16 Facts About Verdun

1.

Verdun is a large city in the Meuse department in Grand Est, northeastern France.

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2.

Verdun is the biggest city in Meuse, although the capital of the department is Bar-le-Duc, which is slightly smaller than Verdun.

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3.

Verdun is situated on both banks of the river Meuse, in the northern part of the Meuse department.

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4.

In 486, following the decisive Frankish victory at the Battle of Soissons, the city refused to yield to the Franks and was thus besieged by King Clovis I The 843 Treaty of Verdun divided Charlemagne's empire between his three surviving sons.

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5.

Around this time, a city called Verdun was the centre of the thriving European trade in young boys who were sold to the Islamic emirates of Iberia, where they were enslaved as eunuchs.

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6.

The identity of the "Verdun" mentioned in sources is disputed, because there are many cities called Verdun in Europe .

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7.

From 1200 onward, Verdun has been famous for its Dragees or sugared almonds; they were distributed at the baptism of French princes.

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8.

Verdun was part of the middle kingdom of Lotharingia, and in 1374 it became a free imperial city of the Holy Roman Empire.

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9.

The Bishopric of Verdun formed together with Tull and Metz the Three Bishoprics, which were annexed by France in 1552 .

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10.

In 1670, Sebastien Le Prestre de Vauban visited Verdun and drew up an ambitious scheme to fortify the whole city.

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11.

Verdun was the site of a major battle, the longest-lasting of the First World War.

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12.

One of the costliest battles in military history, Verdun exemplified the policy of a "war of attrition" pursued by both sides, which led to an enormous loss of life and very large casualty lists.

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13.

Verdun was the strongest point in pre-war France, ringed by a string of powerful forts, including Douaumont and Fort Vaux.

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14.

The historic city of Verdun had been an oppidum of the Gauls before Roman times and later a key asset in wars against Prussia, and Falkenhayn suspected that the French would throw as many men as necessary into its defence.

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15.

Consequently, Verdun was utterly unprepared for the initial bombardment on the morning of 21 February 1916.

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16.

Verdun ensured that the sole supply road from Bar-le-Duc into Verdun remained open.

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