Muret
Encyclopedia
Muret is a commune
in the Haute-Garonne
department in southwestern France
.
It is an outer suburb
of the city of Toulouse
, even though it does not belong to Greater Toulouse, which it has declined to join. It lies southwest of Toulouse and is the largest component of the intercommunality of Muretain.
took place between Simon de Montfort
and a coalition force under the control of Count Raymond of Toulouse, and King Pedro II of Aragon
.
De Montfort had been fighting Albigensian heretics during the Albigensian Crusade, when he was besieged by the vastly superior coalition forces. Refusing to surrender or be starved into submission, de Montfort went instead on the offensive. Leading his knights out of the town, he proceeded to disperse them into a wide arc before falling upon the Toulouse cavalry with a noise like a whole forest going down under the axe. Next to fall victim to such arcing tactics was the Aragonian cavalry where King Pedro himself fell to the sword. After this, all that was left was to scatter the remaining cavalry defending the coalition camp before falling upon the infantry besieging Muret's walls. Despite overwhelming numbers,the coalition army numbering almost 34, 000 men and de Montfort's army only 2 100, the siege of Muret was lifted.
7,000 coalition troops were killed compared to minimum casualties for de Monfort's army.
is a 16th and 17th century castle
. Privately owned, it is listed as a historic site by the French Ministry of Culture.
flows northeast through the commune, then flows into the Garonne
in the town.
The Garonne flows north through the commune and forms part of its northern border.
Communes of France
The commune is the lowest level of administrative division in the French Republic. French communes are roughly equivalent to incorporated municipalities or villages in the United States or Gemeinden in Germany...
in the Haute-Garonne
Haute-Garonne
Haute-Garonne is a department in the southwest of France named after the Garonne river. Its main city is Toulouse.-History:Haute-Garonne is one of the original 83 departments created during the French Revolution on March 4, 1790. It was created from part of the former province of Languedoc.The...
department in southwestern France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
It is an outer suburb
Suburb
The word suburb mostly refers to a residential area, either existing as part of a city or as a separate residential community within commuting distance of a city . Some suburbs have a degree of administrative autonomy, and most have lower population density than inner city neighborhoods...
of the city of Toulouse
Toulouse
Toulouse is a city in the Haute-Garonne department in southwestern FranceIt lies on the banks of the River Garonne, 590 km away from Paris and half-way between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea...
, even though it does not belong to Greater Toulouse, which it has declined to join. It lies southwest of Toulouse and is the largest component of the intercommunality of Muretain.
History
On September 12, 1213 the Battle of MuretBattle of Muret
At the Battle of Muret on 12 September 1213 the Crusading army of Simon IV de Montfort defeated the Aragonese and Catalan forces of Peter II of Aragon, at Muret near Toulouse.-Background:...
took place between Simon de Montfort
Simon de Montfort, 5th Earl of Leicester
Simon IV de Montfort, Seigneur de Montfort-l'Amaury, 5th Earl of Leicester , also known as Simon de Montfort the elder, was a French nobleman who took part in the Fourth Crusade and was a prominent leader of the Albigensian Crusade...
and a coalition force under the control of Count Raymond of Toulouse, and King Pedro II of Aragon
Peter II of Aragon
Peter II the Catholic was the King of Aragon and Count of Barcelona from 1196 to 1213.He was the son of Alfonso II of Aragon and Sancha of Castile...
.
De Montfort had been fighting Albigensian heretics during the Albigensian Crusade, when he was besieged by the vastly superior coalition forces. Refusing to surrender or be starved into submission, de Montfort went instead on the offensive. Leading his knights out of the town, he proceeded to disperse them into a wide arc before falling upon the Toulouse cavalry with a noise like a whole forest going down under the axe. Next to fall victim to such arcing tactics was the Aragonian cavalry where King Pedro himself fell to the sword. After this, all that was left was to scatter the remaining cavalry defending the coalition camp before falling upon the infantry besieging Muret's walls. Despite overwhelming numbers,the coalition army numbering almost 34, 000 men and de Montfort's army only 2 100, the siege of Muret was lifted.
7,000 coalition troops were killed compared to minimum casualties for de Monfort's army.
Population
Sights
The Château de RudelleChâteau de Rudelle
The Château de Rudelle is a 16th and 17th century castle in the commune of Muret in the Haute-Garonne département of France.The castle is noted for its ancient chimneys and for murals painted on the third floor...
is a 16th and 17th century castle
Castle
A castle is a type of fortified structure built in Europe and the Middle East during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars debate the scope of the word castle, but usually consider it to be the private fortified residence of a lord or noble...
. Privately owned, it is listed as a historic site by the French Ministry of Culture.
Geography
The LougeLouge
The Louge is a long river in southwestern France, left tributary of the Garonne. Its source is in the département of Hautes-Pyrénées, near Lannemezan.It flows generally north-northeast through the following départements and towns:*Hautes-Pyrénées:...
flows northeast through the commune, then flows into the Garonne
Garonne
The Garonne is a river in southwest France and northern Spain, with a length of .-Source:The Garonne's headwaters are to be found in the Aran Valley in the Pyrenees, though three different locations have been proposed as the true source: the Uelh deth Garona at Plan de Beret , the Ratera-Saboredo...
in the town.
The Garonne flows north through the commune and forms part of its northern border.
Communication
South of Muret, there is a mediumwave broadcasting station, which works on 945 kHz with 300 kW.See also
- Battle of MuretBattle of MuretAt the Battle of Muret on 12 September 1213 the Crusading army of Simon IV de Montfort defeated the Aragonese and Catalan forces of Peter II of Aragon, at Muret near Toulouse.-Background:...
- Communes of the Haute-Garonne department
- Parc naturel régional des Landes de GascogneParc naturel régional des Landes de GascogneLandes de Gascogne Regional Natural Park is a protected area of pine forest, wetland and oceanic coastline located in the Aquitaine region of southwestern France.-History:...
External links
- Official website (in French)