Fort de Charlemont

The fort of Charlemont is a French stronghold near the Belgian border on the Meuse. It overlooks the town of Givet and controlled the valley of the Meuse. Its construction was decided by Charles V in 1555, having obtained the surrender of Givet by the bishops of Liege. In 1554, King Henry II of France launches three armies against the Spanish Netherlands and puts the country with fire and sword. One army led by the Duke of Nevers took Givet to base. Charles Quint asked General Martin Van Rossem lead his army Givet and expel the French army. Following this raid, Charles V decided to build a fort to protect Givet. In October 1554, Charles de Berlaymont, County Governor of Namur, Givet sent to an Italian engineer, Donato Buoni Pellizuolli and Jacques Du Broeucq to choose the best site. The name of the fortress (meaning Mount Charles) comes from that of the Emperor Charles V, who was buying this region (County Agimont-Givet) by his sister, Mary of Hungary, to control the corridor the valley of the Meuse. The fort, built in wartime, would need, from the year 1555, 3,000 workers helped 20,000 infantry and 3000 cavalry.

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