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PORTRAITS : SAINT MALO HISTORY
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~~~~~~~~~~ Bibliographical reference and abstracts: SAINT MALO ET L' HISTOIRE of S. and J. BEAULIEU in the publishing Marc-Aurèle. Book having the originality to put systematically in parallel St Malo's history (right page) with the history of France at the same time (left page). ~~~~~~~~~~ The objective of this synthesis, indeed évidement not exhaustive, is to bring to light the strong moments of Saint Malo's life through centuries. Certain facts have no real historic value but are a part of St Malo's stories which we tell and sometimes deform. The origin of certain names of streets or districts take after reading another sense, historic sense. This portrait will be completed from time to time but will always remain brief in its descriptions to allow a fast reading and a simpler memorization of the facts. Finally, we can only incite every reader eager for precise dates, for details or historic references to the history of France to go to the works relative to St Malo's history, fruits of historians' real works. If you find here a very strange translation, please be so nice to report it to us. It is some times difficult for us to find the right word for translate ! St Malo origin 20 years later Jesus Christ, the Gallic village of Alet becomes Alet the steelyard following upon the Roman invasion 52 before JC (The rock of Alet makes in front of the current "rock" of Saint Malo). The rock of Aaron, place of current St Malo intra muros, where lived the hermit Aaron, accommodated Mac-Law in the VIth century. Mac-Law, son of good family, good speaker and the political end, evangelized the region then ended his days in a convent near Saintes city (France) between 620 and 640. Mac-Law gave his name to Saint-Malo (Maclovius = Malo) Already a climatic reheating From VIIème to XIIème century, a progressive weakening of the ground and a general rise of water caused by the reduce of the pole ici, following the reheating of the climate, modify the topography of the places somewhat. The marshes are submerged and the sea encircles the island with high tide. An arrival of renegades always ready to adventure At the beginning of IX century, right asylum is instituted by the lord bishop on Saint Malo and its surroundings which become of " Minihics " where could take refuge all those that justice continue, of people always ready with adventure ! The creation of St Malo At the XII century, Jean de Chatillon melts Saint Malo (1146) symbolized by the transfer of the episcopal see located beforehand on the rock "Alet". With the wire of centuries XIII and XIV, Jean de Chatillon and his successors, will raise ramparts around Saint Malo. At the XVII century, the ramparts will be elevated. Mastiffs In more of the ramparts, the closed city each night, was kept by 25 released English mastiffs each evening with external of the city on the strike. Panels " Cave Canem " (attention with the dogs) informed the imprudent night ones. 1er sits of St Malo, baptism of fire for the ramparts of St Malo. 1378, in reprisals of the attacks of the anglo-Normans islands and the ports of Wales, English unloads on the furrow, with the doors of the city. 12 000 men and 400 bombard will make undergo the baptism of fire to the already old ramparts of more than 2 centuries. The attackers ended up withdrawing themselves 6 months after vain attempts of attacks of the strengthened city and also discouraged by the attacks of come Du Guesclin lent strong hand to St Malo. Du Guesclin, large constable having then under his orders the brothers of king of France and the large Breton lords. Three keys for the town of St Malo It was established the use of the 3 keys opening the doors of the city, for bishop, for the middle-class men and for the governor. 2nd seat of St Malo, the construction of the Solidor tower 1382-1384, the Solidor tower, very close, with St Servan (~3 kms), were built by the duke of Brittany to besiege St Malo. A garrison installed in the tower, prohibited any supply of St Malo. The drains of drinking water coming from St Servan crossed, St Malo was condemned to insulation. The inhabitants of Saint Malo were constrained to recover rainwater for drinking. Lastly, the intervention of the Pope led the Inhabitants of Saint Malo, determined but also very catholic, to capitulate. First stage of connection of the rock in the continent 1509, the "sillon", long sand road connecting St Malo to the continent, were consolided with stones. The corsairs like the brawl but feel reluctant with assassination 1572, whereas the massacre of St Barthélemy is ordered by Charles IX making 70 000 victims (Protestants), St Malo refuses the execution of the unhappy Protestants present on the rock. St Malo lets them escape towards England. The revolution inhabitant of Saint Malo, 200 years before the Parisian ones Refusing to recognize Henri IV, the Inhabitants of Saint Malo attack the castle of St Malo then inhabited by the governor. This one, projecting to open the city to Henri IV present in the surroundings is then massacred. 200 years before the Parisian ones, the inhabitants of Saint Malo having taken " their bastille " proclaim " their republic " ! " Neither Breton, nor French, inhabitant of Saint Malo am " Thus was the currency of the inhabitants of Saint Malo during the 4 years of the republic inhabitant of Saint Malo (1590-1594) chaired by Picot de le Gicquelais which made reign order and prosperity in St Malo. Thus begins the race and the corsairs End XVIème century begins the real prosperity of St Malo, of the shipyards develop on the "sillon" and put at flood of many ships increasingly larger and more rapids. One period of exploration of the seas and continents begins and an intense activity of trade animates St Malo. Quays are then built and of the guns placed in defense on a bastion " l'espoir " ’today disappeared. Corsairs but not pirates The french royal navy unable to protect with it only the maritime trade is forced to call upon the corsairs of Saint Malo. By " the letter of mark " that ship-owners have, a private individual, the corsairs elected thus by the king are distinguished from the pirates : in the event of prisoners, the corsair is considered as prisoner of war whereas the pirate is hung high and short. During 8 years, 4100 merchant ships and 380 vessels were hailed by the corsairs, maintaining St Malo in an environment jubilation and vice. The accounts of the adventures are told by the sailors in the inns have a cast of the city " lepie qui boit : the magpie which drinks " or " chat qui danse : cat which dances " The " race " dies then with Empire beginning XIXème. End XVIIème, companies of trade are created to St Malo, ones, the Company of the Indies Orientales was managed by " ces messieurs de Saint Malo : these sirs of St Malo" The first great architectural disaster of St Malo 1661, the first great disaster of St Malo (the second being 22nd world war) was caused by the widow of an apothecary of the city who made boil in his court of terpentine. That caused a gigantic fire " the large roasting plant " in the city corsair. After 13 hours of firefighting, 287 residences are destroyed, a part of very old St Malo then disappeared. Second stage of connection of the rock in the continent Beginning XVIIème, the close city loses its insular character definitively, a roadway bordered of granite and protected by breezes blades from oak ( tortillards, always of actualtity today) is created. Vauban and St Malo Born in 1633 and died in 1707, Sebastien Prestre de Vauban was as at 22 years old the engineer of Louis XIV and this during 53 years. He was at the origin of construction or installation of more than 300 fortified towns. One says of him : " City besieged by Vauban, city taken city defended by Vauban, impregnable city ! " Vauban strengthened bay of St Malo to protect, against English, arrival of the ships charged with food products coming from the remote countries with the fortifications of fort harbour, small bé, Conchée, the island of Cézembre, fort national… The ships arriving of large broad started to take refuge close to fort Lalatte (Cape Fréhel on western of St Malo) then awaited winds from western successively to skirt the coast in direction of St Malo protected then by the forts of bay or stations armed ("pointe du decolle", fort harbour, small be…) as well as stones that raise water, natural protections. " Vauban and the bay of St Malo " will make a forthcoming portrait. A recall on the flag of St Malo The flag of St Malo, a red district (the corsairs used the red as flag of attack), with a tied hermine of gold, colors specific to the weapons of the city, in particular recalling its membership to the duchy of Brittany (Anne of Brittany). The silver Cross is that of all the flags of the harbour of war under Louis XIV. Large characters of the history of St Malo Bertrand Of Guesclin (1320-1380) According to the disctionnary "the Petit Robert", Guesclin was the "Type of the perfect knight, popular hero, of the poems celebrate its exploits. It crystallized hatred against the English and incarnated one of the first patriotic demonstrations of the kingdom of France." Anne of Brittany (1477 – 1514) Heiress of the duchy of Brittany, the Duchess Anne was crowned " Queen of France " in 1492 following her marriage with Charles VIII. She resided in her castle of Nantes. She remains with St Malo during she makes build, to supervise the Inhabitants of Saint Malo, the tower " Quic-in-Groigne " whose name evokes (whose are dissatisfied) the protest of the Inhabitants of Saint Malo opposed to his construction. Jacques Cartier (1494 – 1557) The man which discovered Canada in 1534. Very young, he embarks towards the New Ground benches with the cod fishermen. After having obtained from the king the funds necessary to arm a flotilla, it leaves to discovered this what he will baptize then Canada, of the word iroquoi " Kanata " often pronounced by the natives and meaning " village ". Rene Dugay-Trouin (1673 – 1736) Dugay Trouin, the general lieutenant of the armies of Louis XIV begins his life from navigator at 16 years with a punishment : its tumultuous studied life at school leads his brother to push him to embark on a vessel corsair. The man which was then a captain corsair at 19 years, commander at 21 years, captive of English, escaped prisoners, crossed the Manche sea on a boat with 4 companions, became then captain and gained crashing to pieces victories over 500 English or Dutch ships including 60 ship of war. Mahé de la Bourdonnais (1699 – 1753) Bertrand Mahé de la Bourdonnais, born in St Malo and wire the noble ones, embarks at 10 years old like foams for the South Seas. It acquires then a formidable fortune thanks to the capture of pirate boats charged with invaluable spoils. He was the general governor of the Islands of France, today Mauritius island in the Indian Ocean. Unfortunately, after a 3 years imprisonment to the Bastille (Paris jail), escaping from little from the death penalty, it will finish its days at 54 years with a serious disease and without fortune. Robert Surcouf (1773 – 1827) At 13 years, in punishment according to the use of the time following its escape from its college from Dinan (city close to St Malo), Surcouf is embarked like foam. Thus the prestigious career begins of the famous corsair. With Indian Ocean as Mauritius and battle field’as bases, it will attack without slackening the merchant ships English in return of their rich person Indian colonies. A fact weapons which marks its history : it attacked with a light ship " Le Cartier " armed with 4 guns and 18 men the imposing 3 English masts " the Triton " having 26 guns and 150 men of crew. Its victory against " Kent " which was brightest (immortalized by the Garneray painter present on the boat). 150 sailors and 18 guns of with dimensions of that which English called " ’Confidence" " L ogre of Bengal" on the boat and 437 sailors and 35 guns with dimensions of Kent with spoils of 305 000 piastres of gold which took part largely in the fortune of Surcouf. François Rene de Chateaubriand (1768 – 1848) Born in 1768 in the city close "intra muros" in the district St Vincent, it was the precursor of new literary school. Its tomb is located vis-a-vis at broad in accordance with its wish on large Bé, vis-a-vis with St Malo and accessible to foot at low tide. He is with origin of the " Romanticism " and in its " Memoires d'Outre-Tombe " reports its youth in St Malo. The commander Charcot (1867 – 1936) The commander Charcot, to come... |
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