Compiègne (Municipality, Oise, France)

Last modified: 2003-05-31 by ivan sache
Keywords: oise | compiegne | lion (blue) | fleur-de-lys: half (white) |
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by Arnaud Leroy

Source: Pascal Vagnat & Mairie de Compiègne

• Presentation of the municipality
• Description of the flag

See also:

• France
• Oise (Department, France)

Presentation of the municipality

Compiègne is a city of c. 45,000 inhabitants, located on the river Oise. It is now famous for its Technical University and its castle. Compiègne was visited by several important people of the French history, e.g. Joan of Arc, Louis XV, Napoléon III and Marshal Foch.

In 843, the Carolingian Empire was divided by the treaty of Verdun. Charles II the Bald (843-877) received the western part of the Empire (Francia occidentalis) and built in Compiègne a palace similar to Charlemagne's palace in Aix-la-Chapelle. He also founded a Royal abbey in which the relics of St. Corneille were kept. The abbey was later superseded by St. Denis, near Paris, the Royal necropole.

In 1374, King Charles V the Wise (1364-1380) fortified the city and built a fort. On 23 May 1430, Joan of Arc was captured near Compiègne by the Burgundians, who sold her to the English.

The castle of Compiègne was a rather rustic residence until King Louis XV (1715-1774) refurbished it and organized there lavish festivals. In 1738, the King decided to rebuild totally the castle and hired the famous architects Jacques V Gabriel (1667-1742) and his son Jacques-AngeI Gabriel (1698-