The Mont Saint Michel, History part two

As we have seen , Louis XI instituted the Knights of Saint -Michel ! This king , pious , went four times at Mt. During his last visit , he asked the installation of the iron cage . The Mont Saint -Michel becomes a prison. From 1523 , the monks no longer elect their leader. It is the king in person , which means the new abbot : this is called commendation . Generally , the abbot is not a clergyman, and he is often appointed to enjoy the revenues of the abbey . The monks , from that date, no more motivation are in their spiritual life and , although pilgrims are still numerous, they abandon the abbey. The monks , who were up to sixty , under the Prelature of Robert de Thorigny , are only thirteen in 1580 . In 1591 , the threat , scary, religious war is approaching the Mont Saint -Michel . Protestants want to take the abbey. Under orders from Montgomery, a group of men approaching night , to the foot of the abbey. There, thinking to get help from an enemy soldier , bought a few days earlier, they expect it climbed the inside of the building. And, in fact , the Protestants soon find themselves in over eighty in the monastery. Montgomery, surprised not to hear any noise of battle inside , asked one of his most faithful soldiers to climb . Arrived in the pantry , seeing none of his , he understands the scheme and screams his head to prevent " Treason , Treason ! " Hearing this, the Protestants fled , leaving behind ninety-eight of them.

In 1594 , lightning struck again on the tower of the abbey. The arrow is completely destroyed and part of the structure of the church was reduced to ashes. Father refuses to undertake repairs, it was not until fifteen years later that tower is rebuilt. Abbots who are not interested in their abbey , the pilgrims who come fewer and fatigue monks causes a major upheaval at Mt. In 1622 , the monks were replaced by new Benedictine monks of the Congregation of Saint- Maur ( Maurists ) . These monks are highly cultivated. Wishing to share their knowledge , they opened a school where a dozen students attend classes . Unfortunately, Maurists are poor builders. Instead of repairing the three bays of the nave of the church, which threatened to collapse, they demolish . Instead of the hole left , they build a facade of a rather ugly style .

The impetus provided by the Maurists will be short , because the system of commendatory ruined abbey . Revenues of the monastery collapsed , and the monks debt. The precariousness of the abbey is large, the Revolution completed his ruin. In 1790 , the monks were expelled from the abbey. All goods are sold in 1792. With the Revolution, the Mont Saint -Michel is a real prison. From 1792, three hundred priests are enclosed within the walls of the abbey. They will be released in 1799. In their suites interned convicts. All rooms of the abbey are transformed into workshops. The prisoners will be up to seven cents to work in these parts. Also, to increase the usable area , a floor separating the abbey church . The prison administration completely abandons the maintenance of buildings and , in 1817 , the old hotel, built during the reign of Robert de Thorigny , collapses.

In 1834, a fire broke out in the abbey church, converted into a workshop to hats. The roof was destroyed and the repairs are too small compared to the extent of damage . Each day, the abbey was a little ugly . Fortunately, famous men , mostly writers (Hugo, Flaubert ... ) , afflicted by such a disaster, putting pressure on the government. Finally, in 1863 the prison is deleted. The abbey was leased to the Bishop of Coutances. Monks live in the abbey again . Pilgrims returning animate the Mont Saint -Michel . Hotels , restaurants and souvenir shops open their doors again to visitors increasingly numerous.

The abbey , which threatens ruin on all sides, is classified in the register of historical monuments in 1874. The monks are expelled again, but this time for a just cause. The architect Edouard Corroyer was appointed to undertake the restoration work. This is his servant , Annette Poulard, which is at the origin of the famous omelette , still very popular today. The restoration work give the Mont Saint -Michel its current appearance , when, in 1898 , the spire was completed . During the celebration of the millennium of the Mount, in 1966, the monks formed a small community. Installed in the home abbey , since they remain in the year on the island . The city in turn hosts a constant stream of visitors , 3 million per year, and it's also a bit thanks to this that the Mont Saint -Michel is what it is today .

SEE THE FIRST PART OF THE HISTORY OF MONT-SAINT-MICHEL

FROM THE HISTORY OF MONT SAINT-MICHEL