The origin of this town is uncertain, and its history prior to the Merovingian epoch obscure. Judging by the Gallo-Roman relics and graves discovered in the neighbourhood, it seems probable that at an early date a Pagan temple or Gallo-Roman _castrum_ stood on the rock encircled by the two arms of the Aisne. Houses gradually arose about the fortress--an important stronghold prior to the 5th century. During that century, Count Sygmar held assizes in the château. Sygmar and his seven daughters were Christians. One of the latter, Manechildis or Manehildis, being of a religious turn of mind, devoted herself to the care of the sick and poor, and was greatly beloved in consequence. After her death she was honoured by the people as a saint, and the town then took her name St. Menehould. During the wars of Chilpéric against Sigebert the town was partly destroyed. More than a hundred years later, towards the end of the 7th century, Drogon, Duke of Champagne, son of Pépin of Héristal, rebuilt the castle and surrounded the rock with ramparts. St. Menehould was frequently besieged. In the 11th century it was attacked by troops of the Duke of Lorraine and the Bishop of Verdun. In the 12th century the castle fell into the hands of a robber-chief, Albert or Aubert, who plundered the Bishoprics of Verdun and Châlons. At the end of the 12th century St. Menehould was finally included in the County of Champagne. It became French in the 13th century, after the union of Champagne with France. In 1398, Charles VI. built a wall round the town proper. In 1423, the English took the town, but the Constable of Richemont recaptured it in 1435. In 1545, Marini, an Italian engineer, built a new line of ramparts with moats and four gates. Several years later the town, ravaged by plague, was attacked by Antoine de Cory, the Calvinist, who, however, failed to take it. Under the League, the Governor, Mondreville, sided with the Guises, but could not shake the allegiance of the burgesses to Henri III. On May 1, 1589, Antoine de Saint-Paul, a leader of the League, pursued the royal troops as far as the gates of the town, but the burgesses forced them to retreat after a battle lasting two hours. In 1590 the Duke of Lorraine tried in vain to reduce the town by force. In March, 1603, Henri IV., after renouncing the Protestant faith, visited the faithful city, accompanied by Marie de Médicis. In 1613, the Prince of Condé and the Duke of Nevers took the castle by surprise and forced the burgesses to lay down their arms. In 1630, Marillac was imprisoned in the castle for several months. In December, 1631, and January, 1632, Louis XIII. stayed in the town. In 1634, the King ordered the castle to be pulled down; by mistake the walls of the town were also razed, and in 1635 they had to be rebuilt. In October, 1652, during the Fronde, the Great Condé, with an army of 15,000 to 16,000 men and two guns, laid siege to the town, which