Péronne, whose origin goes back to a Merovingian villa built there in
the seventh century, became, in the Middle-Ages, an important fortified
city, under the rule of the Counts de Vermandois. One of them kept
Charles-le-Simple imprisoned there until his death (929). Philippe
I. annexed Péronne to the Crown lands, but in 1435 Charles VII.
gave the city to Philippe-le-Bon, Duke of Burgundy. In 1483, during
the rebellion of the Liégois, Louis XI., who was then the guest of
Charles-le-Téméraire, was kept a prisoner in the castle and compelled
to sign a humiliating treaty--called the Péronne Peace--which he
afterwards refused to fulfil.
In 1536, the Spaniards, under the leadership of the Prince of Orange,
besieged the town for thirty consecutive days, but thanks to the
bravery of the inhabitants, and the heroism of a woman named Catherine
de Poix, or Marie Fouché, who was the soul of the resistance _(photo,
p. 104)_, Péronne was saved.
The "Holy League," which marked the commencement of the Religious Wars,
was founded at Péronne in 1577 by the nobility and clergy.
In 1870-71, the Germans besieged the town for thirteen days (December
28 to January 9), and subjected it to a violent bombardment, which
caused considerable damage, though insignificant in comparison with the
depredations of the late war. The church, especially the belfry, was
greatly damaged, part of it collapsing, and a number of houses were
either burnt or destroyed. During the occupation the enemy committed no
excesses.
Péronne--whose arms bear the following device, "Urbs nescia vinci" (the
undefeated city)--was decorated in 1913 for its gallant conduct in 1536
and 1870-1871.