Château de Malbrouck

Château de Malbrouck lies in the Moselle department of France, near the border with Germany and Luxembourg. In 1419 Arnold VI, Lord of nearby Sierck Castle, received permission from the Duke of Lorraine to build a castle here. Building commenced and the castle, then called Meinsberg Castle, was finished in 1436. Arnold built his castle as an affirmation of his power and the success of his family. In the same time period he also built nearby Montclair Castle.

After the death of the last of the sons of Arnold VI of Sierck, the seigniory and the castle of Meinsberg passed by inheritance to the family of the Counts of Sayn, originating in the region of Koblenz, then to the Counts of Sultz at the end of the 16th century. At the beginning of the 17th century, Meinsberg Castle was ravaged by the Thirty Years' War (1618-1648).

In June 1705, during the War of the Spanish Succession, the castle was occupied for 2 weeks by John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlbourough, who wanted to invade France. He used the castle as his headquarters in a standoff against the French, who were entrenched in Sierck Castle. In the end it never came to any fighting, also thanks to the fact that the Duke's soldiers had started to desert, and the Duke abandoned the castle. The French called Churchill Malbrouck and this is why this name stuck to the castle.

In 1793, during the French Revolution, Malbrouck Castle was sold as National Property. Later the castle was turned into a farm and slowly but surely fell to ruin.

In 1945 the ruin of Malbrouck Castle suffered war damage but its luck changed in 1975 when it was bought by the regional council. From 1991 to 1998 the castle was completely restored to its former glory.

At present Malbrouck Castle can be visited for a fee.

References:

• castles.nl

Address

Manderen, France

Details

Founded: 1436
Category: Castles and fortifications in France
Historical period: Valois Dynasty and Hundred Year's War (France)