Josselin Castle
The castle is located in Josselin Josselin, a French commune in the Morbihan department of Brittany.
History
Guethenoc, Lord of Porhoët from the family of the Counts of Rennes, let the first castle built in the year 1000. He was looking to a place of great military and economic value, and found him with a rock, which dominates the valley of the Oust. The existence of the church of Notre -Dame du Roncier as a place of pilgrimage contributed much to the wealth of the population and their masters.
Since Eudon de Porhoët had gathered as regent for the young Breton Duke Conan IV the Breton barons around him, II Plantagenet Count of Anjou and new faced the English King Henry hostile, let this grind under his personal supervision, the castle of Josselin.
Olivier de Clisson V. acquired the dominion Josselin in 1370 and built the castle as an imposing citadel with eight towers and a donjon of 90 meters above the rebuild. He married his younger daughter Beatrix with Alain VIII de Rohan, the heirs of the Rohan family, whose castle was about 20 miles from Josselin.
1488 the castle of Duke Francis II was captured and partially destroyed. His daughter Anne de Bretagne they were then but back to Olivier's grandson Jean II de Rohan. This could reshape the castle within the walls, so that it appears from the side facing away from the river like a country house, with a much more open façade made of carved granite and one of the first examples of Renaissance in France; especially as he also employed for Italian craftsmen. To show his gratitude, he had many "A" s with a cord wound round carving, the emblem Anne de Bretagnes.
In their absence, the Rohan had to put up with it despite their inclination to Protestantism, that the governor of Brittany, Duke of Mercœur, from her castle a stronghold of the Catholic League made in opposition to the new king, Henry IV. 1603, when the vice- county of Rohan Henry IV had been elevated to a duchy and peerage, Henri II de Rohan moved the center of his power after Pontivy.
Richelieu was the keep and the four towers in 1629 to tear down and announced this to the Duke Henri II with the words: " Monseigneur, the viens de jeter une boule dans votre jeu de quilles! " - He had thrown a ball in his skittles.
In the 18th century Josselin was no longer inhabited and was used as a prison camp during the French Revolution and the reign of Napoleon. 1832 could convince them to restore the castle, the Duchess of Berry, Maria Carolina of Bourbon- Sicily, the Duke of Rohan.
Current usage
Today the castle from the 14th Duke of Rohan, Senator Josselin de Rohan is inhabited, the President of the Brittany region 1992 to 2004.
You can visit the courtyard and some rooms where furniture, family portraits, royal gifts and an equestrian statue of Olivier de Clissons by Emmanuel Frémiet be shown. In the old stables, the Musée de poupées ( Doll Museum ) is housed.