Maubeuge

Maubeuge (historical Dutch: Mabuse or Dutch: Malbode) is a commune in the Nord department in northern France.

Maubeuge
Commune
Porte de Mons
Coat of arms
Location of Maubeuge
Maubeuge
Maubeuge
Coordinates: 50°16′39″N 3°58′24″E
CountryFrance
RegionHauts-de-France
DepartmentNord
ArrondissementAvesnes-sur-Helpe
CantonMaubeuge
IntercommunalityCommunauté d'agglomération Maubeuge Val de Sambre
Government
 • Mayor (2020–2026) Arnaud Decagny[1]
Area
1
18.85 km2 (7.28 sq mi)
Population
 (2017-01-01)[2]
29,944
 • Density1,600/km2 (4,100/sq mi)
Time zoneUTC+01:00 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+02:00 (CEST)
INSEE/Postal code
59392 /59600
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

It is situated on both banks of the Sambre (here canalized), 36 km (22 mi) east of Valenciennes and about 9 km (5.6 mi) from the Belgian border.

History

Maubeuge (ancient Malbodium, from Latin, derived from the Old Frankish name Malboden, meaning "assizes of Boden") owes its origin to Maubeuge Abbey, a double monastery, for men and women, founded in the 7th century by Saint Aldego, the relics of whom are preserved in the church. It subsequently belonged to the territory of Hainaut.

The town was part of the Spanish Netherlands and changed hands a number of times before it was finally ceded to France in the 1678 Treaty of Nijmegen.[3] As part of Vauban's pré carré plan that protected France's northern borders with a double line of fortresses, it was extensively fortified as directed by Louis XIV of France.

Besieged in 1793 by Prince Josias of Coburg, it was relieved by the victory of Wattignies, which is commemorated by a monument in the town. It was unsuccessfully besieged in 1814, but was compelled to capitulate, after a vigorous resistance, in the Hundred Days.

As a fortress, Maubeuge has an old enceinte of bastion trace which serves as the center of an important entrenched camp of 18 miles perimeter. The fortress was constructed after the War of 1870 but has since been modernized and augmented.

The forts were besieged in World War I by the German Empire. Maubeuge suffered heavily in World War II: 90% of the town centre was destroyed by bombardments in May 1940. Fighting again occurred in early September 1944, in and around the outskirts of Maubeuge, involving units of the U.S. 1st Infantry Division during the American push toward Belgium.[4][5]

Heraldry
Arms of Maubeuge
 The arms of Maubeuge are blazoned :
Or, 4 lions, 2 in bend sable armed and langued gules, 2 in bend sinister gules armed and langued azure, in chief an eagle sable beaked langued membered and armed gules, overall a crozier Or bendwise.

Economy

There are important foundries, forges and blast furnaces, together with manufactures of machine tools and porcelain.

The town has a board of trade arbitration, a communal college, a commercial and industrial school.

Transport

Being close to the Belgian border, the station has two lines to Belgium: one leading North towards Mons, the other Eastbound to Charleroi. Neither have seen passenger service for several years, however from December 2018 a limited service to Namur via Charleroi was announced.[6] Trains to the South-West are frequent.

There is an aerodrome in nearby Elesmes but it is purely recreational, with no facilities for commercial air transport of either passengers or cargo.

Tour de France

Maurice Garin, the winner of the inaugural 1903 Tour de France, began his cycling career in 1892 with the local Maubeuge cycling club, when he finished 5th in the Maubeuge-Hirson-Maubeuge, 200 kilometres (124 mi)race.[7] In 2003, on the 100th anniversary of his win, he was commemorated with a street named after him.

Personalities

See also

Sources
  • http://www.lonesentry.com/gi_stories_booklets/1stinfantry/
  •  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Maubeuge". Encyclopædia Britannica. 17 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 903.

Footnotes
  1. "Répertoire national des élus: les maires". data.gouv.fr, Plateforme ouverte des données publiques françaises (in French). 2 December 2020. Retrieved 11 December 2020.
  2. "Populations légales 2017". INSEE. Retrieved 6 January 2020.
  3. "Treaty of Peace between France and Spain, signed at Nimeguen, 17 September 1678" (PDF). Oxford International Public Law. Retrieved 31 December 2018.
  5. Official site of the town of Maubeuge Archived 3 February 2011 at the Wayback Machine (in French)
  6. https://www.hgbtf.net/download/file.php?id=7279 Official announcement, in Dutch
  7. Journal L'Alsace-Le Pays, 20 February 2001, Profile of Maurice Garin Archived 1 November 2005 at the Wayback Machine
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