Sully-Sur-Loire

The Castle of Sully-sur-Loire

Text Christian Cardoux Update Mathieu Girault - Sophie Pirou

Translation id2m

2 Introduction 3 History of the castle 20 Tour of the castle

Éditions OUEST-FRANCE

ChateauSullyLoire_001A032_166x240_EN.indd 1 18/02/2020 10:39 Joan of Arc in Sully The most notable event for the During the Hundred Years’ War, the castle during this period was Joan of castle defences were considerably Arc’s visit on 18 June 1429 following strengthened, particularly through the French victory at the Battle of the construction of a south-west tower, Patay. Her aim was to convince the designed to protect it from attacks from Dauphin Charles, who was staying the town. The castle came under siege there, to be crowned in Reims. in 1411 and was repaired the follow- She visited again in March 1430 ing year. Charles d’Albret, Marie de after her setback in Paris but came Sully’s second husband, was killed at up against the enmity of Georges de Joan of Arc , the Battle of Agincourt in 1415, and La Trémoïlle who turned Charles Eugène Grasset, the castle was besieged again in 1418 against her. The rest is history. Joan 1894, engraving. Loiret Departmental Archives. by Charles, Dauphin of France, as managed to escape from Sully on Georges de La Trémoille had for a 28 March, but was captured in time sided with the Burgundian party. Compiègne on 23 May then tried Having submitted, he became one of for witchcraft and heresy by a church the most inﬂ uential advisers of the court, found guilty and burned at future Charles VII of France. the stake in Rouen on 30 May 1431.

In the foreground, the mediaeval keep from the banks of the Loire. D. Chauveau.

In addition to its defensive and revenue from their tenant Right-hand page: role, this outstanding architecture farms and estates. They therefore Joan of Arc makes a sortie from the gates highlights the Trémoïlle family's lived lavishly and, in keeping with of Orleans and scatters desire for splendour. And they the times, during their brief stays the enemies of France , had the means for this ostentation travelled from one place to another William Etty, 1846-1847, oil on canvas. Orléans, – they received direct taxes from with their furniture, trunks, tables, Musée des Beaux-Arts over twenty parishes, charges from trestles and sideboards. It should be © François Lauginie. Loire crossings and tolls, the grape added that, in the end, they freed harvest, communal oven, and mill, their serfs.

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ChateauSullyLoire_001A032_166x240_EN.indd 6-7 18/02/2020 10:39 The emblem of Sully A rare period painting of holding a lightning bolt the castle of Sully. The under the motto Quo castle is depicted from jussa jovis the gardens to the east. (“I go where Jupiter It is part of a orders”). Ceiling of the 17 th -century wall Main salon, Castle of painting in the hall of Sully-sur-Loire. the Castle of Villebon D. Chauveau. (in Eure-et-Loir). With the kind permission of Mr de la Raudière. Reproduction prohibited.

Coats of arms, from top to bottom: - The Sully town coat of arms, inspired by the House of Sully-Berry crest, features thirteen spurs. - The black and white emblem chosen by the 1st Duke of Sully. - The House of Béthune: argent a fess gules (white with red band). - The Béthune-Desplanques: argent a fess gules for Béthune - gules a bend or (red with gold band) and six billet crest (like the Saveuse crest) as a cadency mark in the dexter chief The reproduction of (top right). (N.B. The number of billets varies). a 17th -century plan, with its naivety and approximations. married Rachel de Cochefi let, who them – Henri de Rohan for his assisted and supported him as a daughter Marguerite, and Françoise confi dante and housekeeper. They de Créquy for his son Maximilien. lived together for fi fty years and she And this service to the king, bore him nine children. his family, and his grandeur also Throughout his dazzling career benefi ted the castle of Sully. with the King of Navarre then King of France, he was the wise and The castle at the astute administrator who restored time of the Great Sully the kingdom’s fi nances. Sully was From 1602 to 1609, the fi rst Duke one of the great servants of the of Sully commissioned major French monarchy. Would Henry IV building work – he spent 140,000 have succeeded without his minister? pounds, more than the purchase And would the latter have remained price – and oversaw every last in the shadows without the king's detail himself (there are records favour, managing his fortune until of around sixty contracts with his tragic death? A fortune that stonemasons and carpenters). He prospered under Sully. Without wanted to transform his castle, reproaching him for any wrongdoing, which he had bought in a state of Sully became, acquisition after disrepair, into a stronghold that acquisition, one of the richest was protected from the whims of landowners in the kingdom. On the river and human fury, and was his death in 1641, his fortune was a fi ne, comfortable and pleasing estimated at 5,200,000 pounds. residence worthy of his title. He In the same way he served the king also hoped to win Sologne and and his interests, he provided for his Berry’s loyalty to the crown as he family. He considered it his duty was extending his empire there and to see his children well established these regions often rebelled against and arranged excellent matches for legitimate authority.

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ChateauSullyLoire_001A032_166x240_EN.indd 10-11 18/02/2020 10:39 Sale of the castle The estate was crumbling. The owners did everything they could to save the castle, and carry on, hoping perhaps for a miracle. But there was no money left. The estate – around 20 farms over 2,250 hectares – was sold, and sadly for the historical heritage, the priceless furniture, tapestries from Beauvais, Aubusson and Flanders, and paintings were auctioned off in Drouot. During the sale on 25 February 1942, the the team, who was put up in a Sully View of the castle after the ﬁ re. French government saved some hotel, found nothing at all. The Photograph, Loiret items by exercising its pre-emptive contractor and hotelier, who were Departmental Archives. rights. not paid, obtained a writ of seizure For 20 years, the castle was and sale of the castle and its grounds. Right-hand page: embroiled in a legal and administrative There were a further 10 years of View of the castle of battle with many twists and turns that dealings, unexpected developments, Sully-sur-Loire from the hit the headlines. negotiations, greed, higher bidders town with the “Priests’ Bridge”. In 1951, the Marchioness of – the French singer Charles Trenet D. Chauveau. Bausset-Roquefort was convinced came forward at one point – and turns that treasure was hidden somewhere of events before ﬁ nally an amicable View of the castle today in the castle. After looking solution was reached in July 1962 from the gardens. The for documents and calling on and Loiret Departmental Council curtain wall has been radiesthesists, she organised digs bought the castle and grounds for returned to its 17 th -century appearance. from July 1951 to March 1952 but 850,000 francs. D. Chauveau.

ChateauSullyLoire_001A032_166x240_EN.indd 18-19 18/02/2020 10:39 MEDIAEVAL KEEP : built from 1396 by Guy de SMALL CASTLE : built by the La Trémoïlle family and la Trémoïlle probably on the site of an older redesigned by Sully. The 14 th -century gate square tower was castle. It is the “Old Castle” of the Middle redesigned in 1720. It is the current entrance to the castle. Ages, with its “gate” fl anked by two towers The small castle is connected to the keep by the Louis XV the French government exercised that were demolished in 1794 and restored wing, built in the 18 th century on a former curtain wall. its pre-emptive rights at the castle of by the Béthune-Sullys in the 19 th century. Destroyed by a fi re in 1918, it was rebuilt in the 1920s a The inner courtyard, or main courtyard, was storey shorter. Rosny auction –, six embroideries, a initially separated from the keep by a ditch and painting of Henry IV of France at the drawbridge that were removed before 1713. Sange Tower dating from the La Trémoïlle Battle of Ivry, another one depicting period. Sully renamed it the “Rosny Sully escaping St. Bartholomew's Tower”, in keeping with his idea of giving Verrines Tower , which has kept its Square each of the castle towers the name of one Day Massacre, a screen, trunks, a name since the Middle Ages. Tower of his fi efdoms. Louis XVI bed, and letters. The large rooms sprang to life, and whether

Chapelle lavishly furnished like the main d’Angillon salon and King’s chamber, or more Tower Spartan like the great lower hall and ceremonial hall, they all capture the attention of the 60,000 visitors who South The great lower hall. scattered following the auction in pass through each year. gallery , D. Chauveau. 1942 – they could at least refl ect it partially accurately. Great lower hall destroyed during the Once again, action was taken. This vast ground-fl oor room in the Second World Furniture and paintings preempted keep was the service area where the War. by the French government in 1942 servants, and particularly the cooks, found their way back to their former worked. It was once divided into home. Other items, which had been several smaller rooms. The actual D. Chauveau. D. purchased by individuals at the time, kitchen was located in front of Villebon Tower and Nouvion Tower , built Béthune Tower or the Artillery Tower , built by Sully were bought back. And some pieces, the small fi replace. Close by there th c. 1400, completed by Maximilien de Béthune in 1606 in place of a 14 -century tower. A victim of which did not have a direct link to was an outhouse that was used as between 1602 and 1640, demolished in 1794, the French Revolution, it was only partly rebuilt. It no and partially restored in 1946 and 1962. longer features the small lookout tower at the top. the castle but were true to its history, a larder. It contained an oven and were bought through public auctions, access to the cellar where provisions Bathing Nymphs , antique dealers and galleries, for were stored. The gutter near the 17 th -century tapestry, Parisian workshops. example wall hangings – including back room was used to dispose Tour of the castle D. Chauveau. The Story of Psyche, saved when of waste. A white Carrara marble statue, which stands next to the late The Loiret department once again housed the tomb of the 14 th -century fi replace, dates from and the revival of the 1st Duke of Sully and the Duchess. 1642 and represents Maximilien castle An ambitious plan – to return the de Béthune as a victorious man of The Loiret department bought an old seigniorial residence to its former war, leaning on his marshal's baton unsound, empty shell but there was glory during the time of Maximilien and wearing a laurel wreath. The soon a real desire to turn it (or turn de Béthune and his successors – room also features two tapestries it back) into one of the main heritage emerged and a considerable amount woven in Parisian workshops in sites in the Loiret. of time, intelligence and money the early 17 th century. They depict First, the buildings were restored. would be required. various characters in the story of The roofi ng was repaired, and the But an empty castle meant a silent Greek god Pan. In Bathing Nymphs , walls of the Nouvion Tower and the castle and, to bring it back to life, it Pan, a satyr, watches nymphs at north façade of the keep were rebuilt had to be decorated with furniture, the edge of a fountain in amongst between 1966 and 1971. The great paintings, tapestries, objects and ancient ruins. hall on the fi rst fl oor, the entrance collections, which, though they could gate and the “King’s Chamber” were not perfectly recreate the past – also refurbished. The restored chapel the original furnishings had been

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ChateauSullyLoire_001A032_166x240_EN.indd 20-21 18/02/2020 10:39 Marguerite de Béthune, Dining room Duchess of Rohan, as To conclude, here is a table showing the “dynasties” that succeeded each This room was Maximilien de Diana the Huntress, on other at the Castle of Sully-sur-Loire in their historical context, together Béthune’s study in the 17 th century. loan from the French with the people and events that marked French history. National Monuments It was in the neighbouring tower Centre, Castle of that he secretly printed his memoirs, Châteaudun, in 2013, the Oeconomies royales , in 1638. CHA1942000126. Mid-17 th century. Dates Historical period Owners People Events The room was turned into a dining D. Chauveau. room c. 1869. The kitchen was in 1000 Hugh Capet • Castle Mound close proximity. The table is set • Probable ﬁ rst keep of First House of Gilon, lord of Sully, and meals were perhaps enjoyed to the Castrum Soliacense Sully Les Aix and La • Collegiate Church piano music. The table, sideboard 1100 Chapelle and blanket chest are on loan from Agnès de Sully, the French National Furniture wife of the Count of Champagne Collection. King Henry IV of France 1200 is depicted in two paintings and a bust. A 17 th -century tapestry Philippe Auguste Second House of • Philippe Auguste Tower shows a returning hunting party. (Bouvines) Sully (Round Tower or Large Tower) The painted ceiling, similar to the portait of Marguerite de Béthune, one in the main salon, features the daughter of the minister, as 1300 motifs linked to Maximilien de Diana the Huntress. She married Marie de Sully, • Keep built Hundred wife of Guy de La • Castle besieged Béthune: cannonballs, eagles, very well, much to the pride of her Years’ War lightning bolts, and mottos in Latin. father, becoming the wife of Henri Trémoïlle • Joan of Arc in Sully • Small Castle, bailey and Above the mantelpiece there is a de Rohan, ﬁ rst cousin to Henry IV. Dining room. 1400 D. Chauveau. gardens designed and built La Trémoïlle st 1500 Francis I (Marignan) • Castle captured and recaptured French Wars of Relig. • Damage and destruction 1600 Henry IV/Sully

Maximilien de • Maximilien de Béthune 1700 Louis XIII Béthune, buys Sully Louis XIV 1st Duke of Sully • Raised to a duchy Béthune • Castle buildings and Regency gardens completely Louis XV redesigned 1800 French Revolution • Voltaire at Sully Empire Maximilien- • Destruction of the Philippe Auguste Tower Bourbon Restoration Alexandre de Second Empire Béthune, • Towers demolished Third Republic Béthune-Penin last Duke of Sully 1900 • Renovation First World War (known as - Modernisation Béthune-Sully) • 1918 ﬁ re Second World War • War damage - Furniture Eugène de auction Béthune-Sully • Castle’s revival Fourth - Fifth Loiret department Mahaut de • Becomes a cultural and Republic tourist destination 2000 Béthune-Sully, Marchioness of Bausset 2007 • Steward’s Ofﬁ ce refurbished • Psyche Apartments

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