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Fort Saint-Jean (Marseille)

 

 
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Fort Saint-Jean (Marseille)
 
 
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Fort Saint-Jean is a fortification in Marseille
Marseille

"Marseille" is the second-largest city of France and forms the third-largest aire urbaine, after those of Paris and Lyon, with a population recorded to be 1,516,340 at the 1999 census and estimated to be 1,605,000 in 2007....
, built in 1660 by Louis XIV at the entrance to the Old Port
Old Port of Marseille

The Old Port of Marseille is located at the end of the Canebi?re. It has been the natural harbour of Marseille since antiquity.History ...
. Fort Saint-Nicolas was constructed at the same time on the opposite side of the harbour. Commenting on their construction, Louis XIV said, "We noticed that the inhabitants of Marseille were extremely fond of nice fortresses. We wanted to have our own at the entrance to this great port." In fact, the two new forts were built in response to a local uprising against the governor, rather than for the defence of the city: their cannons pointed inwards towards the town, not outwards towards the sea.

Two earlier buildings were incorporated into the structure of the fort: the twelfth century Commandry of the Knights Hospitaller of St John of Jerusalem
Knights Hospitaller

The Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Jerusalem, of Rhodes and of Malta is a Roman Catholic Church order based in Rome, Italy....
, which served as a monastic hospice during the crusades
Crusades

The Crusades were a series of religious war waged by much of Christian Europe against external and internal opponents. Crusades were fought mainly against Muslims, though campaigns were also directed against Paganism Slavic peoples, Jews, Eastern Orthodox Church, Mongols, Catharism, Hussites, Waldensians, Old Prussians, and political enemi...
; and the fifteenth century tower of René I
René I of Naples

Ren? of Anjou , also known as Ren? I of Naples and Good King Ren? , was Duke of Anjou, Count of Provence , Count of Piedmont, Duke of Bar , Duke of Lorraine , List of monarchs of Naples , titular King of Jerusalem and King of Aragon ....
, King of Provence
Provence

Provence is a region of southeastern France on the Mediterranean adjacent to Italy. It is part of the administrative regions of France of Provence-Alpes-C?te d'Azur....
.

During the French Revolution
French Revolution

The French Revolution was a period of political and social upheaval and radical change in the history of France, during which the French governmental structure, previously an absolute monarchy with feudalism for the aristocracy and Roman Catholic Church clergy, underwent radical change to forms based on Age of Enlightenment principles of cit...
 the fort was used as a prison, holding Louis Philippe II, Duke of Orléans
Louis Philippe II, Duke of Orléans

Louis Philippe Joseph d'Orl?ans, Duke of Orl?ans , was a member of a cadet branch of the House of Bourbon, the ruling dynasty of France. He actively supported the French Revolution and adopted the name Philippe ?galit?, but was nonetheless guillotined during the Reign of Terror....
, and two of his sons, Louis-Charles, Count of Beaujolais, and Antoine Philippe, Duke of Montpensier
Antoine Philippe, Duke of Montpensier

Louis Antoine Philippe d'Orl?ans, duke of Montpensier was a son of Louis Philippe II, Duke of Orl?ans and his duchess Louise Marie Ad?la?de de Bourbon....
.







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Fort Saint-Jean is a fortification in Marseille
Marseille

"Marseille" is the second-largest city of France and forms the third-largest aire urbaine, after those of Paris and Lyon, with a population recorded to be 1,516,340 at the 1999 census and estimated to be 1,605,000 in 2007....
, built in 1660 by Louis XIV at the entrance to the Old Port
Old Port of Marseille

The Old Port of Marseille is located at the end of the Canebi?re. It has been the natural harbour of Marseille since antiquity.History ...
. Fort Saint-Nicolas was constructed at the same time on the opposite side of the harbour. Commenting on their construction, Louis XIV said, "We noticed that the inhabitants of Marseille were extremely fond of nice fortresses. We wanted to have our own at the entrance to this great port." In fact, the two new forts were built in response to a local uprising against the governor, rather than for the defence of the city: their cannons pointed inwards towards the town, not outwards towards the sea.

Two earlier buildings were incorporated into the structure of the fort: the twelfth century Commandry of the Knights Hospitaller of St John of Jerusalem
Knights Hospitaller

The Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Jerusalem, of Rhodes and of Malta is a Roman Catholic Church order based in Rome, Italy....
, which served as a monastic hospice during the crusades
Crusades

The Crusades were a series of religious war waged by much of Christian Europe against external and internal opponents. Crusades were fought mainly against Muslims, though campaigns were also directed against Paganism Slavic peoples, Jews, Eastern Orthodox Church, Mongols, Catharism, Hussites, Waldensians, Old Prussians, and political enemi...
; and the fifteenth century tower of René I
René I of Naples

Ren? of Anjou , also known as Ren? I of Naples and Good King Ren? , was Duke of Anjou, Count of Provence , Count of Piedmont, Duke of Bar , Duke of Lorraine , List of monarchs of Naples , titular King of Jerusalem and King of Aragon ....
, King of Provence
Provence

Provence is a region of southeastern France on the Mediterranean adjacent to Italy. It is part of the administrative regions of France of Provence-Alpes-C?te d'Azur....
.

During the French Revolution
French Revolution

The French Revolution was a period of political and social upheaval and radical change in the history of France, during which the French governmental structure, previously an absolute monarchy with feudalism for the aristocracy and Roman Catholic Church clergy, underwent radical change to forms based on Age of Enlightenment principles of cit...
 the fort was used as a prison, holding Louis Philippe II, Duke of Orléans
Louis Philippe II, Duke of Orléans

Louis Philippe Joseph d'Orl?ans, Duke of Orl?ans , was a member of a cadet branch of the House of Bourbon, the ruling dynasty of France. He actively supported the French Revolution and adopted the name Philippe ?galit?, but was nonetheless guillotined during the Reign of Terror....
, and two of his sons, Louis-Charles, Count of Beaujolais, and Antoine Philippe, Duke of Montpensier
Antoine Philippe, Duke of Montpensier

Louis Antoine Philippe d'Orl?ans, duke of Montpensier was a son of Louis Philippe II, Duke of Orl?ans and his duchess Louise Marie Ad?la?de de Bourbon....
.

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