Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

The Château de Bois-Lamy, also called Tour Zizim, is located in Moutier-Malcard, in the department of Creuse (Nouvelle-Aquitaine). This monument is now reduced to a round tower isolated in the heart of a marshy forest, difficult to access and little reported. Although private property, it remains maintained, with notable renovations such as that of its roof since the 2000s. Its medieval architecture, marked by a rectangular dungeon and courtines organizing an aquatic network, bears witness to its defensive and residential role.

The tower derives its name from Prince Zizim (Djem), son of the Ottoman Sultan Mehmed II, who stayed there between 1484 and 1486. Confeded to the guard of Antoine de Blanchefort, the elder brother of the knight Guy de Blanchefort, Zizim enjoyed relative freedom, able to hunt on local lands. This stay was in a complex political context, before its transfer to the Bourganeuf tower, specially built for its detention in the capital of the Language of Auvergne.

Architecturally, the tower is distinguished by its original system drawbridge: a "pipe" integrated into the wall above the door allowed the passage of a rope or chain to operate the bridge. The interior leads to a unique vaulted room, with a fireplace and cushions, typical of the seigneurial spaces of the era. This vestige thus illustrates both the Franco-Ottoman diplomatic history and the late medieval construction techniques.

External links