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Key figures

Origin and history

The Château de Montfort, located in Vitrac, Dordogne, is first mentioned in 866 as Castrum de Monte Forti. It dominates the Dordogne valley and plays a key role during the medieval conflicts, especially during the Albigois Crusade. In 1214 Simon de Montfort seized it before Bernard de Casnac, the bloodthirsty lord and husband of Alix de Turenne, took it back in 1215. The following year, the army of the archbishop of Bordeaux laid siege and destroyed the castle, which was rebuilt by Raymond IV, Viscount of Turenne.

In the 13th century, the fief de Montfort passed into the hands of several noble families, including the Rudel, the Pons and the Brézé. In 1289, Geoffroy V de Pons inherited, but in 1309, the king of France removed him from high justice for protecting him from banishment, ordering the destruction of the castle. During the Hundred Years' War, Montfort resisted sieges in 1404 and 1409, before being abandoned by his garrison in 1441. The castle changed hands again in the 15th century, notably after the conviction of Jacques I of Pons for the crime of lèse-majesté in 1449.

In the 16th century, the castle was taken by the Huguenots in 1574, while it belonged to Antoine de Pons, lord loyal to the king. In 1586 the inhabitants of Sarlat demanded its demolition, but the attack did not finally take place. The castle, destroyed and rebuilt five times between 1214 and 1606, was sold in 1664 to the Duke of Roquelaure. In the 20th century, it was partially restored by Jean Galmot and Jean Mercier, who incorporated architectural elements saved from destruction, such as columns of the Bethune cloister. Piled during World War II, he still changed owners, including Saudi businessman Ghaith Pharaoh.

Montfort Castle is not visiting today. Its history reflects the struggles of power, the wars of religion and the architectural transformations that marked the Périgord from the Middle Ages to the modern era. The current remains reflect its multiple reconstructions and its strategic role in the region.

Among the notable episodes are the forced transfer of the fiefs of Montfort, Carlux and Aillac by Jacques de Brézé to King Louis XI in 1481, after his imprisonment for the murder of his wife. In 1486, Guy de Pons recovered these lands before they passed to his descendants. The castle, symbol of resistance, also embodies rivalries between local lords and the crown.

At the beginning of the 20th century, elements of the castle were dismantled and reused, as a tower up against the main house. Jean Mercier, owner in 1921, built a pergola with medieval columns saved from Bethune. The site, marked by violent episodes such as the looting by Spanish guerrillas during the Second World War, remains an architectural testimony of the tumults of the perigordin history.

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