MELUN, capital of the department of Seine-et-Marne, France, 28 miles south-east of Paris by railway, occupies a hill on the right bank of the Seine and the level ground at its foot. It owes its rank as “chef-lieu” to its central position merely; for there are two other towns in the department, Meaux and Fontainebleau, which have a larger population. Melun is near one of the most beautiful parts of the forest of Fontainebleau. Among the rich estates in its neighbourhood the most remarkable is the magnificent chateau of Vaux-Praslin, which belonged to Fouquet, superintendant of finances under Louis XIV. The church of Notre Dame formerly belonged to a nunnery, now occupied by a central house of detention for twelve hundred prisoners. On the apse of the church of St Aspais may be seen a modern medallion in bronze, the work of the sculptor Chapu, representing Joan of Arc as the liberator of Melun. The population in 1881 was 12,145....
Melun is a very ancient town, and has played an important part in history. As early as the time of Caesar’s Gallic wars it was taken possession of by his lieutenant Labienus, in order to attack Lutetia with greater ease by the right bank of the Seine. It was pillaged by the Normans, and afterwards became the favourite residence of the first kings of the race of Capet; Robert and Philip I. both died there. During the Hundred Years’ War Melun was given up by Jeanne of Navarre to her brother, Charles the Bad, but was retaken by the dauphin Charles and Duguesclin. In 1420 it made an heroic defence against Henry V. of England and his ally the duke of Burgundy. Ten years later the people of Melun, with the help of Joan of Arc, drove out the English. It was occupied by the League in 1589, and retaken by Henry IV. in the following year. Jacques Amyot was born there in 1504.
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