Château de Commarque

English translation

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History

Very interesting example of military architecture from the 12th and 14th centuries, already occupied in prehistoric times. At the beginning of the 12th century, the house of Comarque ceded the castle to the hospitaller knights of Saint-Jean de Jérusalem among whom Gérard de Comarque had entered. The commanders of Saint-Jean kept it for approximately a century. During their occupation, they had to fortify it, the oldest vestiges dating from this period presenting similarities with certain castles of the Holy Land. In the 13th century, the stronghold was ceded by exchange to the house of Beynac, which found itself facing English possessions. The greater part of the castle dates from the 14th century, contemporary with the Hundred Years' War. In 1406, the fortress was taken by the English. Later, it must have had its role in the Wars of Religion, the castle having been forced in 1569 by the seneschal of Périgord. Under Louis XIII, total destruction was envisaged, but only some defences were dismantled. After the end of the wars, the fortress, uncomfortable for habitation, was abandoned. Set on a rock on the flanks of a hillside, the castle is naturally defended on two sides. Towers and keep have been placed towards the points least well defended by nature, and a deep ditch has been cut into the rock in order to deny access to it. The castle comprised several enclosures. The fortress proper is situated at the point of the rock, forming a quadrilateral. The keep is placed at the weakest angle. A curtain wall defends the south side. The north and east dominating a ravine, stores and dwellings were placed there. The fortress was defended, towards the hillside, by a work consisting of an enclosure of curtain wall with a large tower near the gate. Above the gate is found the chapel. The original conception dates from the 12th century and is no doubt the work of the knights of Saint-Jean (similarities with certain Syrian military constructions, in particular the castle of Saone, in the former county of Antioche). The substructures appear in general to be from this period, in particular the basement rooms of the dwelling buildings, as well as half of the rectangular keep, the gate of the first enclosure and the chapel. In the 14th century, the castle was reworked as it has come down to us. Improvements were made to the defence. The keep was doubled by another tower. A staircase served the floors and led to the terrace where machicolations are arranged to beat the foot of the keep. A watchtower with crenellations and machicolations rises above. At the foot of the keep is placed the dwelling building with mullioned windows. The curtain walls were reconstructed with flanking echauguettes, arrow slits. All the towers and curtain walls were crowned with machicolations. Numerous constructions stood outside these last defences.