History of Mallefougasse

HISTORY OF MALLEFOUGASSE

SINCE THE MIDDLE AGES

© Town hall of Mallefougasse

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Period from the 11th to the 15th century

During this period, the fief of Consonoves lived between the abbots of Cruis and the city of Sisteron.

If it is rather easy to deal with the history of Mallefougasse from the 19th century thanks to our municipal archives, we have to admit that the information concerning the previous centuries are almost nonexistent. In this remote period, it was usual that the lands and the villages were bestowed to abbeys, the monasteries and the lordships or the cities. These endowments, real privileges, were duly recorded in charters. The archives of the city of Sisteron teach us that it was so for the village of Mallefougasse and the territory of Consonoves during the Middle Ages. History is built from the writings; to the Middle Ages, especially in the South of France and in Provence, country of written Roman right, moreover in properties belonging to the church, the notarized acts and the letters on parchment abound. These charters governed the rights of use on the territory of Consonoves, the more often conceded to the inhabitants of Sisteron, the nearest main town. Their survey is revealing. It is astonishing to see the interest that the men in high places of these times, counts of Provence, Popes, then kings of France as counts of Provence, had for our "pacoulo" (word meaning village in Provencal, the old language used then). Indeed, the village of Mallefougasse and the territory of Consonoves combined in the beginning of the 19th century, as well as the castle and the Saint-Jean-Baptist church knew the high and the low, not because of the authority of the Lords that didn't have that much apparently, but because of the anarchy that appears to have reigned during the whole Middle Ages.

"Bos croumpat", locality of the fief of Consonoves

The "bos croumpat", literally "wood bought" in Provencal, and the whole territory of Consonoves (Mallefougasse was only a locality of the fief of Consonoves) belonged to the abbots of Cruis, who were automatically bishops of Sisteron. These bishops, who didn't cultivate and didn't keep any herds, rented the territory of this fief to their "ouailles" (old word meaning those who were under their responsibility) of Sisteron; but Sisteron, for the time, was relatively distant and already woods and grazing were coveted and were plundered by our closest neighbors of "toutissauro" (former Provencal name for Sisteron). This happened probably because the inhabitants of the village were few. This is a mystery! Indeed, in the 11th century our village was probably very populated. The older known charter (1015) states that the abbey of Saint-Victor of Marseille possessed some territories "in castro of Consonoves" (in the castle of Consonoves). As a matter of fact, there was a castle surrounded with a population. Our distant ancestors constructed the church Saint-Jean-Baptist, mentioned in 1118 in a Papal bull in which they had planned enough room for a lot of inhabitants. Therefore where did they go in the 12th century?

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Recurrent disputes on the rights of use of the forests

It can be noticed, in the year 1216, the sale of a field named "Condamines". Its location is reported in the neighborhood of the Tower. Which tower could it be, if it is not the bell-tower of our church? We know that in the Middle Ages, the churches were sometimes fortified and that their bell-tower could also act as a watchtower. In 1218, a compromise has been passed between the community of Sisteron and the abbey of Cruis, and an arbitration judgment was returned by the Provost of Sisteron in order to adjust the rights of use of the city in the territories and the woods of Consonoves. These rights were recognized after the payment of 2000 Viennese coins paid to the abbey. In Sisteron, in 1258, following disputes between the city and the abbey of Cruis, a transaction specified the rights of use of the inhabitants of Sisteron in the forests of Consonoves. They were allowed to take the wood for heating until the territory of Saint-Donat, but it was forbidden to cut the trees there to build or to make some coal. In 1266, new dissensions appeared about the use of these woods. They were settled by an arbitration judgment between the community of Sisteron and the Provost of the abbey of

Cruis specifying the rights of use of the city in the woods located close to Mallefougasse. The charters of the leases states, in 1268, that the "monastorium crossience" had partially been affected at the agricultural colony of which the herds, in winter, were driven in the Crau (Flat part of Provence). The religious enjoyed a right in the forests of "bos croumpat." This same year a new arbitration judgment permitted to define a compromise between the communities of Cruis and Sisteron about these same rights in the territory of Consonoves. This compromise consisted in limiting the deforestations. January 15, 1294, another compromise intervened between the communities of Sisteron and Peyruis about various rights of use that this last pretended to have in the forest of Consonoves in the districts of the "Chapelet et de Malines".

Feudal tribute

February 6, 1342, a man named Raymond Laugier of Cruis sold to Jean Brochier, living in the same village, a closed field located in the territory of Consonoves in the locality named "La Combe de Galline" for 13 coins. This sale was the subject "of an investiture" of the abbot of Cruis and the payment of tax. Sometimes these charters were also concerned with feudal tributes, mainly with the passage to the suzerainty. This is how, in November 30, 1349, Bereguier d'Ausedun, abbot of the abbey of Cruis, offered the fields possessed by the aforesaid abbey, among others the lands and the lordship of Consonoves, to Philippe de

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Sanguinet, grand seneschal of Provence and lieutenant of King Robert. Indeed, until the death of King Robert, the order and the peace seem to have reigned inside Provence, favoring the development of regions located beyond the fortifications. "So the southern hillside of the mountain of Lure was able to develop its activities: La Roche-Giron, Saumane, l’Hospitalet". This relative prosperity was worth sacrificing some fields by way of thanking and allegiance. A new compromise was ratified in March 30, 1344 between the community of Sisteron and the abbey of Cruis about damages caused to the forest of "bos croumpat" and that carried prejudice in the city. This compromise was constituted of a sentence and two arbitrations chosen by the parties to settle their disputes. In November 30, 1349, the reverend father François, abbot of the abbey of Cruis, made "homage lige" (means to become under his authority) to Raymond of Agoût, main seneschal of Provence, the land and the lordship of Consonoves, as well as several other possessions. In these times, the Provencal nobility having to its head the powerful family of the Agoults, barons de Sault, claimed to have a more important part in the management of the business and, in order to do so, granted free gifts as "hommages" in order to solicit some privileges. This politics was done at the expense of the small territories like the one of Consonoves! In December 8, 1395, a compromise and an arbitration judgment were established between the abbot of Cruis, also Lord of Montlaur and the inhabitants of this place. They specified that the inhabitants of Montlaur were held to give to the abbot of Cruis a "quarter of wild animals that they will take in the territory of Montlaur, Consonoveses and Cruis, as deer, boars, bear. In exchange the abbot was held to provide food to the guards of the tower of Montlaur! In addition to these charters a letter from Charles, brother of King Louis 3rd, to the judge of the royal Court of Sisteron dated July 5, 1426 by which he asked that he should be kept informed about jurisdiction that the bishop of Sisteron, abbot of Cruis, pretended to possess in the locality of Cruis.

Consonoves and "bos croumpat" under the Provencal juridiction in the Middle-Ages

In July 5, 1433 a new charter between the community of Peyruis and Robert, bishop of Sisteron and abbot of Cruis, settled the modes of demarcation that had to delimit the territory of Peyruis and Consonoves. The law-enforcement of these charters was the subject of a strict supervision without a doubt. As a proof, we have this condemnation to a fine of "15 sous coronats" (coins used in the Middle-Ages) pronounced, on July 28, 1434, by the judge of the royal Court of Sisteron against Jean Amayenc de Peipin, guilty to have cut woods and caused a big damage in the forest of "bos croumpat" belonging to Sisteron. The evocation of these far ago charters illuminate a little the medieval history of Mallefougasse and the territory of Consonoves. It shows the few autonomy our village had, always living under the rule of

the abbots of Cruis and the bishops of Sisteron always expeditious, for some interest or privilege, to concede our territory to the inhabitants of Sisteron and to the Provencal Lords. That is the way the life went on in the Middle-Ages in Mallefougasse, very well located in this Provence but subject to the multiple conflicts inside the Papacy, the kings and the counts of Provence. It is a pity that these charters don't teach us anything about the calamities that were the plague, mainly in the 14th century, and the famines that the bad harvests provoked in the small lordships.

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But how to imagine that Mallefougasse could escape the torments of this period?

The bishops of Sisteron, spiritual Lords of this city took oath of total fidelity in turns, "hommage lige", to the counts of Provence, in return they could keep in pledge the territory of Consonoves, alias "bos croumpat", becoming the territory of Mallefougasse since the XIXème century. The binding character of this homage for persons pertaining to the Christian church can probably be suprising, since a man who had taken this oath could be asked, in principle, to follow his suzerain to the hell! But this can be explained, on one hand, because of the strategic importance of the city of Sisteron - mandatory route toward the country of Dauphiné - and, on the other hand, because the counts of Provence were not "sacred" so, in principle , they couldn't require the fidelity. As a matter of fact this spiritual guarantee, was only due to the kings having undergone a "sacred ceremony" as for instance the the Capétiens, their cousins.

The middle-class persons of Sisteron were winning so far as a fief, noble field, therefore privileged, did not have to pay the provincial direct taxes named "taille". They only had to pay for the tenant farm rent due to the Lord holding the fief, this is known in Provence as "tasque".

In January 7, 1436, we take back the thread of the medieval life of Mallefougasse through the few events that are known. Indeed, to this date, the archives of Sisteron note a measure, that one could call municipal police, taken by the community of this city against the inhabitants of the adjacent townships of Consonoves who sent to packing their herds on the territory of the aforesaid place. Some days later, in January 24, Robert's order, bishop of Sisteron, on the request of the consuls of this city, enjoined his "official" (Ecclesiastical judge) of Lurs not to infringe the transaction that he had just passed with this community about the "bos croumpat" and forbade him to let the inhabitants of Sisteron follow the decisions of the judge that he had himself nominate. Transfer of Consonoves and "bos croumpat" by the abbey of Cruis to the city of Sisteron

Still in 1436, April 21, the territory of Consonoves and the forest of "bos croumpat" came, due to an arrangement made with the bishop, to be conferred to the city in return of a yearly royalty of 50 florins.

This transaction has been passed in the choir of the church of Cruis April 25 1436. "The signatories were two syndicates: noble Antoine Bermond, Seigneur de Claret and Jean Guibert, attended of a jurisconsult and two notaries: Jean de Quinson and Prioret Laudet".

In April 25, Robert Dufour, bishop of Sisteron and abbot of Cruis, abandoned to the profit of the community of Sisteron the woods of "bos croumpat" and Consonoves as well as the high jurisdiction that Cruis possessed on Consonoves for the price of 500 florins.

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Interventions of king René

During the month of July, the King René (King of Provence) intervened in our local history! Indeed, in July 13, 1436, several letters of King René gave the exclusive privilege to the inhabitants of Sisteron to introduce herds of all kinds on the territoy of this city and in the one of "bos croumpat."

In the same way, July 14, 1436, a new letter of King René allowed the community of Sisteron to manage the low jurisdiction of that territory it had just acquired, by the officers of the city during ten years instead of Consonoves.

In September 17, 1436, intervened the confirmation by the judge of Forcalquier, commissioner deputized for this purpose by the royal Council of the low jurisdiction of the territory of Consonoves sold to the community of Sisteron by the abbey of Cruis, with the right to name a bailiff, a judge and all other officers to exercise this low jurisdiction.

Combining Consonoves to the bailiwick of Sisteron But difficulty was remaining! Consonoves was part of the bailiwick of Forcalquier, and when disputes were arising about "bos croumpat", the inhabitants of Sisteron were complaining about the many difficulties and the big expenses they had in trying to get the justice they deserved according to the law. After having taken into consideration these grievances and its correctness, in September 21, 1436, the king decided they were right and combined the bailiwick of Sisteron and the part of the territory of Consonoves whose city had the property. Amidst the reasons in favor of this decision, it was said that the city of Sisteron had both its proximity and the pleasures of its situation, but also the advantage to have a bigger number of educated people and district attorneys that the other town of Forcalquier had. December 19, 1436, the deputies of Sisteron made an offer to Robert, bishop of Sisteron and abbot of Cruis, about the transaction concerning Consonoves and the "bos croumpat" and proposed a sum of 1500 florins. This proposition was refused by the bishop. This entailed the prolongation of the delay. The history of this year 1436, very rich in events, also notes several condemnations by the judge of Consonoves against various inhabitants of Peipin, Aubignosc, Châteauneuf (small villages around Mallefougasse), that had been found having their herds grazing in the fields and woods of Consonoves. Some identical condemnations were pronounced in 1437 and 1438. The municipal archives of Sisteron state, in the year 1439, of an instruction aiming at relating all that had happened about Consonoves and "bos croumpat" between the abbey of Cruis and the community of Sisteron in the long active period of 1266 to 1439. Unfortunately we have not found any information about this summary! April 25, 1439, a transaction took place between Robert, bishop of Sisteron, as abbot of Cruis, and the community of Sisteron, by which the first yielded to the city of Sisteron, the lordship and the low jurisdiction of Consonoves and " bosc croumpat" for the price "of "1500 florins et 12 grosses pieces".

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2000 Viennese coins in 1218, 50 florins in 1436, 1500 florins in 1436, 1500 florins and 12 big coins in 1439. Who says better? This set of charters stipulates the prices to which the rights of use on the fields of Consonoves were given to the inhabitants of Sisteron. Looks like an auction! "The 6 September 6, 1439 a bull of the Pope Eugène the 4th delegated Decano, bishop of Gap, to ratify in his name the

transaction passed between the abbey of Cruis and the community of Sisteron about the lordship of Consonoves. September 21 of this same year, letters of king René stipulated the union and the incorporation of the territory of Consonoves to the territory and to the bailiwick of Sisteron with its jurisdiction for the benefit of the community of Sisteron. A new bull of the Pope Eugène the 4th was presented once again in December 20, 1440 to Mathieu Giffard, bishop of Gap city,

giving him the right to ratify the transaction between the community of Sisteron and Robert, his bishop, abbot of Cruis, about Consonoves. Multiple offenses of grazing herds

In 1446, after various offenses committed in "bos croumpat", an inquiry was made by the court of Consonoves on the request of the syndicates of Sisteron. March 2 and 8, 1476, two successive letters of king René forbade to the officers of the court of Forcalquier to take care of the business that concerned the jurisdiction of Consonoves, with a copy noting that the seizures of Mr Claude Bernard had been taken on the territory of the aforesaid Consonoves. These letters of king René were presented to the officers of the court of Sisteron. October 2, 1478, a new inquiry was made by the district attorney of the bishop of Sisteron, abbot of the abbey of Cruis, as judge of Consonoves, about the offenses committed by grazing herds in the fields of Consonoves and "bos croumpat." More serious, October 15, 1480, several inquiries were made, on the request of the community of Sisteron, against various inhabitants of Peyruis, guilty of armed violences on the territory of Consonoves and "bosc croumpat". On this topic, the archives of Sisteron specify that these inquiries were made on the request of Sisteron about the uninhabited territory of Consonoves and the "bos croumpat" belonging to

Sisteron. The syndicates had repeatedly made everybody awared of the interdiction to those who were not inhabitant of Sisteron to let their livestock graze in the territory of Consonoves and "bos croumpat" or to collect some acorns there at the risk of a fine of "100 livres" and Seizure of the cattle. In spite of the severe threats, nearly each year, it could be seen in the woods and in the forbidden pastures, the herds from Peyruis and elsewhere.

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In October of this year 1480, the farmer of the woods and pastures of Consonoves and "bos croumpat" had his pigs grazing when he was attacked by about ten armed men of Peyruis with crossbows, spears, lances and "pertuisanes": they took a part of the herd. The conversation that the invaders held is consigned in the archives: "Si aquels de Sisteron venon, no’ no’ fretaren las aurelhas tant que lo y aura mort de home, car autra vagada, y a agut mort de home et de ung aze et aquel que lo tuhé foze condamnat de l’aze e non pas de l’home". (This is written in Provençal and means "If those of Sisteron come, we will rub our ears until the death of men, because last time a man and a donkey were killed, and the one that committed this double slaughter was condemned not for the man, but for the donkey"). But the daily adventures of our land of Consonoves continue. Thus, in January 3, 1488, the archives of the city of Sisteron state the release of a sentence concerning Mr Pascal Lantois of Peyruis for having been caught with his cattle grazing on the territory of Consonoves. Confirmation of the transfer of Consonoves to Sisteron Three years later, January 3, 1491, Jean, bishop of Sisteron and the religious of the abbey of Cruis designated several district attorneys in order to have confirmation, by the Pope, of the transaction passed between the community of Sisteron and the abbey of Cruis about Consonoves and "bos croumpat."

October 15, 1491, Jean, bishop of Sisteron, abbot of Cruis, and the religious of this abbey concluded a new transaction about the transfer of Consonoves made to the city by the abbey.

By this transaction, it confirmed what had been passed previously with Bishop Robert.

The Council of the community of Peyruis got, December 12, 1494, a rectification of the transaction that had been passed with the community of Sisteron with regards to "Les gageries" (means : the seizures) and disputes concerning the territory of Consonoves.

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Period from the 11th to the 19th century

From the lordship of Consonoves to the Township of Mallefougasse

Recurrent territorial disputes

In 1502, the archives, unfortunately incomplete, of Sisteron state a procedure between the community of Sisteron and Louis Justacii, Lord of Peipin and Monfort (two small villages in the vicinity of Mallefougasse), about the demarcation of Consonoves and "bos croumpat." After have been delimited in relation with Peipin and Monfort, the territory of Consonoves and "bos croumpat" was the subject of a new demarcation with the community of Peyruis in 1503. But these new limits triggered a dispute with the community of Montlaur that had several written proofs against the community of Sisteron in order to prove that the demarcation of "bos croumpat" was harmful for Montlaur. What a pity that we have never found a map concerning the limits of our territory at that time! However, these new limits were not respected than the previous ones according to the various condemnations that were pronounced

in 1504 against inhabitants of Montfort that kept on making their cattle graze on the territory of Consonoves and "bos croumpat".

Mallefougasse locality, on the territory of Consonoves December 28, 1505, a perpetual long lease of diverse lands of the country of Consonoves, Mallefougasse locality, representing a "volume of seven loads of wheat" has been passed between the community of Sisteron and Antoine Bulhet of Peyruis in return for a farm rent as described in old French: "à la tasque de quizain et sept deniers de service annuel." It must be noticed that it is the first time that the archives of Sisteron mention the name of "Mallefougasse" in the history of our territory. It must be noted too that the denomination of Consonoves was the subject of several spellings. Thus, some documents of the archives of Sisteron note "Consonaves" with a "a", while some documents, more recent, of our municipal archives note "Consonnoves" with two "n". A new perpetual long lease concerning a stable located in Mallefougasse, territory of Consonoves, has been passed between the community of Sisteron and Guilhen Galbert.

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Perpetuation of the tributes and the feudal privileges on Consonoves

In December 16, 1513, a letter of Louis d'Orleans, duke of Longueville, seneschal of Provence, ordered to Mr. Pierre Clerc, notary of Lurs, to deliver to the community of Sisteron a copy of the act passed between the bishop of Sisteron, abbot of Cruis, and the city, about Consonoves. In 1515, the archives of Sisteron reports an investigation on the diverse tributes concerning lands kept by this

community. In November 15 of this same year, Mr Jean Gombert, Lord of Dromon, and Pierre Gombert, Lord of Jarjayes, gave evidences, by a declaration, that they did not want to usurp the rights of the municipality by the construction of a jas (a jas is a Word used to indicate the big sheepfolds built away from farms) which they had established on the territory of Consonoves and "bos croumpat". Still in 1515, November 23, an act confirmed the limits of the territory of Consonoves as they had been established in August 24, 1433 between the community of Sisteron and his bishop Robert. In August 16, 1516, the brothers Magnan of Cruis sold to the community of Sisteron a property that they possessed in the district called "La Tourre" close to Consonoves for the sum of 24 florins. The brother Magnan also had to give back in 1516 to the community of Sisteron property named "La Condamine" situated near the tower of Consonoves. This return followed upon the trial concerning the aforementioned fields between the community of Sisteron and the brothers Magnan.

In 1563, a new perpetual long lease of two "hermas" in the territory of Consonoves was passed between the community

of Sisteron and Honoré Balheti of Peyruis. A procedure took place in 1524 between the community of Sisteron and Claude of Hassourillie, his bishop, abbot of Cruis, about the jurisdiction and the territory of Consonoves and "bos croumpat". This procedure summed up all privileges concerning our territory since 1212 in a notebook containing 2601 files !

Intervention of François the Ist, king of France

An exceptional event took place in January 19, 1525. A letter of François the 1st, King of France, concerning our territory! Following the request of the Consuls of the community of Sisteron, François 1st. granted to these last ones a deadline extension on the occasion of their trial with the bishop of Sisteron, abbot of Cruis, and Pierre of Glandevès about the lordship of Consonoves and "bos croumpat". This letter was presented to the Council of Sisteron by the bailiff of the Court of the parliament. October 28, 1525, it is a letter of

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Louise d'Anjou, mother of François 1st, because of his son's absence, ordered to suspend the existing trial between the community of Sisteron, its bishop and Pierre of Glandevès, about Consonoves and "bos croumpat". However, during the month of December 1528, several letters of François 1st. ordered that the pieces necessary to the community of Sisteron for its trial against the bishop of Sisteron and Pierre de Glandevès, sieur de Faucon, were delivered to him. Indeed, these pieces being in the archives of the Treasure, with the supplementary letters of the main seneschal Claude de Sommerives, their consultation required the king's authorization!

Seizure of Consonoves and "bos croumpat" by royal edict

It is probably in 1530, that took place the trial between the community of Sisteron and its bishop, abbot of Cruis, about the rights of the city on the territory of Consonoves and "bos croumpat". This trial found its epilogue November 15 1531. To this date, An edict of the king and a prescription of national masters and Chamber of the accounts, ordered the seizure of the fields and the seigneury of Consonoves and "bos croumpat" on the territory of Sisteron until this one justified "the amortization of the aforesaid lordship and of the payment of the rights of lods (Lods was a law consisting in seigneurial taxes taken every time a property subject to the "cens" tax was sold and the cens was a local tax: it corresponds specifically to the service of justice and safety which the seigneury -or the sovereign city- had to provide to its inhabitants ) and the sale of pigs". So was designated this requisition! In fact, these trials between the community of Sisteron and its bishops resulted from an evolution in the history of France: as the powers of the king of France was increasing, those of the bishops and the provincial counts were reduced. Indeed, after Louis XI that had already reduced under his reign the opposition of the main feudal to the crown, François 1st. got with the Concordat of 1516 the goods of the church "that represented the two fifth of the fundamental goods of kingdom and constituted a considerable asset for the royal politics". From then on, even though if he recognized to the Pope the spiritual nomination, François 1st. increased its power on the provinces thanks to, notably, the governors, general lieutenants, bailiffs and seneschals. Number of great lords didn't have then any other way to stay safe than to become courtiers. As the ambassador of Venice wrote it: "the French put back their liberty and their will entirely in the king's hands".

This political evolution put an end little by little to this long period of the Middle Ages during which the Popes had leaned on small States like Provence to reinforce their temporal power.

They were those that had incited the counts of Provence to seize the kingdom of Naples of which they had excommunicated the king for disloyalty! From then on, the Popes sustained the bourgeois naturally as their allies by interposed bishops. During a long time, that is the way things went on in the history of the bishops and the inhabitants of Sisteron.

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This is how the destiny of our modest territory began to evolve according to these challenges to the hereditary rights of the Provençals, which were going to continue, with more or less of success, until the Revolution.

This situation was probably perceived as a royal abuse of authority by the unfortunates inhabitants of Sisteron for whom it constituted more a humiliation than a material loss. They were put back in the rank of the middle-class persons of France, subject to tallage. So, their rights, among which those on Consonoves, were seized.

Nevertheless, the history of Mallefougasse and "bos croumpat" will remain, under other forms, strictly connected to the one of Sisteron as we are going to see it while pursuing the exploration of the time passed of our territory. This territory of "bos croumpat" and Consonoves, confiscated from the inhabitants of Sisteron after the trial of 1530 and the requisition of 1531, came back rapidly in the lap of the city of Sisteron. But, this time, it was about an acquirement. Acquisition of Cononoves and "bos croumpat" by Sisteron

Indeed, October 31, 1533, a transaction took place between the community of Sisteron and its bishop, abbot of Cruis, by which the city had to acquire the lands of Consonoves and "bos croumpat"; the title deeds were elaborated from the previous inventories.

Some days later, in November 2, 1533, the Council of the community of Sisteron ratified this transaction concerning the territory of Consonoves and "bos croumpat". Six

years later, March 14, 1539, this transaction was the subject of a probate and a ratification again between the bishop and the monks of the abbey of Saint-Martin de Cruis (Saint-Augustin's order), on one hand, and the community of Sisteron on the other hand. This new transaction about "bos croumpat" and Consonoves had for objective to specify the demarcations "in Roman language" of the respective properties of the abbey and the city. Once again, the Council of Sisteron was called to ratify all the acts and the engagements that had just been passed between its assessors and the district attorneys of Monseigneur de Narbonne, bishop of Sisteron. This was made in March 16 1539.

However, March 17, 1541, the king's District attorney pretended that the community of Sisteron was "inept and incapable to possess the lordship of Consonoves and the use of wood in the land of Entrepierres" and ordered that these rights "were disabled" in favor of the king.

In fact, the community of Sisteron kept the jurisdiction and the lands of Consonoves and "bos croumpat", but it cost to the community the payment of a tax named "des droits de lods et arrière lods" for a sum of 235 florins, 8 sols". January 14, 1543, the letters of François Ier specified, on these objects, that the aforesaid investiture should be renewed and, therefore, acquitted every 25 years. It was about the restitution of the rights of the inhabitants of Sisteron on the territory of Consonoves for the payment of a tax! In 1558, the

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jurisdictional District attorney of Consonoves pursued and condemned Louis Gaubert of Mallefougasse, guilty to have taken "de vive force" (meaning using strength) three oxen belonging to him and that had been seized by the guard of "bos croumpat". A new trial took place in 1561 between the community of Sisteron and the king's District attorney about "l'affouagement" (old French word meaning to take branches in a wood) on the land of Consonoves and Entrepierres. The mystery of the baron of Consonoves In 1576, our territory was the object of a controversial chronicle : the archives of Sisteron make mention of a baron de Consonoves who carried the name of the lordship located on the territory of

Mallefougasse; it was "a warrior poorly experienced that looked for the re-establishment of his fortune". For that purpose, he became the head of a Huguenots group. Formerly settled in Lardiers, he establishes his headquarter in the hamlet of the church of the little village named Ongles from where, according to Yves Gonin, "he commanded raids in the nearby places, plundering mercilessly villages and countryside to provide food for his troop". However in hiswork "the feudal State", M-Z Isnard doesn't make mention of a baron de Consonoves among the Lords of our land. It is rather difficult to relate with accuracy the distant history of this baron de Consonoves and therefore of our territory. But despite that this episode of our history is not that glorious, we have to assume it as it is revealed to us today with all its part of mystery! In 1604, the community of Sisteron decided to allocate the taxes that it collected in Consonoves to the payment of the expenses of the construction of a college that the Jesuits of Embrun intended to built in the district of Saint Jean in the southwest of the citadel,

that is to say outside the walls that existed in this time. Although it didn't succeed, this business caused a lot of expenses. The farmers of the forests of "bos croumpat"

The archives of Sisteron states a report following the visit and the verification of the defensive walls erected "around the home of Bosc Croumpat" according to the act "stating the price made by master Sebastian Desdier". It was probably about the houses of the farmers in charge of the woods of "bos croumpat" as testified by this other report of visit "of wood and the house" done in 1612 on the occasion of the entry of the new farmers. In 1621, the community of Sisteron made a trial to the Mr Jean Desdiers, farmer of the land of Consonoves and "bos croumpat", and Claude d'Embruc, his guaranty, for the nonperformance of the farm contract. Another trial took place in 1633 between the community of Sisteron and Guilhen Maurel and Claude d'Ambruc. These last, middle-class persons of Sisteron and farmers of the lordship of Consonoves and "bos croumpat", were condemned because of the damages that they had caused to the woods of the aforesaid lordship during their tenant farming!

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But the long and common history between Sisteron and Consonoves was going to take a major turn in 1641. In April 6, 1641, the community of Sisteron alienated to its creditors the woods located on the territory of Consonoves, "bos croumpat et grand bois" for an amount of 48.600 livres (which was a currency in use during the Middle-Ages). However, while making the abandonment of this property, the city of Sisteron kept the high, middle and low jurisdiction. Besides that, the right for the inhabitants to take wood already on the ground for the heating and for their ovens". However, to exercise this right, they had to pay "un sol et dix deniers for each load of horse and mule, and a sol for the load of small animals" (a "sol" and a "denier" were currencies in use in the Middle Ages). From this time, the archives of Sisteron do not show us a lot of elements on the daily life of our land. However they contain the first information about the density of its population. Thus, in 1698, it was found that eight ancient country-houses in Consonoves and thirty-one houses in Mallefougasse were inhabited by thirty-five heads of family. In 1728, there were forty-eight houses in Mallefougasse, inhabited by twenty-eight heads of family only. These numbers certainly consisted of those of Consonoves. In 1765, Mallefougasse counted hundred forty-five houses and hundred fifty-two inhabitants. It is in 1785, that took place the last transaction between the community of Sisteron and Louis de Salles de Gallamand, alias Gramand, sieur de Consonoves. This transaction stipulated that the community of Sisteron had become debtor of the sum of 1.200 livres towards the one of Consonoves.

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History of the bishopric of Sisteron

All the medieval history of Consonoves and "bos croumpat" has been bound closely to the one of Sisteron: to its geographical situation, to its diocese, to its bishops. So it is useful to evoke, albeit succinctly, the bishopric of Sisteron and the bishops who occupied it during thirteen centuries. With regard to that, the research and the works dedicated to the history of the cathedral of Sisteron bring us precious indications.

Sisteron, the ancient "Segustero", owes its importance to geography. It controls the narrow calcareous link which delivers passage to Durance near its confluence with Buech; it was, during history, a key station on the natural way of joining, the Dauphiné and passing by the pass of the Mont-Genèvre, the North of Italy to Provence. This is mentioned since the antiquity. It was a compulsory stop on the Domitienne way. As the other Roman cities, but later, Sisteron became in the 6th century the head office of the bishopric that subsisted, until the Revolution.

It seems that the limits of this bishopric haven't changed until its abolition in 1790. They extended over the right bank of Durance, from Sisteron to Corbières, and formed two territories.

The "Low diocese", vast and bounded at the North by the mountain of Lure; it was governed by the chapter of Saint-Marie de Forcalquier. Beyond extended the" High diocese" under the jurisdiction of Sisteron. In these two dioceses, many lands of abbeys, notably the abbey of Saint-Victor of Marseille as well as Saint-André's abbey of Villeneuve-Lès-Avignon of which Saint-Jean-Baptist church (the one of our village) was part for a time. It was a total of 74 parishes of which some disappeared completely. This diocese was characterized by what Jacques Thirion calls"the concathédralité", that is to say the existence of two cathedrals on the territory of the diocese of Sisteron with the construction of a second cathedral in Forcalquier. This peculiarity calls a comment which is supplied to us by Jacques THIRION in his study dedicated to Forcalquier: "in 1060, to put an end to the disorders of the bishopric of Sisteron, fallen in the hands of a powerful feudal family of Nice, a council which met in Avignon, appointed Mr Giraud in Sisteron who had founded or restored the abbey of Oulx in Piémond. Giraud, confirmed in Rome by the Pope Nicolas II, was denied the entry in Sisteron but, honorably welcomed in Forcalquier, he raises, in gratitude, the canons of the collegiate Saint-Marie in chapter, creating thus in its diocese a second cathedral". If the bishops, who never took advantage of the title of bishop of Sisteron, accomplished most of the time the acts of their ministry in this city where used to meet the chapters of the two cathedrals at the time of the Episcopal elections that took place until the XVIème century, the synods were held

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alternately in one and the other city. Nevertheless, this fact which continued until the Revolution was a source of rivalries between both cities and trials between both chapters. Noël Didier underlines another particularity : "the bishopric of Sisteron was suffragan of the archdiocese of Aix, unlike its neighbors in the East, suffragans of Embrun. This situation underlined its intermediary's role between Provence and the Alps". The map of this former diocese of Sisteron shows clearly the limits as well as all parishes which it composed. It also highlights the particular situation of Mallefougasse which just between the "bas diocese" and the "haut diocese" and this has been at the origin of some of the events that staked out our local history. In order to really understand well the situation, it is advisable to approach a last aspect: the address of the bishops. Since the origins, it is close to the oldest church of Sisteron, Saint-Tyrse, that was the standing home of the bishops of Sisteron. But they also received the title of "prince de Lurs" given to them by the emperors of the Holy Roman Empire on whom Lurs depended. This title justified their temporal power on Lurs and conferred them the low, middle and high justice on this territory. For this reason, the castle of Lurs was also their residence. About the bishops of Sisteron, we already evoked their title of abbot of Cruis; this fact explains that Saint-Martin's abbey was also one of their residences. This abbey owed its existence to canons of Saint-Augustin who, in the middle of the 11th century, had gathered in Cruis as a community placed under Saint-Martin's name and connected directly to the Holy See. In the 13th century, it was raised to the rank of abbey and was surrounded with strong defensive walls. In 1326, the bishop of Sisteron took the title of abbot of Cruis, in 1456 incorporated Cruis in his bishopric, increasing his incomes to a large extent, the bishop becoming temporal Lord of Cruis. There was an apartment in the southeasterly corner of the abbey where he stayed. He uses the church to gather his chapter whose minutes are recorded in the notarized registers of Lurs.

It is the Revolution that suppressed the abbey. As for the castle and for the dependences, estimated at a surface" of 969 cannes" (the "canne" is an old measurement standard approximatively equal to 1,25m), they (of which 17 for the castle) were sold by auction and acquired with lands on April 27th, 1791 by four bidders: Escuyer, Fichet, Nicot and Mévolhon. This sale was done for the sum of 21.100 livres. As we evoked it in the history of Mallefougasse, the bishops of Sisteron, spiritual Lords of this city, took oath of total fidelity "hommage lige", to the counts of Provence, in return they could keep in pledge the fief of Consonoves, alias" bos croumpat", territory of Mallefougasse from the 19th century. To conclude, we wish to thank the Township of Sisteron for having opened to us its archives that contained so many precious information about the far past of our land of "bos croumpat", alias lordship of Consonoves, alias commune de Mallefougasse.