The terrible imprisonment of Ingeborg of Denmark in Etampes castle

This tower is the only vestige of Etampes fortress! A fortress founded by king Robert the Pious and his wife Constance at the beginning of the 11th century. The keep itself was founded circa 1150.

But did you know here, a dark story took place?

King Philip Augustus’ repudiate wife, queen Ingeborg of Denmark, spent 20 years locked here, in a small dark jail!

Why? The story began so well... Philip and Ingeborg married in 1193, in Amiens.

But once the ceremony ended, the king shivered: he even started to hate his wife! Oh, did she bewitch him? Anyway, Philip wanted to divorce, quickly! And he succeeded in...

Few months after their marriage, the poor Ingeborg attended to her divorce, but she didn't understand what they meant: when they translated to her, she yelled Mala Francia, Mala Francia! ("Naughty France") and told to the Pope their marriage was consummated, Philip had lied, and so on...

This one finally locked the queen away, in Etampes tower...