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Origin and history

The castle of Nanteuil-le-Haudouin, located in the Oise, was a building combining medieval and Renaissance styles. Although destroyed in 1794, its commons and two 17th century pavilions, classified as historical monuments in 1950, still bear witness to its prestigious past. The site occupied a strategic position on the road from Paris to Soissons, attracting kings and nobles from the Middle Ages.

In the 16th century, the castle was erected as a county by Francis I for Henry II of Lenoncourt (1543). Kings Francis I and Henry II stayed there and signed charters. In 1556, Francis of Lorraine, Duke of Guise, acquired strength for 260,000 pounds, receiving Henry II and young Francis II. The Duke made it a place of power for the triumvirate of the Guise, before his son, Henry I, gave it to the king in 1576.

The castle then passed to the Schombergs (1578-1658), which enlarged and completed its pavilions. Gaspard de Schomberg made it his residence, while Henry de Schomberg kept the village. In 1658, François-Annibal d'Estrées bought 960,000 pounds. His descendants, including Victor Marie d'Estrées, accumulated art collections there. In the 18th century, Prince Louis-Joseph de Bourbon-Condé became its owner.

Destroyed in 1794 in retaliation against the royalist emigrants, the castle was partially demolished. His remains, including the classified pavilions, belonged after the Revolution to a judge of Senlis. Today, a 3D restitution (2022) makes it possible to visualize the estate in the eighteenth century via a virtual visit to the town.

Historical sources, such as the works of Dulaure (1826) or Legrand (1914), document its political and architectural importance. The castle illustrates the power struggles of the Renaissance and the evolution of aristocratic residences before their revolutionary decline.

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