The origin of the coat of arms of Roissy-en-France
A page in the history of France.
Article of the book: A village in the Plain of France – Houmaire Henri – 2016
The context
At the end of the XIIIrd century, the authority of Philippe IV le Bel was challenged by Edouard Ier King of England, Duke of Aquitaine and by Guy de Dampierre, Count of Flanders. They want to break their ties of vassalage and win the independence of the territories they occupy. The King's diplomats find a solution with Edward Ier. Philippe IV le Bel gives his daughter Isabelle in marriage to the future King of England Edward II. Big unpredictable mistake, this marriage will be the cause of the Hundred Years War.
It is not the same with the Flemings, after several disappointments and particularly in Kortrijk where the royal cavalry is defeated by the Flemish infantry in 1302. The king is humiliated. In 1304, at the cost of heavy sacrifices for the population, the king had succeeded in reforming his army and the conditions became favorable for a new confrontation and a final victory.
This new battle took place on August 18, 1304 in Mons-en-Pévèle, near Lille. The day is torrid, the Flemings quickly lose their food, in the evening they are thirsty and hungry, moreover, they have suffered heavy human losses. Despite everything, both sides are convinced that the war will resume the next day.
The outcome
The king retires with his personal guard and servants to rest. They are preparing to spend a serene evening. This is without counting on the pugnacity of the Flemings.
These initiate two raids, one of which is against the king's camp. They have only one objective: to kill him.
Surprised by this attack, the king is stripped of his armor and his people are forced to fight in hand-to-hand combat. Several relatives of the monarch will die.
Among them, two cousins, Pierre and Jacques Gentien, squires. Peter, his back broken helping the king to mount his steed. Jacques, on order, dons the king's combat chain mail. When he enters the fray, the Flamingos think they recognize Philippe IV le Bel, they rush on him and behead him on the spot.
The king and the rest of his relatives are saved in extremis by his brother Charles de Valois, commander of the Royal cavalry. The cavalry pushes back and massacres all the Flemings who had mounted this coup. The supremacy of the king is assured.
Charles de Valois was named Lord of Roissy in 1302.
As a reward for the sacrifice of these two squires, the king granted all the descendants of the “Gentians” the fleur-de-lys band which adorns the coat of arms.
The origins were found, but how did they arrive at Roissy?
The last step :
Around 1350, Guillaume Gentein, son or grandson of Jacques Gentien, bought the old stronghold where the castle residence is currently located. It was he who had sealed on one of his buildings the new coat of arms of his family. Despite numerous demolitions and reconstructions, they have remained on the site of this former property called "La Gentienne". (National Archives. T 269/12).
Two women, distant cousins of the Gentien family, Nicole and Jeanne Hennequin were the respective wives of Jean-Jacques de Mesmes (1530) and Henri de Mesmes (1552), lords of Roissy-en-France.
In 1703, Jean-Antoine de Mesmes, had his coat of arms, family jewels, sealed on a building annexed to his castle, the stables. The reproduction is still visible there in the park of the town hall. The original is sealed on a fireplace in a neighboring property.
On April 10, 1965, the municipality of Roissy-en-France adopted these coats of arms as the official emblem of the municipality.