Condé-sur-l'Escaut (, literally ''Condé on the
Escaut''; ) is a
commune of the
Nord department in northern
France
France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
.
It lies on the border with
Belgium
Belgium, officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. Situated in a coastal lowland region known as the Low Countries, it is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeas ...
. The population as of 1999 was 10,527. Residents of the area are known as Condéens or Condéennes. The Mayor of Condé-sur-l'Escaut is Gregory Lelong, re-elected in 2020.
Geography
Condé-sur-l'Escaut is northeast of
Valenciennes
Valenciennes (, also , , ; ; or ; ) is a communes of France, commune in the Nord (French department), Nord Departments of France, department, Hauts-de-France, France.
It lies on the Scheldt () river. Although the city and region experienced ...
, from
Lille
Lille (, ; ; ; ; ) is a city in the northern part of France, within French Flanders. Positioned along the Deûle river, near France's border with Belgium, it is the capital of the Hauts-de-France Regions of France, region, the Prefectures in F ...
, and from
Brussels, Belgium. It is situated at the confluence of the
Haine and
Scheldt
The Scheldt ( ; ; ) is a river that flows through northern France, western Belgium, and the southwestern part of Netherlands, the Netherlands, with its mouth at the North Sea. Its name is derived from an adjective corresponding to Old Englis ...
rivers. The region is noted for its coal mines, resources which made it a strategic objective in both world wars.
History
The name comes from a
Celtic word, "Condate", meaning "confluence", referring to the two rivers. A Romanised form of the word, Condatum, was in use during the
Roman period, and "Condé" was in use by the 14th century. The current name, Condé-sur-l'Escaut, dates from 1886.
Being at the confluence of two rivers, the site has had military importance since before
Roman times. Originally occupied by
Nervians, it was the location of a Roman military camp, and later a settlement of
Franks
file:Frankish arms.JPG, Aristocratic Frankish burial items from the Merovingian dynasty
The Franks ( or ; ; ) were originally a group of Germanic peoples who lived near the Rhine river, Rhine-river military border of Germania Inferior, which wa ...
.
Saint
Wasnulf preached at Condé, and died there around 650 AD. His remains were long held in a collegiate church there.
Vikings
Vikings were seafaring people originally from Scandinavia (present-day Denmark, Norway, and Sweden),
who from the late 8th to the late 11th centuries raided, pirated, traded, and settled throughout parts of Europe.Roesdahl, pp. 9� ...
also were established there temporarily, in 855, holding the town until 889.
The area was much disputed, and changed hands many times during the Middle Ages and Renaissance periods. It was captured by the Flemish forces of
Jacques van Artevelde, by King
Louis XI of France, by
Les Gueux during the
Eighty Years' War
The Eighty Years' War or Dutch Revolt (; 1566/1568–1648) was an armed conflict in the Habsburg Netherlands between disparate groups of rebels and the Spanish Empire, Spanish government. The Origins of the Eighty Years' War, causes of the w ...
, and by
Turenne. In 1676
Louis XIV
LouisXIV (Louis-Dieudonné; 5 September 16381 September 1715), also known as Louis the Great () or the Sun King (), was King of France from 1643 until his death in 1715. His verified reign of 72 years and 110 days is the List of longest-reign ...
seized the town, and it became part of France in 1678 with the
Treaty of Nimègue. While
Vauban improved its fortifications, it was captured by
Prince Josias of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld after a 92-day
siege in 1793. Forces of the
Seventh Coalition captured it from
Napoleon Bonaparte
Napoleon Bonaparte (born Napoleone di Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French general and statesman who rose to prominence during the French Revolution and led Military career ...
in 1815, only returning it to French control three years later.
The town was occupied by the Germans during the Second World War, who used the population to run the adjacent coal mines. On 2 September 1944 the town was liberated by the U.S. 5th Armored Division. Coal mining became defunct in 1989; recently there has been a population decline, following a high (13,994) in 1975.
Music history
Condé-sur-l'Escaut is known in music history as the home, place of retirement, and burial place of Renaissance composer
Josquin des Prez
Josquin Lebloitte dit des Prez ( – 27 August 1521) was a composer of High Renaissance music, who is variously described as French or Franco-Flemish. Considered one of the greatest composers of the Renaissance, he was a central figure of the ...
. He was provost of the church of Notre-Dame, which had one of the most sumptuous musical establishments in
Hainaut, exceeded only by the cathedral at
Cambrai
Cambrai (, ; ; ), formerly Cambray and historically in English Camerick or Camericke, is a city in the Nord department and in the Hauts-de-France region of France on the Scheldt river, which is known locally as the Escaut river.
A sub-pref ...
, as well as
St. Vincent at
Soignies. Josquin's house was on the market square; on his death he left an endowment for processions to stop at the statue of the Virgin Mary, attached to a wall of his house, and sing his six-voice ''Pater noster''. He was buried in the church, which was destroyed in 1793 along with his tombstone.
[Macey, Grove online]
Population
Heraldry
Administration
Condé-sur-l'Escaut is the eastern member of the agglomerated
Valenciennes
Valenciennes (, also , , ; ; or ; ) is a communes of France, commune in the Nord (French department), Nord Departments of France, department, Hauts-de-France, France.
It lies on the Scheldt () river. Although the city and region experienced ...
metropolitan area, which together administers 35 communes.
References
* Bruno Carpentier, ''Condé-sur-l'Escaut, Le Pagus Condatensis'', Editions Sopaic, Charleville-Mézières, 2004 (monographie historique de Condé-sur-l'Escaut). See als
online version
* Patrick Macey: "Josquin des Prez", Grove Music Online, ed. L. Macy (Accessed April 9, 2007)
(subscription access)
External links
*
Official Website*
Google Maps
{{DEFAULTSORT:Condesurlescaut
Communes of Nord (French department)