Josselin

Josselin Josilin
View of Josselin Castle from the River Oust
Coat of arms
Josselin
Location within Brittany region  Josselin
Coordinates: 47°57′24″N 2°32′50″W / 47.9567°N 2.5472°WCoordinates: 47°57′24″N 2°32′50″W / 47.9567°N 2.5472°W
Country	France
Region	Brittany
Department	Morbihan
Arrondissement	Pontivy
Canton	Josselin
Intercommunality	Pays de Josselin
Government
• Mayor (2008—2014)	Joseph Seveno
Area^1	4.48 km^2 (1.73 sq mi)
Population (1999)^2	2,419
• Density	540/km^2 (1,400/sq mi)
INSEE/Postal code	56091 / 56120
Elevation	32–93 m (105–305 ft) (avg. 30 m or 98 ft)
^1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km² (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries. ^2 Population without double counting: residents of multiple communes (e.g., students and military personnel) only counted once.

Josselin (Breton: Josilin) is a commune in the Morbihan department in Brittany in north-western France.

History

Banner attributed to Breton and French Knights at the Combat of the Thirty in 1351.

St Meriadek is said to have founded a chapel there during the 4th century. Much later Josslein became a stronghold of the House of Rohan.

An alternative explanation for the location of the chapel concerns a labourer who in 808 discovered a wooden statue in the brambles which enabled his hitherto blind daughter to see. A chapel was constructed on the site of this miracle which subsequently grew into a church (parts of which date back to the twelfth century). A fresco in the church now recalls the Combat of the Thirty summarized below.

In 1351, during the Breton War of Succession (part of the Hundred Years' War), two groups of approximately 30 English knights (led by Robert Bramborough, the English captain of Ploërmel) and Franco-Breton knights (commanded by Jean de Beaumanoir, captain of Josselin) staged an arranged combat at a spot halfway between the Chateau de Josselin and Ploërmel. The Franco-Breton side eventually won after killing or capturing the English force, including Bramborough. This episode was later known as the Combat of the Thirty.

The Castle of Josselin can still be seen today, although only four of the original nine towers remain after the Cardinal Richelieu ordered the castle partially demolished in 1629.

Demographics

Inhabitants of Josselin are called Josselinais.

Breton language

In 2008, 16.05% of children attended the bilingual schools in primary education.^[1]

Twin towns

It is twinned with two towns: Alzey, Germany and Tard, Hungary.

See also

• Communes of the Morbihan department

References

1. (French) Ofis ar Brezhoneg: Enseignement bilingue

External links

• Official site (French)
• French Ministry of Culture list for Josselin (French)
• Map of Josselin on Michelin (English)
• Mayors of Morbihan Association (French)
• Commune file at INSEE