Editing Falaise, Calvados (section)

==History==
The area around Falaise has been inhabited from [[Mesolithic]] times (approximately 7000BC) , but it was only at the end of the prehistoric period and the beginning of the Gallo-Roman era that the area, Falaise in particular, was regularly inhabited.<ref name="casthist">{{Cite web|url=https://www.chateau-guillaume-leconquerant.fr/decouvrir-le-chateau/son-histoire-1-3.html|title=Son Histoire &#124; Château Guillaume le Conquérant - Falaise|website=www.chateau-guillaume-leconquerant.fr}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.paysdefalaise.fr/tourisme/le-patrimoine/une-richesse-historique/|title=Une richesse historique}}</ref> Evidence of settlement from the time has been found at Vaston, an agricultural area just north-east of the modern town.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.falaise.fr/decouvrir/histoire/|title=Histoire|website=Mairie de Falaise}}</ref>

===Middle Ages===
In 911 AD the town became part of the [[Duchy of Normandy]] when King [[Rollo]] was granted lands, including Falaise, by [[Charles the Simple]] in exchange for Rollo agreeing to end his brigandage, [[Homage (feudal)|swear allegiance]] to Charles, [[Conversion to Christianity|convert to Christianity]], and pledge to defend the Seine estuary from other Viking raiders.<ref>{{Cite book |author=Flodoard of Reims |author-link=Flodoard of Reims |title=The Annals of Flodoard of Reims: 919–966 |date=2011 |publisher=University of Toronto Press |isbn=978-1-44260-001-0 |editor-last=Fanning |editor-first=Steven |editor-last2=Bachrach |editor-first2=Bernard S. |pages=xx-xxi, 14, 16–17}}</ref><ref name="casthist"/>

[[File:Chateau-falaise-calvados.jpg|left|thumb|upright=1.3|The [[Château de Falaise]] on its rocky crag]]

Falaise, as it is sited today, probably came into being around the castle.{{citation needed|date=April 2024}}

The town was the birthplace of [[William I of England|William the Conqueror]], first of the [[Normans|Norman]] kings of England. He was frequently referred to as William the Bastard, on account of his being born out of wedlock to [[Herleva]] from Falaise, reputedly a tanner's daughter.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.royal.uk/william-the-conqueror|title=William I 'The Conqueror' (r. 1066–1087) &#124; The Royal Family|website=The Royal Family }}</ref>

The [[Château de Falaise]] (12th–13th century), which overlooks the town from a high crag ({{langx|fr|falaise}}), was formerly the seat of the [[Dukes of Normandy]]. Also, the [[Treaty of Falaise]] was signed at the castle in December 1174 between the captive [[William I of Scotland|William I]], [[King of Scots]], and the Plantagenet king of England, [[Henry II of England|Henry II]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.normanconnections.com/en/norman-sites/falaise-castle/|title=Falaise Castle &#124; Norman Connections &#124; Discover Norman History|website=www.normanconnections.com}}</ref>

At the end of the 12th centaury [[Philip II of France]] took control of Normandy and Falaise from the Normans, and building a new Tower for the towns castle, as well as restoring the Holy Trinity Church in the town.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ouest-france.fr/normandie/calvados/le-chateau-de-la-cite-de-falaise-est-millenaire-4372758|title=Le château de la cité de Falaise est millénaire|date=14 July 2016}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.falaise-suissenormande.com/en/sites-et-musees/eglise-sainte-trinite/|title=Holy Trinity Church in FALAISE|date=1 January 2025|website=Falaise - Suisse Normande}}</ref>

The town was also the place that Rabbi Yom Tov of Falaise, grandchild of [[Rashi]], held his rabbinical court, during the 13th centaury.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.studylight.org/encyclopedias/eng/tje/f/falaise.html|title=Falaise - The 1901 Jewish Encyclopedia -|website=StudyLight.org}}</ref>

During the [[Hundred Years' War]] the town remained under control of the English until 1450 when the French won the [[Siege of Falaise (1450)|Siege of Falaise]].<ref name="casthist"/><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.britishbattles.com/one-hundred-years-war/battle-of-formigny/|title=Battle of Formigny|website=www.britishbattles.com}}</ref>

===Modern era===

In January 1590 the castle was besieged by the troops of [[Henry IV of France]] as part of the [[French Wars of Religion]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.historyhit.com/locations/falaise-castle/|title=Falaise Castle|website=History Hit}}</ref><ref name="casthist"/> The damaged caused to the castle from the cannons during this last siege marked the end of Falaise being a significant military strategic point.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.falaise.fr/decouvrir/histoire/renaissance/|title=Renaissance|website=Mairie de Falaise}}</ref>

On 26 October 1851, a [[statue of William the Conqueror]] was inaugurated here (at his place of birth).<ref>{{cite web |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wOMYAAAAYAAJ&q=Washington+Farewell+1850+2300+OR+2%2C300&pg=RA1-PA37 |title=The World's Progress: A Dictionary of Dates, with Tabular Views of General History and a Historical Chart |first=George Palmer |last=Putnam |date=3 April 2018 |publisher=G. P. Putnam and Company |access-date=3 April 2018 |via=Google Books |archive-date=6 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220506170147/https://books.google.com/books?id=wOMYAAAAYAAJ&q=Washington+Farewell+1850+2300+OR+2%2C300&pg=RA1-PA37 |url-status=live }}</ref>

=== World War II ===
{{see also|Falaise Pocket}}
[[File:Falaisegap.jpg|thumb|After the Liberation of Falaise by the 2nd Canadian Infantry Division on 17 August 1944, U.S. troops pose with a captured German flag by a knocked-out tank.]]

In modern times, it is known for the battle of the [[Falaise Pocket]] during the [[Operation Overlord|Allied reconquest of France]] (called [[Operation Overlord]]) in August 1944 in which two German armies were encircled and destroyed by the allied armies. Some 10,000 German troops were killed and 50,000 taken prisoner.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.liberationroute.com/pois/263/the-falaise-pocket-the-memorial-of-montormel|title=The Falaise pocket – The Memorial of Montormel|website=www.liberationroute.com}}</ref>

Two-thirds of Falaise was destroyed by allied bombing before the town was taken by a combined force of Canadian and Polish troops. Falaise was largely restored after the war.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cheminsdememoire.gouv.fr/en/normandy-falaise-pocket|title=Normandy – Falaise Pocket &#124; Chemins de mémoire|website=www.cheminsdememoire.gouv.fr}}</ref>

===Post War to today===
[[File:Jeanne 15 - FALAISE - Le Chateau et le Brèche Henri IV.JPG|thumb|Postcard showing the old railway line at foot of the castle]]

In 1953 [[Falaise station]] stopped its public rail services, having served the town for 94 years.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ouest-france.fr/normandie/falaise-14700/a-falaise-avant-le-carrefour-market-il-y-avait-une-gare-fb66ff9a-1950-11ed-a231-3b46c7cb5879|title=À Falaise, avant le Carrefour Market il y avait une gare|website=Ouest-France|date=11 August 2022 }}</ref> The station continued serving freight only before finally closing in 1990, whereit was demolished and replaceed with a  supermarket.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://caen.maville.com/actu/actudet_-a-falaise-avant-le-carrefour-market-il-y-avait-une-gare-_4-5366156_actu.Htm|title=À Falaise, avant le Carrefour Market il y avait une gare|website=caen.maville.com}}</ref>