The Château de Faucigny is a former fortified castle dating from the 11th century, the ruins of which stand in the commune of Faucigny in the department of Haute-Savoie, within the Auvergne–Rhône-Alpes region. It was the original seat of the lords of Faucigny, who controlled the Arve Valley, and later became the center of a châtellenie from their disappearance, from the 13th to the 16th century.

Location The remains of the Château de Faucigny are located in the commune of Faucigny in the Haute-Savoie department, on a dolomitic limestone outcrop at an elevation of 706 meters. The site overlooks the Arve Valley and the commune of Contamine-sur-Arve by more than 250 meters.

History The castle, the original seat of the House of Faucigny, probably already existed around 930, although it is not explicitly recorded until 1119. According to historian Nicolas Carrier, it constituted the core of the family's authority.

The lords of Faucigny remained at the site until the early 13th century. Around 1200, Aymon II of Faucigny left the ancestral castle and established his residence at the Château de Châtillon-sur-Cluses, which occupied a more central position within the family's domains.

As the seat of a châtellenie, the site lost prominence in 1251 with the establishment of Bonneville and its new castle, although it remained the center of a seigneury.

It passed to the House of Savoy in 1262. In her will, Agnès of Faucigny left the castle to her husband, Peter of Savoy, whom she had married in February 1234. The site was thereafter occupied by a garrison commanded by a seneschal selected from the . In the peace treaty of August 1308 between the Count of Savoy and Béatrice, known as the "Grande Dauphine," the castles of Faucigny, , Monthoux, Bonneville, Châtelet-de-Credo, , and Lullin, along with their mandements and jurisdictions, were confirmed as fiefs of the Count of Savoy.

At the beginning of the 14th century, the castle was administered by a châtelain. Families holding this office included, in addition to the Lucinge, the La Fléchère, , and Moyron families.

Under the apanage of the in the 16th century, the site was used as a prison and, after being abandoned, had fallen into ruin by the mid-16th century. The Barnabites purchased the castle and its mandement from Victor Amadeus II in 1699. By 1738, it was described as completely ruined, although the main structure was still standing, and during the occupation of the Duchy of Savoy by French Revolutionary troops, it was used as a stone quarry for building materials.

Under the Sardinian monarchy, the surrounding land and the castle ruins were purchased by a deputy named . The cross erected at the end of the rocky spur dates from the 17th century and is attributed to one of his descendants.

Description The castle consisted of two successive enclosures. The first, or lower enclosure, surrounded the plain castle. Bordered by ditches, it enclosed the village of Faucigny. Access was defended by a fortified gate flanked by two square towers, later converted into dwellings. The gate was equipped with a portcullis, the groove of which remains visible, and a drawbridge.

The second, or upper enclosure, contained on its northern side a Romanesque square keep measuring 9.50 meters per side, with angle buttresses, which was demolished in 1891. Owing to its small dimensions, it resembled the Bergfrieden commonly found in imperial territories and in southern France. Its stones were reused in the construction of the presbytery. A residential building was attached to the keep, and at its far end stood a tower known as the "Queen's Tower." These structures appear to be the oldest parts of the castle, built of small ashlar and probably dating from the 11th century. A description indicates that this residence contained large rooms, kitchens with ample light, stables, and a storeroom.

Châtellenie of Faucigny When the Faucigny family settled in Châtillon, the Château de Faucigny was placed under the authority of a seneschal and later a châtelain.

Organization According to local historian , the Château de Faucigny was the residence of the seneschal of Faucigny. It later became the center of a châtellenie, or mandement, established from the 13th century. At the end of the 12th century, the Faucigny region was organized around nine châtellenies, with Faucigny ranked fifth in order of precedence, according to the old inventory of the titles of Faucigny (1431), as cited by Canon .

During the Delphinal period (1342–1343), Faucigny was organized around fifteen châtellenies, including Faucigny. +Villages, parishes, fortifications of the castellany of FaucignyCommuneNameTypeFaucignyChâteau de FaucignycastleFillingesChâteau de CouvettecastleFillingesMaison forte de Chillazfortified houseFillingesMaison forte de Fillingesfortified houseFillingesMaison forte de Bougerfortified houseSaint-Jean-de-TholomeGrand ChâteaucastleSaint-JeoireChâteau Cornufortified houseSaint-Jeoirefortified houseSaint-JeoireChâteau de CormandcastleSaint-JeoireMaison forte de la Ravoirefortified houseSaint-JeoireMaison forte de Saint-Jeoirefortified houseSaint-JeoireMaison forte de Turchonfortified houseLa TourLa Tourother During the early 14th century, the barony of Faucigny was reorganized into seventeen châtellenies.

Seneschals, then châtelains The office of seneschal of Faucigny remained with the . The seneschal, a knight dependent on the lord of Faucigny, held the position as a fief and occupied the highest rank among the officers of the lord's household, serving as a lieutenant or commander-in-chief, according to Canon Jean-Marie Lavorel (1846–1926).

In the County of Savoy, the châtelain was an "officer appointed for a fixed term, revocable and removable." He was responsible for managing the châtellenie or mandement, collecting the domain's fiscal revenues, and maintaining the castle. The châtelain was sometimes assisted by a financial receiver, who drafted the "final version of the annual report submitted by the châtelain or his lieutenant." +Seneschals, then Châtelains of Faucigny, 12th–17th CenturyFaucigny Administration 1138: Falco, seneschal 1168: Aymon de Lucinge, seneschal 1185: Gérard de Lucinge, seneschal 1192: Turumbert de Lucinge, seneschal and master of the household 1222–1235: Rodolphe de Lucinge, seneschal 1263–1275: Guillaume de Lucinge, Lord of Arenthon, seneschal for Agnès of Faucigny, then for her daughter Béatrix of Faucigny 1264–1265: Guichard de Varay, bailiff in Genevois and Faucigny ...: Humbert de Lucinge, seneschal for Béatrix de Faucigny 1274: Reymond Vieux, seneschal

Administration under Savoyard control, then definitively Savoyard

May 1303–26 March 1310: Gauthier Bouvet, métral of the land of Faucigny in Tarentaise, receiver of the revenues and obligations (succession) of the said land. Châtelain indicated, but unnamed, in an act of 1309 of Lady Béatrix de Faucigny and December 1308–January 1310: Girard Dufreiney, receiver February 1313–January 1314: Humbert 15 July 1355–30 July 1394 (also receiver for the periods 25 June 1362–27 March 1363, 25 January 1372–25 January 1373, 11 May 1378–30 July 1394): Guigues de Soumont 30 July 1394–6 June 1410 (also receiver for 1 December 1406–6 June 1410): Hugonin de Lucinge 6 June 1410–24 June 1420: Mermet de Villier (Viller) 24 June 1420–16 July 1436: Pierre de Villier, heir and son of Noble Mermet de Villier 16 July 1436–26 March 1439 (also receiver for 26 March 1438–26 March 1439): Noble Pierre Massuer 26 March 1439–16 August 1441: Noble Henri de la Fléchère 16 August 1441–26 March 1462 (also receiver for 26 March 1447–26 March 1448, 26 March 1456–26 March 1457): Aymon de la Fléchère, nephew of Henri 26 March 1462–26 March 1463: Noble Acquinet de Clers 26 March 1463–26 March 1464: Noble Nicod de la Fléchère 26 March 1464–27 May 1465: Noble Aymon de la Fléchère 27 May 1465–1 April 1480 (also receiver for 26 March 1473–26 March 1474): Noble Louis d'Avanchy 1 April 1480–26 March 1494 (also receiver for 26 March 1483–26 March 1484): Noble Antoine , also (1479–1502), (1480–1497), and (1490–1491) 26 March 1494–15 May 1530 (also receiver for 26 March 1495–26 March 1496, 26 March 1522–26 March 1523): Noble Georges de Menthon

Administration of the apanage of Genevois (1514–1659)

Châtelains and Fermiers

September 1531–September 1552 (also receiver for September 1546–September 1547): Noble Jean de Moyron 1534: Noble Nicolas Chesney 1534–1538: Noble Raymond Fabri and Master or Noble Pierre Marin 1539: Noble Aymon Callige 1539–1541: Noble Jacques de Perra 1543–1547: Noble Jean de Moyron 1547–1550: Noble Étienne Mestral 1550–1553: Noble Jean de Moyron 1556–1559: Noble Michaud de Sarsonay 1559–1565: Maître Antoine Dumont 1565–1568: Maître or Noble François Chevrier 1568–1571: Maître François Ruin 1571–1577: Maître Léonard Seraphin 1577–1580: Maître or Noble François Chevrier 1580–1586: Maître François Ruin 1586–1592: Maîtres Claude Molin, Guillaume Desaix, and Louis Dunant 1592–1598: Maître François II Dufoug 1598–1604: Noble Jacques Morel 1604–1610: Maître Jean-Louis Dunoyer 1610–1616: Noble Jacques Morel 1616–1622: Maître Martin Paris 1622–1628: Maître Claude Chartrier 1628–1634: Maître Antoine Demusy 1634–1640: Maître Pierre Bastian 1640–1646: Maîtres François Bastian and Claude Chartrier 1646–1648: Maître Jean-Jacques Bosson 1648–1653: Maître François Bastian 1652–1659: Maître Gaspard Famelloz

See also

Medieval fortification Faucigny

Notes

References

Bibliography

Archival collections

External links