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Key figures

Origin and history

The village of Hautpoul, integrated into the municipality of Mazamet in the Tarn, houses two distinct castles: the castle below, the vestige of a ruined medieval fortress accessible from the footbridge of Mazamet, and the high castle, fortified with Renaissance features located on the heights. These buildings dominate a rocky promontory at the gates of the Black Mountain, facing the Saint-Sauveur church. Their origin probably dates back to the 11th century, when the family of Hautpoul, local lords, erected a primitive tower. This strategic site, now marked by a statue of the Virgin (1949), was the heart of a powerful seigneury shared between five coseigneurs in 1162.

The crusade against the Albigois marks a violent turning point for Hautpoul. In 1212, Lord Izarn d'Hautpoul, united with the Cathar cause, saw his castle besieged and destroyed by Simon de Montfort after four days of siege. Izarn died during the assault or fled by underground sources. The two present castles are subsequently rebuilt: the lower castle at the bottom of the village and the upper castle near the site of the old tower. However, their exact dates of construction remain unknown.

The Wars of Religion (XVI century) once again transformed castles into strategic stakes. In 1574, Protestants took over Hautpoul and one of the castles, despite the resistance of Catholic governor Sébastien d'Hautpoul. The village changed hands several times: taken over by Catholics in 1589 with the betrayal of Robert de Rozet (Protestant administrator), then lost again in May of the same year. In 1622 the Count of Bioule partially demolished a castle (probably the lower castle), and in 1627 the Marquis of Ragny failed to take Mazamet after a twelve-day siege.

After these conflicts, the lower castle was dismantled in 1616 and abandoned, while the upper castle became a private property. The Renaissance style is distinguished by its two round towers and its sling windows. The château-bas, irregular quadrilateral on the edge of the pic, preserves walls in elevation and entrances in full arch hanger. Rehabilitated by the municipality of Mazamet in 1993, it is now accessible to the public via the bridge linking the church of Saint-Sauveur.

A legend attributes the foundation of Hautpoul and its first fortress to Athalulf, king of Wisigoths, from 413 onwards. However, the historical evidence points to the construction of the feudal castle in the 11th century by the Hautpoul family. Pierre-Raymond of Hautpoul, local lord, took part in the first crusade (1096–1099) alongside Raymond of Saint-Gilles and died of the plague after the siege of Antioch, where he was buried in front of the church of Saint-Pierre.

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