Saint Aubin Castle

History of the castle

Saint Aubin of Cormier is one of these sites which enter very early the history of the duchy of Brittany and which accompany all the political and economic evolution by the area.

The watershed which dominates a vast landscape close to the forest of Rennes where Pierre de Dreux liked to drive out gave him the desire for building a fortress : work thus starts in 1255.
In addition to the sentimental interest, the choice of the site answers other requirements:
- located at a few miles of the Steps of Brittany, it is a passage obliged for the French who frequently show inclinations of invasion.
- It also allows the monitoring of the castle of Glazed (the baron André III is the brother-in-law of Pierre de Dreux but they are both in cold for a business of heritage). Ferns is not far either and deserves attention even if the duke has the right to hope that the Raoul young person will remain to him faithful. In a more general way, Pierre de Dreux practises an intense policy of construction military to position of central capacity vis-a-vis large feudal Armorican which is shown often turbulent.
- Lastly, Saint Aubin is in the center of a rich agricultural area of which it is advisable to continue the started clearing one century ago. It is then necessary to ensure the peasants and the middle-class men whom one attracts here a sufficient protection so that the place remains gravitational. The village and for the same reasons will be also equipped with many privileges (exemption of the royalties seigneuriales in particular).

Some precise details on the promoter of this castle: Pierre de Dreux, "baillist" of the duchy of 1213 to 1237 (he dies on its return of crusade in 1250) was called thereafter Pierre Mauclerc. This name would mean or "clerk who badly turned" (it would have studied, in his youth precedes, to embrace an ecclesiastical career) or "that which is against the clerks" (by allusion to its frequent clashes with the Breton clergy and to a policy often anticlerical). From Island of France (it is wire of Robert II of Dreux, one of principal vassal of the count de Champagne). He is a foreigner for the Breton ones and will thus not be officially duke but "baillist" of the duchy, titrates that he obtains by his marriage with Alix, heiress of the ducal family. In 1213, the king of France, Philippe Auguste, faithful to his policy of hexagonal centralization, has truly in hand the destinies of Armorique and requires of Pierre de Dreux the liege homage (it is the closer link and most constraining of vassalage). Does Mauclerc have to be carried out and there will remain faithful to its oath until in? 1224!
In spite of this bond of vassalage and as of its accession with the throne, the ambition of the "baillist" (his son, Jean Ier the Russet-red one, will work in the same direction) will be to make of Brittany a true state: economic reality equipped with an administrative organization elaborate and supported by a significant military power.

Since 1232, the castle of Aubin Saint of Cormier will prove his utility. The troops of king de France, Louis IX (that some call Saint Louis) besiege it but without success. Let us recall that, 3 years earlier, Pierre Mauclerc, concerned to be freed from the "protection" of his French neighbor, made homage of the duchy to king Henri III.

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