A little history of Dun-sur-Auron fortifications

Impressive!

Mentioned since the 11th century, these fortifications were re-raised by king Philip Augustus and his successors, between the 12th and the 16th century. The king repaired the fortified walls of the first rampart in 1202.

But the king’s "master piece" was the Big Tower (32 metres in diameter and 35 metres high)! A leaden roof used to cover it. The big tower was destroyed in Louis XIV’s reign.

Those ramparts are still pretty impressive, for a small city like Dun!

The old Dunum Regis, Dun-le-Roi, was named from dun, a Celtic word which means "castle". A pretty old city, known since the Bronze Age, which became the most important town in Berry, in the Middle Ages!

In the 10th century, count of Sancerre Thibaud II translated Vincent's relics in Saint-Vincent church. The little city became prosperous and important.

Eudes the crusader

Then Dun fell to counts of Blois and to Sully, counts vassals. Gilon de Sully’s daughter married Eudes Arpin, lord of Dun.

In 1101, he needed money: he sold Dun to the king of France. So, kings became owner of Dun and of Bourges viscounty! Their kingdom became pretty big...

They raised fortified walls, especially the Big Tower erected by Philip Augustus. The town extended and became very, very prosperous: drapers came and became rich! La Pole family, from Dun, even left for England to found the county of Suffolk!

Dun went to war

During the Hundred Years War, the English led by Robert Knolles turned up in 1350. In 1412, Burgundians besieged the city! Well, it was during the war between Burgundians and Armagnacs... and Dun decided to support Armagnacs...

Then, during wars of religion, while some Protestants took shelter in the area (especially in Sancerre), Dun was besieged by Huguenot troops: fortunately, neither the church nor houses were destroyed...

Here we go again during the French Revolution... Dun-le-Roi became Dun-Libre ("Free-Dun") then Dun-sur-Auron.