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Origin and history

The castle of Madaillan, located in the department of Lot-et-Garonne, dominates the valleys of the streams of Bourbon and Saysset. Its name derives from the Latin Mediolanum, meaning "land of the middle". Built around 1285-1289 by Amanieu II of the Fossat, it replaces an earlier military post dated 1250. The coat of arms of the Fossat family, lords of Aiguillon, are carved on the chimney of the Big Tower. This castle was a strategic issue during the Hundred Years War, marked by conflicts between the lords of Madaillan and the consuls of Agen for the control of the surrounding parishes.

The family of the Fossat, noble lineage of the Agenese, possessed the castle until the end of the 14th century. Amanieu II du Fossat, lord of Madaillan, usurpa of lands and seigneurial rights, causing tensions with the English and French crown. In 1318, a royal charter recognized Madaillan as one of the main baronies of the Agenese. Amanieu III du Fossat, successor and influential man (Mayor of Bordeaux, Seneschal of Agenais), strengthened the castle's defences and resisted the sieges, especially that of 1338 by the French troops. The castle changed hands several times before passing to the Montpezat in the 15th century.

During the religious wars, the castle of Madaillan became a Protestant bastion. In 1575 Blaise de Monluc besieged the castle for 24 days without success, despite the use of artillery. After the restoration of the castle to Honorat de Savoie in 1576, it was gradually abandoned. The seigneury passed into the hands of the Lorraines and was acquired by Richelieu in 1637, which offered it to the Dukes of Aiguillon. Abandoned after the Revolution, the castle was restored in the 19th century and again in 1990 by Chantal and Jacques Aurin, who made it visitable.

The castle of Madaillan illustrates the power struggles between local lords, French and English cities and crowns. Its architecture, marked by enclosures and a 14th century master tower, reflects its defensive role. The excavations and restorations revealed stone pellets and traces of the seats. In 1950, he was a member of the historical monuments, testifying to the turbulent history of the Ages, between feudal conflicts, Hundred Years' War and religious wars.

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