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Origin and history

The Abbey of the Crest, founded in 1121 by Simon II of Clefmont and the monks of Morimond Abbey, is a Cistercian abbey located in Bourdons-sur-Rognon, in the Rognon Valley. His name could come from the Latin Crista (Cime) or from a reference to Christ. Located in a border region between Champagne and Lorraine, it benefits from local political rivalries to spread, receiving donations from the Counts of Champagne and the Dukes of Lorraine.

The original site, occupied as early as the 11th century under the name of Vieille Crete, is considered unsuitable. Simon II of Clefmont then offers a new land conforming to the Cistercian ideal: isolated, near a river, and conducive to autonomy. Baudoin, the monk of Morimond, became the first abbot and led the construction of the abbey, whose church, inspired by Clairvaux, was completed before 1150. The monks lead a life rhythmic by prayer, agricultural work, and welcoming pilgrims, while developing economic activities (moulins, forges, vines).

The abbey prospers thanks to aristocratic and ecclesiastical donations, becoming a major player in agricultural colonization by founding villages such as Bourdons-sur-Rognon (1240). It has forests, mills, fishing rights, and salt stoves, while collecting cens and royalties. Protected by pontifical bubbles as early as the 13th century, it partially escaped the religious conflicts of the 16th century, but was looted and destroyed during the Thirty Years' War (1636-1637), where Swedish troops ravaged its dependencies.

In the 18th century, the abbey was rebuilt (abbatial logis, porterie, stable) after decades of neglect by the abbots. The French Revolution led to its nationalization in 1789 and its partial demolition after its sale in 1794. Today, there is nothing left but the portery (classified as a Historical Monument), the abbey palace, the dovecote, and sections of the enclosure wall, testimonies of its glorious past. Associations work for its preservation and development.

The Abbey of the Crest illustrates the paradoxes of the monastic economy: founded on the ideal of Cistercian poverty, it becomes a powerful economic actor, before declining under the effects of revolutionary wars and spoliations. Its history also reflects tensions between royal power, local lords, and Church, in a region marked by border conflicts.

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