by A.E. Albert
@aealbert23
7 Things to Know About
La Rochelle, France
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1. La Rochelle was originally occupied by the Roman Empire, who mined salt.
2. Later, the site of the city was occupied by a Gallic tribe, the Santones.
3. La Rochelle was the Knights Templar's largest base on the Atlantic Ocean.
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- After Jerusalem was captured during the first crusade, European pilgrims began traveling to the Holy Land. However, many were killed on the road.
- Around 1118AD, a French knight, Hugh de Payens founded the The Poor Knights of the Temple of Solomon. They set up a base on the Temple Mount and swore to protect any Christians who visited the city.
- Although members could not gain wealth personally, the order itself could and did.
- Soon the order spread and became known for their fierce fighting skills on the battle field.
- They set up banks so pilgrims could deposit funds at home and withdraw it in the Holy Land.
- Eventually, the first bank cheque was created by the order due to its convenience and ease of transport.
- It is believed that their accumulation of vast wealth contributed to their downfall. They were targeted and disbanded.
- Legends of the knights templar live on in societies like the Freemasons and are associated with the legend of the Holy Grail.
4. In 1372, during The Hundred Years War, a major sea battle took place just off the city. Spanish and french forces defeated the established english power off the french coast.
What is the hundred Years War?
- A conflict between the House of Plantagenet (England) and the house of Valois (France) that took place between 1337-1453.
5. During the 16th century, La Rochelle became a stronghold for protestants. There were religious conflicts and in 1572, the city was besieged for 1 year.
Again in 1627, in order to suppress the protestants, under king Louis XIII and Cardinal Richelieu, the city was once again under siege for 14 months. La Rochelle's population at the start of the siege was 28,000 and dwindled down to 5,000 by the end. People resorted to eating house pets and their leather shoes and belts.
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The City was won when the french built a barricade across the harbour, sealing the city in and stopping the british from sending in supplies. Sunken ships laid the foundation for the barricade.
6. In 1864, La Rochelle's harbour was the site for the first experiments done with mechanically powered submarines in the world.
7. During WWII, the city was a submarine naval base for the Germans. It was the last french city to be liberated at the end of the war.
About A.E. Albert
