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843: the Treaty of Verdun
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The Treaty of Verdun places Verdun at the heart of Europe.
Thirty years after the death of Charlemagne, the Frankish Empire was divided up among his grandchildren.
Verdun went to Lothair, as part of the kingdom of Lotharingia (the origin of the modern-day Lorraine); this region was hotly disputed by France and Germania.
Verdun, as part of the Holy Roman Empire in the 10th century, and the seat of an episcopal seigneury (along with its counterparts Metz and Toul), was culturally part of the Germanic world.
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This is seen in the Romanesque-Rhenish style of its 1 000 year old cathedral, which overlooks the ancient quarter. From the upper city, the ecclesiastical and administrative quarters were defended by the walls known as "La Fermeté", the only existing trace of which is the Châtel Gate, leading out onto the countryside of Champagne.
From 9th to the 13th centuries, Verdun was a prosperous city with a thriving intellectual and artistic life. In 1380, Jean WAUTREC, the first magistrate of the "Imperial" city, ordered the construction of the Tour Chaussée, linking the Petit Rampart (13th century) and the Grand Rampart (14th century) which surround the entire city.
In the early 16th century, the venerable chapter of the Cathedral ordered the construction of the fine Hôtel-Renaissance, giving it the name of "Princerie", in memory of an ancient title (which was eliminated in 1385).
This sumptuous manor currently houses the splendid collections of the municipal museum.
Despite the economic decline and political rivalries, France continued to have a strong influence on Verdun.
In the mid-16th century, Bishop Nicolas Psaume - one of the figures who helped bring Verdun under the rule of France - built the first Episcopal Palace.
On the invitation of the German Protestant Princes, Henri II of France occupied, in 1552, the Three Bishoprics of Metz, Toul and Verdun. He built a garrison and ordered the Maréchal de Tavannes to reinforce the defences of the city, which were under threat from Charles V.
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