of Roquelaure, Gaudoux, Sainte-Christie, Mirepoix, Montbert, Baron of Lavardens and Biran was an important sixteenth-century French statesman and close collaborator of Henry IV...
(1544-1625), are buried in the church crypt. Antoine de Roquelaure built the nearby château of Rieutort and began refurbishing the castle at Lavardens
Lavardens
Lavardens is a commune in the Gers department in southwestern France.-Population:-References:*...
, a project which was never completed. Francis I
Francis I of France
Francis I was King of France from 1515 until his death. During his reign, huge cultural changes took place in France and he has been called France's original Renaissance monarch...
had a fort built on the northern slope of the village hill, guarding the road to Peyrusse-Massas
Peyrusse-Massas
Peyrusse-Massas is a commune in the Gers department in southwestern France.-Population:-References:*...
, the ruins of which remain. The grounds of the fort have been the Robert Dauzère Stadium since 1969.
The former commune of Arcamont was joined to Roquelaure in 1952.
Population
Viticulture
The lands of the commune of Roquelaure are classified as part of the Côtes de MontestrucMontestruc-sur-Gers
Montestruc-sur-Gers is a commune in the Gers department in southwestern France.-Population:-References:*...
and Côtes de Gascogne
Côtes de Gascogne
Côtes de Gascogne is a wine-growing district in Gascony producing principally white wine. It is mainly located in the département of the Gers in the French region Midi-Pyrénées, and it belongs to the wine region South West France. The designation Côtes the Gascogne is used for a Vin de Pays ...
vin de pays
Vin de pays
Vin de pays is a French term meaning "country wine". Vins de pays are a step in the French wine classification which is above the table wine classification, but below the VDQS and Appellation d'origine contrôlée classifications...
zones. They are also part of the Haut-Armagnac
Haut-Armagnac
Haut-Armagnac, one of the three terroirs in the Armagnac area where the grapes for the distillation of the Armagnac eau-de-vie can be cultivated...
zone.
Duchy
The seigneurie of Roquelaure was elevated to a duchy in 1652 in favor of Gaston-Jean-Baptiste de Roquelaure (1617-1683), son of Antoine de Roquelaure.After this line died out, a different marquisate of Roquelaure was created in 1766 for their relatives, the lords of Saint-Aubin, today Roquelaure-Saint-Aubin
Roquelaure-Saint-Aubin
Roquelaure-Saint-Aubin is a commune in the Gers department in southwestern France.-Population:-References:*...
.
External links
- Roquelaure. Community of Communes of the Cœur de Gascogne (in French).