Château cathare de Peyrepertuse

Rooted in the reliefs of the High Corbières Corbieres emerges at 800 meters altitude in the midst of scrubland overlooking the small village of Duilhac. From the top of the promontory, the view encompasses the nearby castle of Quéribus, distant about 5 miles. Peyrepertuse site was occupied in Roman times, early in the first century BC As part of the March of Spain, the first mention of the castle dates from 1020, at a time when the Perapertusa was in the movement of Catalan counts of Besalú. Subsequently, as suzerain had Peyrepertuse the counts of Barcelona and then towards the middle of the twelfth century, the kings of Aragon. During the crusade against the Albigensians, William of Peyrepertuse, not wanting to make his submission, was excommunicated in 1224. After the failure of the siege of Carcassonne, William submits and the castle became a French possession in 1240. In 1258, the Treaty of Corbeil was set for four centuries, the border between France and Aragon Peyrepertuse became a royal fortress to the southern boundary of the Crown. At the end of the thirteenth century, it embodies an exceptional place with strong defenses. During the winter of 1367-1368, Peyrepertuse is the refuge of Henri de Trastamara, pretender to the kingdom of Castile. The Treaty of the Pyrenees (1659) by moving the border to its present site, diminished the strategic importance of this castle. However, he retained a small garrison until the Revolution. In 1950 began the first campaigns of consolidation of the monument.