1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.
Saint-Python (officially spelt Sainct-Pieton and St-Piton during different periods preceding 1800) is a commune in the Norddepartment in northern France named after Piatus of Tournai (Saint-Piat). Its inhabitants are called the 'Saint-Piatiens'. They can also be referred to as 'Piatonnais'.
Toponymy
In 1176, a 'Leprosarium Title of Cambrai' first mentions 'Santus Piatus'.
'Python' is a deformation of 'Piatus or Piat'. The church of the commune is also under the name of Saint-Piat also named Piat de Seclin or Piatus of Tournai, thus confirming the origin of the name of the village.[1]
Heraldry
Arms of Saint-Python
The arms of Saint-Python are blazoned : Ermine, 3 lozenges gules.
History
Chronology
The following chronologically-ordered dates mark the historical events which had the most impact on Saint-Python:
57 BC: The legions of Julius Caesar (12 or 13 July 100 BC – 15 March 44 BC) marched on the Mourmont, a lieu-dit between St-Python and Solesmes to lead the Battle of the Sabis, fought near modern Saulzoir between the Roman Republic and an association of Belgic tribes from northern Gaul (mainly the Nervii). Julius Caesar, commanding the forces, was surprised and nearly defeated. According to Caesar's report: "a combination of determined defence, skilled generalship, and the timely arrival of reinforcements allowed the Romans to turn a strategic defeat into a tactical Victory".[2]
1185:Saint-Python (and most importantly its Castle which has belonged to the Cardon Family) was set on fire by Philip I, Count of Flanders (1143 – 1 August 1191) who had succeeded his father Thierry of Alsace. On November 1, 1185, Philip vehemently argued with his brother-in-law Baldwin V, Count of Hainaut (1150 – 17 December 1195) and declared war on him swearing to destroy everything in Hainaut"through steel and fire". To this end, he attracted in his party several powerful princes and lords such as Philip I (German: Philipp von Heinsberg; c. 1130- 13 August 1191) Archbishop of Cologne and Archchancellor of Italy, the Duke of Brabant and his son James of Avesnes, who seemed to have forgotten they all owed the Count of Hainaut.[4]
1437-1440: The écorcheurs (French: [ekɔʁʃœʁ], lit. "flayers") devastated the country including Saint-Python. These armed bands who desolated France in the reign of Charles VII, stripped their victims of everything as mercenaries without employment since the Treaty of Arras which ended disputes between the Armagnacs and Burgundians in 1435. Rodrigo de Villandrando was known as the "Emperor of Pillagers" (Empereur des Brigands) and "L'Écorcheur".[8]
1450: As an infectious disease caused by the bacteriumYersinia pestis, the plague was endemic from 1347 to 1670 in the region which it ravaged. Symptoms included fever, weakness and headache. It struck Saint-Python at least in 1450 and around 1669 (as quoted in Solesmes' Public Registers). In 1676, many deaths seem to be attributable to it (about 4 times the average of the time).
1576–1595: The Baron of Inchy and then of Balagny-sur-Thérain seized the Cambresis and ransomed the extended area. The baron forced the recipient of public money to give him increasing sums, seized the treasures of churches, traded ceremonial bells for cash, vases, gold ornaments, created new taxes on wine and beer and taxed the convents. Around 1580, the prince of Parma, with a Spanish troop, ravaged the Cambresis and sieged Cambrai by seizing Bouchain and making it a point of support. The Baron of Inchy was assisted by the Duke of Anjou, brother of Henry III. The French became masters of Cambrai, but the Baron of Inchy was killed by a peasant of Pommereuil in 1582. Jean de Balagny, bastard son of the bishop of Valence, who had helped Baron of Inchy became governor of Cambrai. Husband of Renée d'Amboise, he behaved like a dictator and is often considered an adventurer. In 1593, when Henry IV abjured Protestantism, he decided to put himself at the service of the new sovereign. Henry IV entered Cambrai on August 5, 1594 and named him prince of Cambrai. However, the Count de Fuentès besieged Cambrai in August 1595 with the complicity of the Cambrésiens tired of the governor's abuses and seized on October 9, 1596. Balagny was safe, wiped the wrath of Henry IV and plotted again in 1598 to regain his titles. He had lost his wife during the siege of 1596.[9]
November 1581:Saint-Python is abandoned, the inhabitants take refuge in Valenciennes or Le Quesnoy.
March 1675:Saint-Python is obliged to deliver to many cities many carts full of fodder for the king such as in Le Quesnoy, Avesnes-les-Aubert, Fayt, Charleroi, Ors, Philippeville). The cleric who presumably was Jean Legrand went twice to the army when the king was stationed in Montay (then Montay-lez-Chastel en Cambresis) on May 15, 16 and 17, 1675 in order to "fetch back for the conservation of the peasants."
1695: Introduction of the Capitation of 1695: direct tax proportional to rank (22 ranks). In Saint-Python, the Capitation was as follows: - 1711: 420 French livres 11 sous (sols) (+ 394 livres 7 sols repayments / following the wars). In 1714: 84 French livres. In 1717: 330 French livres "sitting on 76 households". 1718: 376 French livres 4 floors "sitting on 81 households". In 1747: 514 French livres 10 sous (sols) "monnoie de Hainaut".
1709–1710: The 'hard Winter' (French: Dur Hiver) : Misery and famine due to war and weather conditions. A terrible cold weather rages from January 6 to mid-February 1709, freezing seeds in the ground and causing for prices to quadruple between January and July 1709 and increasing again until the summer of 1710. On September 11, 1709, the French were defeated by the Duke of Marlborough and Prince Eugène of Savoy at Malplaquet. Villars, however, inflicted heavy losses on the allies and was able to retire in good order.
1710: Introduction of Impôt du dixième (The Tenth): income tax created soon after the Grande famine of 1709to face the costs of the Spanish succession war. There was the tenth land on tenure, one-tenth of offices and rights on revenue from offices and the tenth on industrial and commercial revenues. The administration was powerless to return the tenth on the privileged and to obtain the declarations imposed. The clergy were redeemed by a free gift of 8 million French livres. In Saint-Python, the collectors were Jean Baptiste Saigniez, Jean Claude Bantegnie and Antoine Bleuse with an average of 1.400 French livres from 1743 to 1749. The tenth was abolished in 1717. Following the War of the Polish Succession (1733–35), it was restored in 1733 and lasted until January 1737. He was re-established in August 1741 during the War of the Austrian Succession and abolished again in 1749, when it was replaced by the Twentieth (French: Le Vingtième). In Saint-Python, the collectors for the twentieth were Pierre Fourmont, Jean Desgardins, Antoine Ledieu, Estienne Bantegnie, Jacques Tilmont and Michel Bantegnie with an average of 650 French livres from 1700 to 1748.[10]
On July 04,1712:Le Quesnoy is taken over by the allies (the Dutch and the English).
On July 25,1712: The French who went from Montay to Douchy-les-Mines crossed Saint Python.
1715: Death of Louis XIV. He had many ailments: for example, symptoms of diabetes, as confirmed in reports of suppurating periostitis in 1678, dental abscesses in 1696, along with recurring boils, fainting spells, gout, dizziness, hot flushes, and headaches. His body was laid to rest in Saint-Denis Basilica outside Paris. It remained there undisturbed for about 80 years, until revolutionaries exhumed and destroyed all of the remains found in the Basilica. Louis XIV's only surviving legitimate grandson, Philip V, was not included in the line of succession due to having renounced the French throne after the war of the Spanish succession, which lasted for 13 years after the death of Charles II of Spain in 1700.
1793:Conflicts (The Revolution and the Clergy): Around 1793, Dom Benoît Lempereur (8 December 1747 in Viesly (French Flanders) – 25 October 1797 in Douai) was a former Order of Saint-Benedict prior of Maroilles Abbey who refused the Serment de haine à la royauté passed under the French Directory on March 10, march 1796 because he opposed the French Revolution (1789–1799) for which he was sentenced to be shot dead. He had evangelized many rural parishes including Saint-Python which preserved to this day in his 'Baptism' Registers' the signature of this apostle. Benoît Lempereur and 'Constitutional Catholic Priest of Saint-PythonMaroilles and Roussel' (Curé de Saint-Python), Charles Marie Ratte (deceased on January 1, 1799) both had promised not to celebrate 'Sunday', are forced under the pressure of their flock to retract their promise and abandon the Decadi (Culte décadaire) in spite of the obligation given to priests to celebrate the Decadi instead of Sunday. Armed forces and special workers will be sent to Solesmes, Saint-Python and Beaurain at the end of June, 1798, if the inhabitants have not done away with the crosses of the steeples. In the spring of 1798, Claude François Marie Primate (July 26, 1747 in Lyon – October 10, 1816 in Toulouse) who was évêque of Cambrai (1791–1798) undertook a pastoral journey through his diocese. On November 1, he is in Saint-Python where the 'Commissioner of Solesmes' Delsart drew up a report against him under the false pretense that the bells have been sounded for confirmation. He is incarcerated in Valenciennes, released on bail after a few days.[11]
1832, 1848 and 1866: Cholera caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae raged in Saint-Python.
Bombing on May 9, 1944: greatly impacted Saint-Python. Copied content from Institution Saint-Michel; see that page's history for attribution: From February to June 1944, the Allies intensified their destructive efforts on roads and rails to isolate the Normandy landings and to dupe the Germans into believing that this landing would take place in the nearer Pas-de-Calais. General Eisenhower encapsulated those successful bombings "as the greatest contribution to the success of Overlord” (June 6, 44). On May 9, 1944; the 416thBomb Group successfully destroyed the Aarschot railway station between Brussels and Antwerp with several Douglas Boston III Havocs each carrying four 250-kg bombs and the 409th BombGroup caused death and destruction in Solesmes with the same equipment. On May 9, at around 8:15 am, the air alert loud sirens prompted all children who went to school to go back home and around 10:15, two explosions were heard as four bombs were accidentally detached from the freight deck of an aircraft.. Seventy bombs in total exploded in the city-center killingfifty-eight people including twenty-two children and the destruction of ninety-seven buildings while the wounded were transferred to the hospital of Le Cateau. The American airmen had orders; when they were not carrying out their mission; to drop their bombs on secondary targets. Moreover, at 3500 m altitude the accuracy of a shot was 1 km whick included Saint-Python.
Lords (Seigneuries)
Many different Lords (French: Seigneurs) owned Saint-Python's lands and properties and had administrative power over the town. The following are the Lords of Saint-Python (French: Seigneurs de Saint-Python) chronologically ordered:
1478 - 1513: Nicolas De Werchin (35 years): was born before 1462 and married Yolente De Luxembourg in 1482. He was 'hereditary seneschal' of Hainaut, baron of Cysoing, 'Premier Beer of Flanders, lord of Werchin, Walincourt, Jeumont, Fagnoeulles, the Biez, Templemars, Montreul and La Royère. He had 5 children including Antoine and Pierre and died on July 10, 1513 at the Château Du Biez in Péruwelz and was buried in Roubaix.
1513 - 1528:Antoine De Werchin (15 years): Son of the preceding who married after the death of his father Marguerite De Luxembourg. He had the same duties and titles as his father. On April 1,1516, he dined at the Château de Verchin, going to Valenciennes, and the next day to Saint-Python. In 1517 he left for Spain where he distinguished himself in tournaments in Zaragoza. He died in 1528 (or 1529) without posterity.
1528 - 1556: Pierre De Werchin (28 years): born round 1500, brother of the previous one, he also had the same titles to which he added those of his mother who died in 1534. He married Hélène De Vergy, was chamberlain to Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor and was made prisoner at the Siege of Therouanne then traded for the lord of Fiennes. He was one of the 22 knights of the Order of the Golden Fleece elected by Charles V in Utrecht in 1555 and was governor of Tournai. He had two "sectarians" burned alive. One named Pierre Brusly, one of the best disciples of Calvin, making his sermons at night in hiding and a 'hautlisseur' named Bertrand Le Blas for having sacked the Sacramental bread out of the priest's hands (Le Blas had a fist cut out beforehand as punishment). As a Catholic he was a great enemy of the Calvinists, who in August 1566, 10 years after his death in 1556, profaned his grave and threw his remains in the Scheldt. He had three daughters, Joan, who became a nun at Ath, Charlotte, who became lady of Jeumont, and married Charles, Maximilian De Hennin, and Yolente.[12]
1556 - 1593:Yolente De Werchin (37 years): married Hugues De Melun on October 3, 1543 and inherited (among others) the Seigneury of Saint-Python. Born around 1520, she died on May 16, 1593 and was buried in Roubaix.
1593 - 1634:Anne Marie De Melun (41 years): x Lamoral De Ligne.
1634 - 1641:Albert Henri De Ligne (7 years): x Marie Claire De Nassau.
1641 - 1679:Claude Lamoral De Ligne (38 years)and his wife Countess Claire Marie of Nassau-Siegen. Claude Lamoral, 3rd Prince of Ligne, Prince of Epinoy, Marquis of Roubaix and Count of Fauquemberg (8 October 1618 – 21 December 1679), was a nobleman from the Spanish Netherlands, a soldier and diplomat in the service of Philip IV of Spain and Charles II of Spain .
1679 - 1702:Henri Louis Ernest De Ligne (23 years): x Jeanne d'Aragon (assumed).
1705:Antoine Parisot (11 years):
1716 - 1720:Charles Louis Parisot (4 years):Parisot is a village in Tarn-et-Garonne on the Villefranche-de-Rouergue / Montauban axis. The mystery remains as to how the descendants of these distant lords became lords of Saint-Python. Charles married Marie Catherine De Montmonnier. In late 1715, he sold for 12,000 florins his lordship Blécourt. He had 7 children including four of them who died in the Saint-Python's Castle fire on September 4, 1718. One of his sons who was a squire became the commanding officer of the Régiment de Rochefort while one of his girls married Jean Féry Antoine De Carondelet. On June 30, 1719, he received 160,000 French livres from his sister Marie Catherine Parisot who lived in Saint-Python against an inheritance annuity of 6,400 French livres. On April 20,1720 he sells a stronghold located in St-Python for 6,400 French livres to the Seigneur Delalive. He died on April 26,1745 at Parish St George in Cambrai aged 56 after a lengthy agony. The collective rumour had it that the desperate lord played his castle at a card game and lost it.
1720 - 1721: Louis Denis De La Live de Bellegarde (1 year):
1756-1762:Charles Joseph Xavier De Pollinchove (6 years) i n of the preceding Lord of Saint-Python. He was baptized at the Collégiale Saint-Pierre de Douai on July 25,1737. He was made advisor to the Parlement de Flandres on December 12,1757, made Président à mortier on January 4, 1760, Keeper of the Seals of the Chancellery of the said Parliament on June 11,1778 and 1st president on February 13,1780. By letters patent of the king, he was summoned in 1787 to attend the 'Assembly of Notables and was part of the sixth office chaired by Louis François Joseph, Prince of Conti (1 September 1734 – 13 March 1814). By decision of 14 nivôse year 6 of the French Directory, he is deemed 'emigrated', having left France since July 14, 1799. His title of Lord of Saint-Python and properties were confiscated for the benefit of the Republic. He died unmarried on February 21, 1816 in his hôtel particulier located at 'rue de la Ture' in Tournai.
1762 - 1816: Gaspart Félix Jacques De Pollinchove.(54 years):[13]
Saint-Python's Church and Townhall.
Mayors (Post-1790 Administration)
Saint-Python's first municipal election.
On February 3, 1790; in front of Pierre J. Blas former mayor gathered together Jean Jacques Bantegnie, Jacques Bizeau, Jean-Jacques Bleuse, Charles Louis Santerre and Jean-Noël Manet échevins in Adrien J. Gabet's home for the "Assembly of Active Citizens of the Parish and Community of St. Python". They chose the three oldest members of the assembly, namely Philippe Bantegny, Jean Baptiste Port and Antoine Forierre. After counting votes, Pierre J. Blas is designated "prendeur" and the elected secretary is Charles J. Marlier. The mayor is then designated "by plurality": Charles J. Marlier. The Following day at 2 a.m. the municipal officers are named: Pierre J. Blas, Nicolas J. Douay, Jean Jacques Bantigny, Jean Noël Manet and Jean François Tondeur. Voters elected Mr Duplessy 'Vicar of St-Python' as public prosecutor, who refused. On the 23rd Etienne Dambrinne was elected prosecutor but was already elected as notable so the function was given to Mr Lernou 'Priest of St-Python'. This first municipal act is written on a sheet of paper from St-Python's paper mill. Indeed, on the left side is found in watermark the word 'MARLIER' (operator of the paper mill and new mayor) and on the right the drawing of three fleurs-de-lis inside a circle.[14]
Contemporary Mayors
In March 2001, Georges Flamengt (Socialist Party) was elected mayor of Saint-Python. As of January 2019, Georges Flamengt is till mayor.[15]
The evolution of the number of inhabitants is known through the censuses of the population carried out in the commune since 1793. From 2006, the legal populations of the communes are published annually by Institut national de la statistique et des études économiques. The census is now based on an annual collection of information, successively covering all municipal territories over a period of five years. For municipalities with fewer than 10,000 inhabitants, a census survey of the whole population is carried out every five years, the legal populations of the intermediate years being estimated by interpolation or extrapolation. For the municipality, the first comprehensive census within the framework of the new system was carried out in 2006. In 2015, the municipality had 995 inhabitants, an increase of 0.4% compared to 2010 (North: +1.1%, France excluding Mayotte: +2.44%).[17]
2019 Social Housing Project
In January 2019, mayor Georges Flamengt, announced the major works which will begin during the first quarter and will last throughout the year:
The ‘Haussy Street’ (French: rue d'Haussy) will be totally renovated (burial of networks, sanitation, drinking water connections, lighting, pavement and sidewalks) for a total cost of 1.1 million euros including 350,000 € which will have to be paid by the local tax payers.
The rehabilitation of the former ‘SASA’ company building to create 22 social housing units which began in November with the clearing and removal of the old site, will continue. These social accommodations costing more than 2 million euros to host families coming from outside Saint-Python will be financed by the Departmental council of Nord but also the local tax payers.[18]
One of the paths of Camino de Santiago (Way of St. James, Chemins de Compostelle), the via septentriones templi passes through the village coming from Haussy. It goes through the municipal park, then the church, before leaving by meandering in the streets towards Saint-Vaast-en Cambrésis by hiking trails. Several tags are in fact embedded in the tar, plus two labels on the way.[19]
The smaller 'Leterme Castle' (1908).
Saint-Python's Castle
Saint-Python has two castles: the 'Cardon Castle' referred to as 'Saint-Python's Castle' and the smaller 'Leterme Castle'.
In 1185, Saint-Python's Castle was set on fire by Philip I, Count of Flanders (1143 – 1 August 1191). On September 28, 2007 the castle which now belongs to the Pavot Family, endured another fire devastating the floors and roofs. He was once again restored the following year.
Four of Charles Louis Parisot's children died in the Saint-Python's Castle fire on September 4, 1718.
On November 26, 1817 was bought by Henri Charles Cardon and Antoine Marlière.
On August 31, 1821 part of the castle is resold after restoration and enlargement for 12.500 Francs to the prefecture to install the horse-riding gendarmerie of Solesmes.
Religion
As of 2019, Saint-Piatiens have always been almost exclusively Christians with a minority of atheists. Few muslim families arrived and settled in the late 2000's and 2010's in Saint-Python and its neighbouring villages.
Saint-Python’s ‘Culs de Caudron’ celebrations taking place in September and involving the Géants du Nord has been inscribed by UNESCO on the lists of Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2008, originally proclaimed in November 2005 as it is included in the set of folkloric manifestations representing the processional giants and dragons (French: Géants et dragons processionnels) of Belgium and France. Those gigantic figures, incarnating fictitious or real beings, are inherited from medieval rites and are carried or rolled around to dance in the streets during processions or festivals. The ‘Culs de Caudron’ often coincide with a ducasse. [20]
As of 2012, a Citroën C4 (1928) car from Saint-Python is still being driven for commercial purposes in SiemReap, Cambodia. The Citroën C4 model was designed to replace the Citroën Type A 10 hp and Citroën Type B model family cars. The styling was heavily influenced by American counterparts of the same time period. The traditional grill styles of previous Citroën models were abandoned and a sleeker, flatter grill was used.
Conspicuous people affiliated to the commune
Raymond Poirette (1928–1944): He was born March 16, 1928 in Solesmes and died September 2, 1944 in Saint-Python. He was a French Resistant and was arrested and shot dead at close range at 16 years old while he was handing out leaflets near ‘N° 61 of the Rue d’Haussy’. Solesmes' resistance network was headed by Victor Poirette, Raymond's older brother, and Georges Mailloux. Teenagers then served as liaison agents: Raymond Poirette is among them. Their role was to transport documents, weapons, to transmit orders from one point to another. In addition to his role as liaison officer, Raymond participated in some sabotage operations with the aim of hindering the German retreat. As a tribute to the young resistance fighter, several places bear his name, a street in Solesmes and a school restaurant in Saint-Python.[21]
Extended Trivia
One can still see old houses including a door on the foundation stone above the entrance, the monogram of Christ I.H.S., and this motto: "Plus penser que dire" (More to think than to say), with the date of 1779.
Bibliography
Louis Boniface, Etude sur la signification des noms topographiques de l'arrondissement de Cambrai, Valenciennes, Impr. Louis Henry, 1866.
^Mannier, Eugène (1861). Eugène Mannier, Études étymologiques, historiques et comparatives sur les noms des villes, bourgs et villages du département du Nord. Paris: Auguste Aubry, Libraire-Éditeur.
^Turquin, Pierre (1955). "The Battle of the Sabis (La Bataille de la Selle – du Sabis)". Les Études Classiques. 23/2: 111–157.
^Duvivier, C. (1865). Recherches Sur Le Hainaut Ancien (Pagus Hainoensis) Du Viie Au Xiie Siecles. Paris: HACHETTE LIVRE. ISBN9782012621978. {{cite book}}: ISBN / Date incompatibility (help)
^Hossart, Philippe (1792). Histoire Ecclésiastique Et Profane Du Hainaut. bibliothèque de l'État de Bavière: Lelong.
^Meresse, Abbe (2004). History of Cateau-Cambresis. Lorisse. ISBN9782877607728.
^Deloffre, Guy (1985). Guerres et brigandages au XVe siècle en Hainaut, Pays d'Avesnes, Thiérache et Ardennes. Paris: Mémoire de la Société archéologique et historique d'Avesnes.
^Deloffre, Guy (1985). Guerres et brigandages au XVe siècle en Hainaut, Pays d'Avesnes, Thiérache et Ardennes. Paris: Mémoire de la Société archéologique et historique d'Avesnes.
^Contamine, Philippe (2004). Guerre, État et société à la fin du Moyen Âge. Études sur les armées des rois de France (1337–1494). Paris: Éditions de l'École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales (EHESS). pp. 450 & 334.
^de Combles, Waroquier (1785). État de la France, ou les vrais marquis, comtes, vicomtes et barons. National Library of the Netherlands: Clousier.
^Cabourdin, Viard, Guy, Georges (2005). Lexique historique de la France d'Ancien Régime. Paris: Armand Colin. ISBN9782200345372.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
^Peter; Poulet, chanoine J. (1930). Religious History of the Department of the North during the Revolution (1789–1802) [Histoire religieuse du département du Nord pendant la Révolution (1789–1802)]. Lille: Publivations des Facultés Catholiques (Volume I. From the end of the Ancien Régime to 9 Thermidor year II – July 28, 1794).{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
^Caille Du Fourny, Honoré (1726). Histoire Généalogique Et Chronologique De La Maison Royale De France, Des Pairs, Grands Officiers de la Couronne & de la Maison du Roy. State Library of Bavaria: Compagnie des Libraires.
^Blas, Michel (9 November 2018). "Election de 1790". Saint-Python. Retrieved 13 November 2018. {{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter: |dead-url= (help)
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