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Origin and history

The castle of Madaillan, located in the department of Lot-et-Garonne in New Aquitaine, is a medieval building built between the late 13th and 14th centuries by the family of Fossat, an influential noble lineage of the Agenese. It dominates the valleys of the Bourbon and Saysset streams, separated from the plateau by a wide ditch. Its original architecture, dated about 1285-1289, included a fortified tower in spur and a vaulted lower hall, before being enlarged in the 14th century with a house body and crenelated enclosure.

The building of the castle is attributed to Amanieu II du Fossat (c. 1245-1307), who usurped neighboring lands and parishes, triggering conflicts with the city of Agen and the kings of France and England. His successor, Amanieu III du Fossat (c. 1271-1351), Senechal d'Agenais and Mayor of Bordeaux, strengthened the castle's defences after his restitution in 1342. The monument was a strategic issue during the Hundred Years' War, suffered sieges (especially in 1338 and 1354) and changed hands several times between the French and English crowns.

In the 14th century, the castle passed into the hands of Montpezat by marriage, then was involved in the wars of Religion. In 1575 he resisted a siege led by Marshal Blaise of Monluc, serving as a camp cut off for Protestants. After partial destruction, it was restored in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Ranked a historic monument in 1950, it is now open to visit after a restoration conducted by its private owners since 1990.

The history of the castle is marked by recurrent legal conflicts with the city of Agen, especially around usurped parishes (Fraysses, Cardounet, Saint-Denis). The Fossat, then the Montpezat, exercised a disputed seigneurial authority, while its architecture evolved to meet defensive needs, with a Grosse Tour added in the 14th century. Archaeological and historical sources, such as Georges Tholin's work, confirm his central role in the feudal and religious struggles of the region.

After the Revolution, the castle, abandoned, was acquired by Cardinal Richelieu in 1637 and integrated into the Duchy of Aiguillon. He remained in the Lorraine family until the 17th century, before being gradually restored. The current vestiges, including 13th and 14th century elements, reflect its strategic importance and military architecture adapted to repeated seats.

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