Timeline

Key figures

Origin and history

The castle of Lombers, located in the Tarn, is mentioned since the 11th century as a powerful quadrangular fortress. It has dominated the region since the summit of the Pic, with a history marked by religious and political conflicts. Its origin dates back to the Gallo-Roman period, but it was in 1032 that it was attested for the first time, thirteen years before the city of Lombers itself. In 1062, the lord of Lombers founded the abbey of the Salvetat, and the family of Adhémar took possession of it before leaving room for the Boissesons in the 12th century.

In 1165, the castle welcomed the Council of Lombers, a key event of catharism, under the aegis of Sicard V de Lautrec. During the Albige crusade, the city oscillated between submission and revolt against Simon de Montfort, before being definitively attached to the seigneury of Castres in 1224. Conflicts continued between the Montforts and the Comminges, notably after Marguerite de Montheil-Adhémar's marriage with Guy de Comminges in 1307, triggering a war that ended only in 1332.

In the 16th century, Lombers became a Protestant bastion, playing a central role in the Wars of Religion. The castle, alternately at the hands of Catholics and Protestants, was finally razed in 1633 by order of Richelieu to avoid further revolts. Today, a monumental cross marks the location of the former fortress, a witness to a turbulent history between royal power, religious conflicts and seigneurial rivalries.

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