Some history
Origins
Middle-Ages
Issoudun royal town
After the revolution
The biggest aviation base in the world
World War II
The Coat of Arms
« N’en déplaise à Paris, Issoudun est une des plus vieilles villes de France ! » "No offense to Paris, but Issoudun is one of the oldest town of France !" In his novel, La Rabouilleuse, Balzac overexaggerate a bit. But it is still true that Issoudun can be proud of an old and rich history.
The population of the town that we named Exoldunum, Isis Xoldunor or even Ypsoldun, is old. We found humain presence going back to 2000 before common era.
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The meaning of the name of the town stays mysterious , even if we know that the suffix "-dun" signify an upper place, probably the mound where the Tour Blanche was built, many centuries later.
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The location was well chosen, on Roman paths, facing plains and la Théols. The Hospice Saint-Roch museum keeps architectural remains that witness the old time.
In the Middle-Ages, Issoudun is the second town of the Berry. A columnist of that time boast the Nobile castrum Uexselloduni : the great Issoudun's castle. It is actually a really strong place. The castle of Issoudun was supposed to look like what we call today "la Cité" in Carcassone. A part of the bulwarks stays visible today, and the trace of those bulwark is easely recognisable.
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At the end of the XIIth century, Issoudun, located on the frontiere of the kingdoms of France and England (who owns Aquitaine), is the show of many assaults. Phillipe Auguste et Richard the Lionheart fighting for the ruling of the city, which bulwaks are fortified. The works of the big tower are launched in 1195. They will end in 1202. The town is then owned by the kingdom of France, since the wedding of the next Louis VIII with Blanche de Castille. This donjon of a rare elegance is open to visit since 2000.
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During the hundred year war, in 1356, the Black Prince burned Issoudun. La Tour Blanche defended "the castle", but the town and the suburbs faced the pillage and the fire.
After those many agitated episode, the town enjoyed its royal privileges and will know a long time of prosperity thanks to agriculture production and its know-how in leather goods. Religion war will unfortunatly end this wealth, before the big fire in 1651 burned the city. On the patio of the Tour Blanche, a model allows to discover Issoudun before its tragic episode.
After the French Revolution, Chateauroux was chosen as the Indre's prefecture against Issoudun that yet counted the double of inhabitants, ut its loud vineyards scared the Parisien power.
In 1917, the country of Issoudun welcomes the biggest aerodrome of the world, for training and formation of americans pilotes. More than 8000 american soldiers gone on that site.
The town welcomed million of deutsch prisonners and refugees during this time.
During the Second World War, Issoudun faced again in a bording position, between the taken part of France and the "free" part of France, and hided numerous wanted people. The bombing of the 19th June 1940, attributed to the Italians or Deutsch, destroyed many house in the center of the town.
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Big resistance acts happened : sometimes tragic, like the shooting on the market place, named since the 10th june 1944 place, but also winning, like the surrender of Elster columns, a deutsch division of 20.000 mens, the 10th september 1944.
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Issoudun which "under the threat of the invader, never influenced, never under promisses, or either leader" is one of the rarest town to be granted the War Cross.
The coat of arms goes back to the XIIIth centuries. Under Louis IX (Saint-Louis) Issoudun has become a royal town.
It reads like this : "the weapons are azul dazzling golden pearl, accompagnied with three lys flower, one on top and two other on each sides"