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MEZILRES

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Originally appearing in Volume V18, Page 351 of the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica.
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MEZILRES , a See also:

town *of See also:northern See also:France, See also:capital of the See also:department of See also:Ardennes, 55 M. N.E. of See also:Reims by the Eastern railway. Pop. (1906), town, 7007; See also:commune, 9393• The town itself, the streets of which are narrow and irregular, is situated on the See also:neck of a See also:peninsula formed by a See also:loop of the See also:Meuse. The See also:river separates it from its suburb of See also:Arches and the town of See also:Charleville on the See also:north and from the suburb of See also:Pierre on the See also:south. Adjoining Pierre is Mohon (pop. 5874), with metallurgical See also:works. The fortifications of See also:Mezieres, as well as the citadel still dominating the town on the See also:east, were built under See also:Vauban's direction, but were dismantled in 1885 and 1886. Immediately to the east of the citadel runs a See also:canal, which provides river-See also:traffic with a See also:short cut across the See also:isthmus. The See also:parish See also:church (16th cent.) contains See also:inscriptions commemorating the raising of the See also:siege of Mezieres in 1521 and the See also:marriage of See also:Charles IX. with thedaughter of the See also:emperor See also:Maximilian II. (1570). The north and south portals, the See also:Renaissance See also:tower at the See also:west end, and the lofty vaultings, are worthy of remark.

The church, which suffered severely in 1870-71, has since been restored. The prefecture and the hotel de ville, which contains several interesting pictures See also:

relating to the See also:history of the town, belong to the 18th See also:century. Mezieres is the seat of a See also:prefect and of a See also:court of assizes, and there are manufactures of bicycles, and See also:iron and See also:steel castings for See also:motors, railway-carriages, &c. Founded in the 9th century, Mezieres was at first only a strong-hold belonging to the bishops of Reims, which afterwards became the See also:property of the See also:counts of See also:Rethel. The town was increased by successive immigrations of the See also:people of See also:Liege, flying first from the emperor See also:Otto, and afterwards from Charles the Bold; and also by concessions from the counts of Rethel. Walls were built in the 13th century, and in 1521 it was defended against the Imperialists by the See also:Chevalier See also:Bayard, to whom a statue was erected in 1893. The anniversary of the deliverance is still observed yearly on the 27th of See also:September. In 1815 the Germans were kept at See also:bay for six See also:weeks, and in 1871 the town only capitulated after a See also:bombardment during which the greater See also:part of it was destroyed.

End of Article: MEZILRES

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