Montauban

Montauban was founded in 1144 by the Count of Toulouse on a rocky height above the Tarn. Its charter granted liberties to the inhabitants, who governed their town through consuls. The brick-built settlement prospered between Toulouse and Cahors and became a bishop's seat in the fourteenth century.

Montauban embraced Protestantism and became a major Huguenot stronghold during the Wars of Religion. In 1621 its defenders resisted a siege by Louis XIII's army, forcing the king to withdraw after months of fighting. The town finally submitted to royal authority in 1629, and its defences were dismantled. Catholic religious communities returned, while the old Protestant stronghold came under closer royal control. Its turbulent history left a deep mark on the churches and streets of the city.