The History
of the Castle
The castle of Marigna was erected in the eleventh century and has a rich and fascinating history.
The castle of Marigna is listed as a historical monument since 1945. The first castle, said Haut-Castel, is probably built in the course of the eleventh and twelfth centuries by the lords of Chalon, counts of Burgundy. It was destroyed and restored several times.
Jean the Antique
“Poly, Sire of Marigna, recognizes to hold in Fief of Renaud of Burgundy the Castle of Marigna “… etc … Haut Castel)
XIII century: The Lordship of Marigna belonged to the Chalons (Jean the Antique)
Mercenaries
Two truckers (mercenaries converted into banditry) seize the Haut Castel and its domain of Petit Marigna. One remains there, the second makes erect a square tower (current bell-tower) “on the motte du Planège”, current village.
The Balay family
Abandonment of the two estates by the two truckers and their soldiers returning to Dauphine. The Haut Castel then falls to the family Vaugrigneuse, then in 1555 to the family of Balay.
It is then composed (Rousset): (…) of a body of building under which is a vaulted portal that communicates to the court, an irregular court, two other buildings adjacent to the previous and a dungeon having the shape an irregular pentagon (…) A stone and iron fence closes the entrance to a beautiful avenue. A large circular tower pierced with loopholes defends the southeast corner of the castle. There was a similar one at the opposite corner.
The doorway is still decorated with crows that supported many machicolations. It was preceded by a large ditch today filled, on which was thrown a drawbridge (…)
The Rosay Tower
Construction of the round tower known as Rosay, in the Planège. The Fauchiers, who reside there, are under the vassalage of the Lord of Balay (Haut Castel)
A crime at the Castle
A crime is perpetrated against the person of Claude du Balay by the “people” of Fauchier, who fled; his property is sequestrated.
The Colombier and The Chapelle
The buildings of the Colombier and the Chapel were part of the last wishes of the victim of the murder.
The Village of Marigna
Birth of the village of Marigna sur Valouse: the inhabitants have only one lord.
La tour incendié
Fire of the Rosay tower by the troops of Henry IV.
Fruitier at the Planège
The lords establish a fruit in the Planège
The Castle burned
Both villages are burned by the French. The natives are protected in Haut Castel by Pierre and Emmanuel du Balay “valiant fighters” during 6 years.
Peace of Nimègue
Annexation of Franche Comté to France. Peace of Nijmegen. Jean du Balay gets, like all the Lords of the time, permission to rebuild “provided they shave fortifications and chapel”. Were destroyed: “the uprights and turrets of the square tower, plus the half-circular tower leaned to the north of the square tower, as well as the two long curtains that joined round square and round tower.
The Castle of the Planège
Jean du Balay gives to the parish the castle of Planège (square tower, round tower and current presbytery).
Ennoblement
Anoblissement (Marquisat) of the Lord of the Balay by Louis XIV.
Donation
Donation of the Seigneurie de Marigna to Marie Hilaire de Broissia (after Adolphe Joanne 1879 in his General Route of France).
Accession
Accession of the family of Édouard de Broissia to the castle by donation (according to Rousset).