Ardennes is a department in the Grand Est region of northeastern France named after the broader Ardennes. Its prefecture is the town Charleville-Mézières. The department has 270,582 inhabitants. The inhabitants of the department are known as Ardennais or Ardennaises.
The Battle of Liège [also French: Bataille de Liège] was the opening engagement of the German invasion of Belgium and the first battle of the First World War. The city of Liège was protected by a ring of modern fortresses to form the Fortified position of Liège, one of several fortified cities to delay an invasion to allow troops from the powers which had guaranteed Belgian neutrality to assist the Belgian Army in the expulsion of the invaders.
Givet is a commune in the Ardennes department in northern France surrounded on three sides by the Belgian border. It lies on the river Meuse where Emperor Charles V built the fortress of Charlemont. It borders the French municipalities of Fromelennes to the east and Rancennes to the south and Foisches to the southeast.
The Waterloo campaign was fought between the French Army of the North and two Seventh Coalition armies, an Anglo-allied army and a Prussian army. Initially the French army was commanded by Napoleon Bonaparte, but he left for Paris after the French defeat at the Battle of Waterloo. Command then rested on Marshals Soult and Grouchy, who were in turn replaced by Marshal Davout, who took command at the request of the French Provisional Government. The Anglo-allied army was commanded by the Duke of Wellington and the Prussian army by Field Marshall Graf von Blücher.
Bitche is a commune in the Moselle department, administrative region of Grand Est, northeastern France. It is the Pays de Bitche's capital city and the seat of the Canton of Bitche and the communauté de communes du Pays de Bitche.
The Citadel of Namur is a fortress in the Walloon capital city of Namur, at the confluence of the Sambre and Meuse rivers. It is originally from the Roman era, but has been rebuilt several times. Its current form was designed by Menno van Coehoorn, and improved upon by Vauban after the siege of 1692. It has been classified as a Wallonia Major Heritage site. Its highest point sits at 190 metres (620 ft). Together with Dinant, Huy and Liège, the Citadel of Namur forms part of the so-called Meuse Citadels.
On 1 March 1815 Napoleon Bonaparte escaped from his imprisonment on the isle of Elba, and launched a bid to recover his empire. A confederation of European powers pledged to stop him. During the period known as the Hundred Days Napoleon chose to confront the armies of Prince Blücher and the Duke of Wellington in what has become known as the Waterloo Campaign. He was decisively defeated by the two allied armies at the Battle of Waterloo, which then marched on Paris forcing Napoleon to abdicate for the second time. However Russia, Austria and some of the minor German states also fielded armies against him and all of them also invaded France. Of these other armies the ones engaged in the largest campaigns and saw the most fighting were two Austrian armies: The Army of the Upper Rhine and the Army of Italy.
The fortified position of Liège was established after the First World War by Belgium to block the traditional invasion corridor through Belgium between Germany and France. In the First World War the Belgian Army held up the Germans for a week at Liège, delaying the German invasion of France, caused Belgium to consider a similar defensive strategy. Belgium rebuilt the Liège fortifications and extended them onto the Pays de Herve closer to Germany, using the most advanced fortification technology available.
Hierges Castle is a partially ruined castle in the commune of Hierges in the Ardennes département of France. It is privately owned and has been listed since 1980 as a monument historique by the French Ministry of Culture.
The Citadel of Liège was the central fortification of the strategic Belgian city of Liège, Wallonia, until the end of the 19th century. It is located in the Sainte-Walburge neighborhood, 111 metres (364 ft) above the Meuse valley. Together with Dinant, Huy and Namur, the Citadel of Liège forms part of the so-called Meuse Citadels.
The siege of Namur was a battle between Belgian and German forces around the fortified city of Namur during the First World War. Namur was defended by a ring of modern fortresses, known as the Fortified Position of Namur and guarded by the 4th Division of the Belgian Army. The purpose of the fortified Belgian cities was to delay an invasion force until troops from the states guaranteeing Belgian independence came to their aid. The French Fifth Army planned to counter-attack while the Germans were besieging Namur.
The Citadel of Huy or the Fort of Huy, known locally as The Castle, is a fortress located in the Walloon city of Huy in the province of Liège, Belgium. The fort occupies a high position in the town, overlooking the strategic Meuse river. Together with Dinant, Liège and Namur, the Citadel of Huy forms part of the so-called Meuse Citadels.
The Citadel of Dinant is a fortress located in the Walloon city of Dinant in the province of Namur, Belgium. The current fort was built in 1815 on a site which was originally fortified in 1051 when the region was ruled by the Prince-Bishopric of Liège. The citadel overlooks the city of Dinant and the strategic Meuse river which runs through the town. It is open to the public. Together with Huy, Liège and Namur, the Citadel of Dinant forms part of the so-called Meuse Citadels.
The Meuse citadels or Mosane citadels are a group of forts situated along the Meuse river in southern Belgian region of Wallonia. The citadels were originally intended to defend the Prince-Bishopric of Liège and County of Namur and were later modernized during the periods of French and Dutch rule. They include four citadels, at Namur, Liège, Huy and Dinant, all of which are partially or totally preserved.
After their defeat at the Battle of Waterloo on 18 June 1815, the French Army of the North, under the command of Napoleon Bonaparte retreated in disarray back towards France. As agreed by the two Seventh Coalition commanders in chief, the Duke of Wellington, commander of the Anglo-allied army, and Prince Blücher, commander of the Prussian army, the French were to be closely pursued by units of the Prussian cavalry.
After the defeat of Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo and the advance on Paris by the Coalition armies during the months of June and July 1815, although they besieged and took some towns and fortresses as they advanced, they bypassed many of them and detached forces to observe and reduce them. The last of the French fortresses did not capitulate until September of that year.
The Pointe de Givet National Nature Reserve (RNN145) is a national nature reserve of the Grand Est region of France. Established in 1999, it spreads over 354 hectares and protects a group of sites recognised for their rich geology, flora and fauna.
The siege of Namur took place from 21 November to 2 December 1792, during the Flanders campaign of the War of the First Coalition. The French Army of the Ardennes under the Count of Valence captured the city which was then part of the Austrian Netherlands.
The Bombardment of Givet took place during the Nine Years' War on 16 March 1696. An Dutch army under Menno van Coehoorn and the Earl of Athlone closed in on the French town of Givet with the aim of destroying the supplies held there. In this way, they hoped that the French would not be able to mount an offensive that year. The action was a success and prevented the French from launching a major offensive.
Destruction within the fort after the First World War.
view of the fort from within Givet.
The Maugis Tower.
Between Condé Charlemont Covered Path.
Entrance to Fort Condé.
Staircase, the only access point from the glacis to the fort.
