The History Of Calais
Calais, Land of my ancestors.
We managed to trace the Marmin family tree back to 1501. They all lived in Calais or around Calais.
Calais is a coastal town located in the northernmost region of France. Positioned along the Strait of Dover, it is situated just 34 kilometers across the English Channel from the southeastern coast of England. Calais is not only an essential transportation hub, connecting France and the United Kingdom via the Channel Tunnel and ferry services, but it also boasts a rich historical and cultural significance due to its proximity to continental Europe's western entrance. Its strategic location has made it a pivotal crossroads for trade and travel between France and England for centuries.
The Early History of Calais
The Romans called the settlement Caletum. Julius Caesar mustered 800 to 1,000 sailing boats, five legions and some 2,000 horses at Calais, due to its strategic position, to attack Britannia.
King Edward III’s claims to be heir to the Kingdom of France led to the Battle of Crécy between England and France in 1346, followed by Edward’s siege and capture of Calais in 1347. Angered, the English king demanded reprisals against the town’s citizens for obstinate defense and ordered that the town’s population be killed en masse. He agreed, however, to spare them, on condition that six of the principal citizens would come to him, bareheaded and barefooted and with ropes around their necks, and give themselves up to death. On their arrival he ordered their execution, but pardoned them when his queen, Philippa of Hainault, begged him to spare their lives. This is the story of The 6 Burghers of Calais (Les 6 Bourgeois de Calais).
Calais was regarded for many years as being an integral part of the Kingdom of England. The continued English hold on Calais however depended on expensively maintained fortifications, as the town lacked any natural defences. Maintaining Calais was a costly business that was frequently tested by the forces of France.
On 7 January 1558, King Henry II of France sent forces who laid siege to Calais. When the French attacked, they were able to surprise the English at the critical strongpoint of Fort Nieulay.
Calais was virtually razed to the ground during World War II. In May 1940, it was a key objective of the invading German forces and became the scene of a last-ditch defence—the siege of Calais—which diverted a sizable amount of German forces for several days immediately prior to the Battle of Dunkirk.
