The castle of Bricquebec
As shown by the etymology of its
name, the origins of Bricquebec (from old Norse bekkr, a river,
preceded by brekka, a slope) can be traced back to the epic of the
Vicking invaders vers strongly rooted in Cotentin from the beginning
of the 10th century. Tradition attributes the foundation of the
castle to the Scandinavian Anslech, kinsman of the Duke of Normandy
William Long-Sword.
The constitution of this great barony
participated in a ducal policy aiming to secure control of newly
acquired territories, through the medium of great feudal units.
The Cotentin, semi-insular region attached later to the duchy than
the rest of Normandy (in 933) long remained jealous of its independence.
From Anslech came, we are told, the long lineage of the Bertrans,
a succession of loyal knights whose name is written in each major
chapter of the duchy's history. Robert Ier Bertran, called "le
tort" ("the lame "), is counted among the barons
who in 1066, accompanied Duke William in the conquest of England.
His son, Robert II, is believed to have taken part in 1096 in the
taking of Jerusalem during the first Crusade. But soon after the
annexation of Normandy by Philippe Auguste, in 1204, the Bertrans
did homage to the King of France for fifteen noble fiefs held from
their barony of Bricquebec.
Robert VII Bertran, risen to the
dignity of Marshal of France, jplayed an important role during the
troubled period of the beginning of the Hundred Year's War. Having
obtained for his son the hand of a rich heiress, he aroused the
wrath of another suitor, Geoffroy of Harcourt, lord of Saint-Sauveur-le-Vicomte,
who out of vengeance engaged in a private war against his rival.
Sentenced for these doings, Geoffroy of Harcourt soon took refuge
at the court of England and there incited King Edouard III to descend
on the Cotentin. Robert Bertran, nicknamed "le Chevalier au
Vert Lion", attempted in vain to resist the English army which
landed in Saint-Vaast-la-Hougue on the 12th of July 1346.
Short after the death of the old Marshal, whose two sons died on
the battlefield, his four-hundred years dynasty became extinct.
By marriage, the castle and barony of Bricquebec were then transferred
to the Paisnel family, already endowed with the castle of Hambye.
Given up to the exactions of soldiery, submitted to the ravages
of the plague and famines, the peninsula of Cotentin was open in
the second half of the 14th century, to multiples skirmishes between
French, English and Navarrian troops. For a time submitted to the
King of Navarre, Bricquebec soon came back to the French camp and
supllied King Charles V with a precious step forward in his strategy
of reconquest.
After brief and fragile period of peace, the War resumed in 1418.
Bricquebec was quickly occupied by the troops of King Henry V of
England. Given to William de la Pole, Earl of Suffolk, then sold
by him to captain Bertin Entwistle, the castle stayed ender English
rule until 1450. When, in 1452 Louis d'Estouteville, the valiant
defender of Mont-Saint-Michel, came back triumphant to take possession
of the castle, the Middle Ages were coming to an end. At the beginning
of the following century, the barons of Bricquebec abandoned indeed
the old fortress of the Bertrans to settle in their new residence,
the Château de Galeries, designed under the influence of the
Italian Renaissance.
To visit in
the castle :
- the motte
- the impressive polygonal keep
- the "tour de l'horloge"
- the "tour du chartrier"
- the " crypte"
- the circular towers
- the medieval accomodation
- the "tour de l'épine"
- etc...
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