Château de Domfront

The castle's history began in 1049 when, in the possession of Guillaume II Talvas, Lord of Bellême, it was besieged by William the Conqueror. In 1092, the people of Domfront revolted against Robert II de Bellême, siding with Henri Beauclerc, who later became Duke of Normandy and King of England. In 1169, Henry II of England received the papal legates here, who came to reconcile him with Thomas Becket. After its capture in 1204, when Domfront was the personal property of John Lackland, the castle changed hands several times and eventually reverted to the royal domain in 1251. Louis IX of France transferred Domfront to Robert II, Count of Artois, in 1259. During the Hundred Years' War, the castle was captured by troops of Charles II of Navarre in 1356 and held until 1366. Another siege by the English occurred in 1417/1418, after which the castle fell on July 10, 1418.