Château de Merpins, is a ruined castle in Merpins, Charente-Maritime, France. The castle is built atop rocky outcrop overlooking the double confluence of the Ne, Charente and Antenne.
Fortifications have existed since the Neolithic period. In the 10th century the manor belonged to the Taillefer, counts of Angoulême. In 1179, the castle was taken by Richard, Duke of Aquitaine and given to his illegitimate son Philippe de Falcombridge. Philippe sold the castle to King John of England in 1204. His son King Henry III of England gave the castle to Hugh X de Lusignan, lord of Cognac, husband of Isabelle d'Angouleme. In 1308 Merpins was united to the French crown, however under the Treaty of Brétigny of 1360, the castle returned to English hands.
After a siege lasting six years, led by Marshal Sancerre the castle was taken again in 1387. King Charles VI of France ordered the castles destruction. The castle was still a place of fighting during the wars of religion, occupied by Catholics and Protestants. It was the Duke of Mayenne who dislodged them in 1577.
References:The Clementinum is a historic complex of buildings in Prague. Until recently the complex hosted the National, University and Technical libraries, the City Library also being located nearby on Mariánské Náměstí. The Technical library and the Municipal library have moved to the Prague National Technical Library at Technická 6 since 2009. It is currently in use as the National Library of the Czech Republic.
Its history dates from the existence of a chapel dedicated to Saint Clement in the 11th century. A Dominican monastery was founded in the medieval period, which was transformed in 1556 to a Jesuit college. In 1622 the Jesuits transferred the library of Charles University to the Klementinum, and the college was merged with the University in 1654. The Jesuits remained until 1773, when the Klementinum was established as an observatory, library, and university by the Empress Maria Theresa of Austria.