Editing Palace of Fontainebleau (section)

=== Hunting Lodge and castle (12th century) ===
The earliest reference to a royal residence at Fontainebleau dates to 1137 under King [[Louis VII the Younger]],  but it had probably been built  earlier, during the reign of [[Philip I of France]] (1060 to 1108), when the [[Gâtinais]] region was annexed from the [[Duchy of Burgundy]].  It became a favorite summer residence and hunting lodge of the kings of France because of the abundant game and many springs in the surrounding forest.{{sfn|Salmon|2011|p=7}} 

The first chateau was  a square "donjon" or [[keep]], a fortified tower surrounded by a wall. It was three stories high, and occupied an area of about fifty square meters. The lower walls were three meters wide while the upper walls were a meter wide, made of stone, had windows facing north and south and were topped by a wooden palisade. The King resided on the middle level. The original tower, rebuilt to fit the later styles, is still part of the Oval Court. <ref>Hebert and Sarmant, "Fontainebleau- Milles anes d'histoire de France", p. 22 (2020)</ref>  

[[Louis VII of France|Louis VII]] built a chapel which was consecrated in 1169 by [[Thomas Becket]], the English priest in exile in France because of his disagreements with King [[Henry II of England]].  He also sponsored the construction of a monastery of the [[Trinitarians]], a  [[mendicant order]] of monks, close to the castle <ref>Hebert and Sarmant, "Fontainebleau- Milles anes d'histoire de France"</ref>