Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

The fortified house of Ameysin, built in the twelfth century, was the heart of the seigneury of Ameysin, located in the town of Yenne, Savoie. She stood at the place called the Châtel, on a nipple overlooking the barn of Ameysin. This strategic site housed a noble family whose members, such as Guillaume d'Ameysin, took part in the crusades alongside the Counts of Savoy as early as 1147.

In the Middle Ages, the strong house was a place of power for the Ameysin family, closely linked to Savoy's house. Several of its members held key roles: Soffrey d'Ameysin was baili of Savoy, Berlion d'Ameysin became bishop of Belley, and Pierre d'Ameysin distinguished himself during the siege of the castle of Perrière in 1333. The seigneury then passed to the Orlyé by marriage in 1385, then to the Vuillet de la Sauneière in the 17th century.

The fort house also served as a framework for matrimonial transactions and alliances, such as the marriage of Colette d'Ameysin with Amédée d'Orlyé in 1385, or the estate disputes in the 15th century, arbitrated by Duke Philibert II of Savoy. Despite its historical importance, no remains of the castle remain today. The associated goods, including the barn in Ameysin, were finally sold during the Revolution.

Ameysin's family was also illustrated in the church and army: Jacques d'Ameysin was abbot of Tamié in 1250, while Antoine d'Orlyé died in 1476 during the Battle of Morat, alongside Charles the Temerary. In the 16th century, the Orlyé adopted the name of Bellestruche, marking a new phase in their seigneurial history before the decline of the site.

The last known lord, François Vuillet de la Saunière, possessed the fief in the 18th century. The archives mention notarial acts signed in the strong house, such as the acquisition of land in 1494 or the sale of seigneurial rights in 1619 to finance princely receptions. The site, now extinct, bears witness to the influence of Savoyard noble families over centuries.

External links