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The famous Château de Blois, a Renaissance château once occupied by King Louis XII, is located in the center of the city, and an 18th century stone bridge spans the Loire. As Blois is centered on a pair of steep hills, winding and steep pathways run through the city, culminating in long staircases at various points. To the west of town, the Forêt de Russy is a remainder of the heavy woods that once covered the area.

History

Though of ancient origin, Blois is first distinctly mentioned by Gregory of Tours in the 6th century, and was not of any importance till the 9th century, when it became the seat of a powerful countship. In 1196, Count Louis granted privileges to the townsmen; a commune, which survived throughout the middle ages, probably dated from this time. The counts of the Châtillon line resided at Blois more often than their predecessors, and the oldest parts of the château (from the 13th century) were built by them. In 1429, Joan of ArcJoan of Arc ( January 6, 1412 May 30, 1431) (also Jeanne d'Arc Jehanne la Pucelle in French, and Maid of Orleans is a national heroine of France and saint of the Catholic Church. During the Hundred Years' War she led the French against the English and was made Blois her base of operations for the relief of OrleansThe Battle of Orleans was the first French victory of Joan of Arc during the Hundred Years' War. She led the French in 1429, freeing Orleans which was besieged by the English. In the French army the Gascons soldiers of la Hire and St-Severe and the Breton. After his captivity in England, Charles of Orleans in 1440For alternative meanings, see number 1440. Events Itzcoatl, Aztec ruler of Tenochtitlan dies and is succeeded by Moctezuma I. End of term for Regent of Sweden Karl Knutsson Bonde. Births January 22 Ivan III, grand duke of Moscow (+ 1505) Deaths Itzcoatl, took up his residence in the château, where in 1462Events March 28 Death of Vasili II of Russia. Succeeded by his son Ivan III of Russia. September 17 Battle of Swiecin, called also Battle of Zarnowiec, during Thirteen Years' War Winter Vlad III Dracula, reigning Prince of Wallachia is deposed by the forc his son, afterwards Louis XII, was born. In the 16th century Blois was often the resort of the French court. The Treaty of BloisThe Treaty of Blois of September 22, 1504 concerned the marriage between Charles of Luxembourg, the future Charles V, and Claude of France, daughter of Louis XII and Anne of Brittany. If the King Louis XII were to die without producing a male heir, Charle, which temporarily halted the Italian WarsThe Italian Wars were a series of wars from 1494 to 1559 for control over the States of Italy, mainly involving France and Spain, but also involving most other European states, and the imprisonment for several months of Pope Clement VII. They started with, was signed there in 1504Events January 1 French troops surrender Gaeta to the Spanish under Cordoba. January 31 France cedes Naples to Aragon. February 29 Christopher Columbus uses his knowldege of a lunar eclipse that night to convince Native Americans to provide him with suppl- 1505.

The city's inhabitants included many Calvinists, and in 1562 and 1567 it was the scene of struggles between them and the supporters of the Catholic church. In 1576 and 1588 Henri III, king of France, chose Blois as the meeting-place of the States-General, and in 1588 he brought about the murders of Henry, duke of Guise, and his brother, Louis, archbishop of Reims and cardinal, in the château, where their deaths were shortly followed by that of the queen-mother, Catherine de Medici. From 1617 to 1619 Marie de Medici, wife of King Henri IV, exiled from the court, lived at the château, which was soon afterwards given by King Louis XIII to his brother Gaston, Duke of Orleans, who lived there till his death in 1660.

The bishopric dates from the end of the 17th century. In 1814 Blois was for a short time the seat of the regency of Marie Louise, wife of Napoleon I.

Blois was occupied during World War II by the German army, which took the city on June 18, 1940. The city was liberated by American soldiers during the last two weeks of August, 1944. n both occasions, the city withstood several days of bombing.