Cusy Castle en Haute-Savoie

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Origin and history

Cusy Castle, built in the 11th century, was a castle located on an ancient Roman motte in Cusy, Haute-Savoie. Positioned at the border of the principalities of Geneva and Savoie, he controlled a major road between Annecy and Aix-les-Bains to the Bauges massif. Its strategic location made it a disputed place, alongside the castles of Alby and Gruffy, to monitor access to the Châtelard.

The first written mention of the parish of Cusy dates back to 1022, in a charter linking it to the county of Geneva. The castle itself is attested in 1263, although its origin seems to be linked to the family of Grésy, the younger branch of the Faucigny, from the 12th century. In 1262 Count Raoul of Geneva paid tribute to Count Boniface de Savoie for Cusy and Charousse, marking the beginning of a series of hand changes. The castle then passed to Guillaume de Grésy, then by alliance with the family of Seyssel, before being definitively integrated into the house of Savoy in 1287 after the peace of Annemasse.

In the 14th century, the castle was given in fief to Rodolphe IV de Grésy, then returned to the Savoy before being ceded to the family of Montmayeur. In 1432, Jacques II de Montmayeur, Marshal de Savoie, became its owner and was named Count in 1447. After his death in 1487, the castle changed hands several times, notably in Luxembourg, and then in 1560 to the Pingon brothers, who obtained his elevation in barony. In the 17th century, it belonged to the Pingon family, before it was acquired by the Freney senator in 1771. During the Revolution, he was looted, burned and abandoned, then served as a stone quarry.

The castle of Cusy was the center of a chestnut, a Savoyard administrative division run by a chestnut. The latter, a term officer, managed the tax revenues and maintenance of the castle, sometimes assisted by a receiver of accounts. The châtellenie, originally divided between the Counts of Geneva and Savoie, was definitely Savoyard after 1287. Savoie's departmental archives retain chestnut accounts dating from the 13th to the 16th century, reflecting its administrative and economic importance.

Today, only remains of the castle, symbol of the struggles of influence between Geneva and Savoy in the Middle Ages. Its history reflects the political and territorial dynamics of the region, as well as the social transformations associated with feudalism and the French Revolution. Available sources, including franchise charters and archives, allow us to trace its evolution from its medieval origin to its destruction.

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