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pageTHE FEUDALISM (X-TH - XIV-TH CENTURY)
THE BIRTH
After the birth of the feudalism through the Carolingian baronnies, counts and viscounts appropriated bit by bit their function(office) and the possessions the responsibility of of which they had IX-th and XI-th centuries, and made them hereditary in their families. So was born a whole seigneurial hierarchy with suzerains and vassals. But they were often made the war among them to defend(forbid) their patrimony. Where from the construction of fortified castles, which replaced of former(old) " villae " gallo-steelyards, and which were often raised(brought up) on the same place.
It was the case of Coupiac.
THE COUPIAC'S FIRST CASTLE
We know only very few things about this castle. We ignore even the name of the Lord which made him(it) build, in the IX-th century. Coupiac would be already mentioned in the charters of this time, according to the historian of the Rouergue, by Gaujal, in the last century. It(he) occupied the place of the current castle. It(he) does not there seem to stay of tracks in the existing construction, credibly bigger.
A legend brings back(reports) the presence of an underground passage leaving the northwest tower and ending in Castelfalaise's outpost; small construction pieces of wall of which one sees on the cliff dominating the river, between Cambon and Bonnerive. Of the X-th in the XIII-th century ( 1238 ), the castle was the property of the counts of , please , Rodez, as well as Peyrebrune, Thouels and Beaver. It seems that in a time, it was the common ownership of the count and the bishop of , please , Rodez, because the count should honour the bishop for the castles of Coupiac and Beaver.
In 1238, the count of , please , Rodez Beaver gives up to the viscount of Panat Peyrebrune , Coupiac's castles and. Hugues III, count of , please , Rodez, annoyed to have to honour the bishop of , please , Rodez for Peyrebrune , Coupiac's castles and Beaver, exchanged these, in 1238 with Archambaud, viscount of Panat, against Salles-Comtaux's castle and seigneury of Marcillac.
From then on, the Lords of Panat came to live in their new possessions; Peyrebrune at first, highlight among Alrance and Villefranche-de-Panat. There was there about fifty homes(foyers). But bit by bit, this small village was left for the benefit of Villefranche-de-Panat, based by the Lord of Peyrebrune.
THE SUCCESSORS OF the VISCOUNT ARCHAMBAUD OF PANAT AND THEIR REPORTS(CONNECTIONS) WITH THE COUPIAGAIS
Construction of the commonplace oven
To Archambaud had succeeded his(her) son Pierre Ier, but it is the son of this one, Pierre II, who made build the commonplace oven in 1301, situated between the door under the presbytery and the house belonging at present to Bertrand.
Coupiagais agreed to use this oven only by putting certain precise conditions; in particular, on the interview(maintenance) of the oven, its functioning (and on the rights of hunting on the lands of the Lord).
Appointment of the property managers
In 1303, a contesting rose among the Lord Pierre II and the Coupiagais about the appointment and about the role of the property managers, who filled(performed) the functions(offices) of our City Council. A deal had to established under the control of the count of Armagnac and of , please , Grind, suzerain of the count of Panat. She clarified the way should be elected the property managers, the powers and the role of these, about the imposition(taxation) of the sizes and their levying as well as the works interesting the community.
Fortifications of Coupiac's camp in 1356
Always under Pierre II, in 1356 , a judgment carried(worn) in , please , Grind by Gailhard Saumade - judge of the count of , please , Rodez-, a dispute settles(adjusts) which rose Coupiac's community represented by his(her) main property manager enters the Lord of Panat, on one hand and, on the other hand, the feudataires of the Lord, his vassals and. It is about the continuation and about the completion of the fortifications of the entrenched camp of Coupiac, the works begun in 1354, but abandoned as a result of the bad will which put some to pay the necessary sizes. The protesters assert that they have no obligation to strengthen the camp, or to assure(insure) the nurse of it.
Pierre de Panat asks to the judge to order what is just, because of the dangers and of the danger which the incompletion of the fortifications could establish(constitute). The judge prescribes while the begun works should be continued and finished for the defence of the camp. Each of the feudataires and the inhabitants will contribute to the necessary spending(expenditure) according to the part already paid(poured) for the made(done) works. A good captain will be named(appointed) to establish the nurses. It(he) will make(do) him(it) with justice, and according to what will appear to him(her) to have to be made(done), according to its experience(experiment).