Condé-sur-l'Escaut | |
|---|---|
 The town hall in Condé-sur-l'Escaut | |
 Flag _Nord-France.svg) Coat of arms | |
Location of Condé-sur-l'Escaut  | |
  Condé-sur-l'Escaut  Condé-sur-l'Escaut | |
| Coordinates:50°27′00″N3°35′29″E / 50.450000°N 3.5914°E /50.450000; 3.5914 | |
| Country | France |
| Region | Hauts-de-France |
| Department | Nord |
| Arrondissement | Valenciennes |
| Canton | Marly |
| Intercommunality | CA Valenciennes Métropole |
| Government | |
| • Mayor(2020–2026) | Grégory Lelong[1] |
Area 1 | 18.4 km2 (7.1 sq mi) |
| Population (2022)[2] | 9,297 |
| • Density | 510/km2 (1,300/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+01:00 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+02:00 (CEST) |
| INSEE/Postal code | 59153 /59163 |
| Elevation | 10–52 m (33–171 ft) (avg. 21 m or 69 ft) |
| 1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries. | |
Condé-sur-l'Escaut (French pronunciation:[kɔ̃desyʁlɛsko], literallyCondé on theEscaut;Picard:Condé-su-l'Escaut) is acommune of theNorddepartment in northernFrance.
It lies on the border withBelgium. The population as of 1999 was 10,527. Residents of the area are known as Condéens or Condéennes. The Mayor of Condé-sur-l'Escaut is Gregory Lelong, re-elected in 2020.[1]
Condé-sur-l'Escaut is 12 km (7.5 mi) northeast ofValenciennes, 51 km (32 mi) fromLille, and 90 km (56 mi) fromBrussels, Belgium. It is situated at the confluence of theHaine andScheldt rivers. The region is noted for its coal mines, resources which made it a strategic objective in both world wars.
The name comes from aCeltic word, "Condate", meaning "confluence", referring to the two rivers. A Romanised form of the word, Condatum, was in use during theRoman period, and "Condé" was in use by the 14th century. The current name, Condé-sur-l'Escaut, dates from 1886.
Being at the confluence of two rivers, the site has had military importance since beforeRoman times. Originally occupied byNervians, it was the location of a Roman military camp, and later a settlement ofFranks.[citation needed]SaintWasnulf preached at Condé, and died there around 650 AD. His remains were long held in a collegiate church there.[3]Vikings also were established there temporarily, in 855, holding the town until 889.
The area was much disputed, and changed hands many times during the Middle Ages and Renaissance periods. It was captured by the Flemish forces ofJacques van Artevelde, by KingLouis XI of France, byLes Gueux during theEighty Years' War, and byTurenne. In 1676Louis XIV seized the town, and it became part of France in 1678 with theTreaty of Nimègue. WhileVauban improved its fortifications, it was captured byPrince Josias of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld after a 92-daysiege in 1793. Forces of theSeventh Coalition captured it fromNapoleon Bonaparte in 1815, only returning it to French control three years later[citation needed].
The town was occupied by the Germans during the Second World War, who used the population to run the adjacent coal mines. On 2 September 1944 the town was liberated by the U.S. 5th Armored Division. Coal mining became defunct in 1989; recently there has been a population decline, following a high (13,994) in 1975.
Condé-sur-l'Escaut is known in music history as the home, place of retirement, and burial place of Renaissance composerJosquin des Prez. He was provost of the church of Notre-Dame, which had one of the most sumptuous musical establishments inHainaut, exceeded only by the cathedral atCambrai, as well asSt. Vincent atSoignies. Josquin's house was on the market square; on his death he left an endowment for processions to stop at the statue of the Virgin Mary, attached to a wall of his house, and sing his six-voicePater noster. He was buried in the church, which was destroyed in 1793 along with his tombstone.[4]
| Year | Pop. | ±% p.a. |
|---|---|---|
| 1968 | 13,607 | — |
| 1975 | 13,994 | +0.40% |
| 1982 | 13,671 | −0.33% |
| 1990 | 11,289 | −2.36% |
| 1999 | 10,527 | −0.77% |
| 2007 | 9,992 | −0.65% |
| 2012 | 9,783 | −0.42% |
| 2017 | 9,698 | −0.17% |
| Source: INSEE[5] | ||
| The arms of Condé-sur-l'Escaut areblazoned : Or, a fess gules. (Condé-sur-l'Escaut andHaverskerque use the same arms.) |
Condé-sur-l'Escaut is the eastern member of the agglomeratedValenciennes metropolitan area, which together administers 35 communes.
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